Adviser – Payroll Accounting

Excited to Grow Your Career?

We value our talented workforce and, whenever possible, strive to support our employees' professional growth and career development. If you believe this opportunity is right for you, we encourage you to discuss it with your Leader and submit your application.

Our people make all the difference to our success.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure day-to-day operations and month-end close activities are delivered on time and to a high standard, in line with agreed service levels.
• Partner closely with Payroll, Payroll Advisory, UK Controllers, Controllership, Consolidation, External Reporting (Statistics), and Finance Business Partners (FBPs) to enhance financial service delivery and manage ad hoc business requests.
• Perform and oversee core accounting activities, including the preparation and review of journals (e.g., clearing and manual journals), balance sheet reconciliations, and reporting deliverables, while acting as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the team.
• Ensure payroll accounting operations comply with data governance standards and quality control principles, including:
  • Supporting internal and external audits of payroll reconciliations and processes.
  • Ensuring SOX compliance.
  • Adherence to IFRS standards and Rio Tinto accounting policies.
• Lead and deliver continuous improvement initiatives independently or in collaboration with stakeholders, depending on project complexity.
• Support internal and external audits, including audit queries, walkthroughs, and the timely resolution of findings.
• Effectively manage time and priorities within a global team environment, with flexibility to work across shifts as required.
• Review, discuss, and submit Root Cause Analysis (RCA) findings, identifying corrective actions to address process gaps and control weaknesses.
• Resolve critical process issues, manage escalations effectively, and provide technical and operational guidance to team members.
• Ensure process documentation, including policies, procedures, and work instructions, is maintained, reviewed regularly, and compliant with governance requirements.

To Be Successfully Considered for This Role, You Will Have

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Commerce, Finance, or an equivalent discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification, CA is mandatory.
• Minimum 6+ years of professional experience, including at least 6 years of relevant accounting, financial reporting, or controllership experience.
• 2-3 years of Payroll or Payroll Accounting experience will be a strong advantage.

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Strong hands-on accounting experience, including month-end close, balance sheet reconciliations, financial reporting, and controls management. (Must Have)
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • SAP (Must Have)
  • BlackLine (Must Have)
  • Hyperion Financial Management (HFM)
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel, including complex analysis, modelling, and automation
• Exposure to payroll processes and payroll accounting practices.
• Good understanding of internal controls, compliance requirements, and financial governance frameworks.

Leadership & Behavioural Competencies

• Flexibility to work within a shift framework supporting global stakeholders.
• Results-oriented, with the ability to consistently deliver outcomes in a fast-paced and challenging environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to apply critical thinking and sound judgment.
• Knowledge of and experience with root cause analysis methodologies and reporting.
• Courage to identify and escalate process gaps, control weaknesses, and accounting risks, combined with strong curiosity and a continuous learning mindset.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, standardisation, process optimisation, and automation.
• Self-motivated and adaptable, with the ability to work effectively across multiple time zones.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with confidence in engaging with local and global teams across all levels of the organisation.
• Resilient and able to thrive in a continuous improvement environment, with a strong commitment to team-based processes and outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively.

About Rio Tinto
 

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.
 

We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win situations and meet opportunities.

Respect and Inclusion

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQ+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.

R65238