Principal Advisor Safety

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Safety Leader to oversee and coordinate our centralised Safety function across Rio Tinto Iron Ore. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for implementing key safety initiatives, driving continuous improvement, and leading a high-performing team of safety professionals. You will work closely with cross-functional stakeholders to support both near-term and long-term safety goals, ensuring alignment with Rio Tinto’s Health Safety Environment & Communities (HSEC) Plan and fostering a strong, proactive safety culture across the organisation.

Reporting to the Manager, Health and Safety you will; 

• Act as a subject matter expert on safety maturity, guiding and influencing the organisation's evolution toward advanced safety practices.

• Promote and support Rio Tinto’s Lifesaving Commitments through targeted engagement and communication strategies.

• Support the identification of material risks and governance of critical controls via participation in the safety steering committee.

• Contribute to industry benchmarking efforts, driving alignment and learning across the organisation and wider sector.

• Engage in key transformation programs initiatives to enhance safety performance and culture.

• Lead and manage a regional team of Work Health Safety professionals, fostering strategic alignment and high performance.

• Support long-term risk reduction and improvement initiatives including the development of strategic white papers and stakeholder communications.

You’ll Bring

You are a collaborative and strategic thinker with a deep commitment to safety and people. You bring a consultative approach to your work, combining strong technical knowledge with the ability to influence and engage diverse stakeholders across all levels of an organisation. Your leadership style is inclusive and grounded in empathy, and you're driven by a genuine desire to create safer, healthier workplaces for everyone.

You will bring:

• Experience in consulting, advising, and influencing across a broad stakeholder network.

• A strategic mindset with the ability to engage stakeholders and align safety initiatives to broader organisational goals.

• Relevant safety qualifications and a deep understanding of WHS principles and legislation.

• Strong report writing and communication skills, with an ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable insights.

• A track record of shifting mindsets and influencing behaviours in a positive and sustainable way.

• Inclusive leadership qualities, with a people-centric approach that values diversity, collaboration, and psychological safety.

• Strong analytical capabilities, with a systems-thinking approach to identifying opportunities and solving problems.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and issues simultaneously.

• A demonstrated ability to build trust and strong working relationships through active listening, partnership, and collaboration. #gts

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.

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ 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.

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