Category Specialist (Explosives) – Fixed Term
-  
Perth based with flexible working arrangements supported
 -  
Exposure to a global category
 -  
12-month fixed-term opportunity
 
We have an exciting opportunity available to join our Global Energy Team as a Specialist, Explosives. This is a great opportunity for Procurement Professionals who want exposure to a global category.
Reporting to the Principal Advisor – Explosives, you will:
-  
Manage supplier relationships at global and regional levels.
 -  
Manage key stakeholder relationships with various Rio Tinto business units.
 -  
Manage relationships and performance metrics with supply partners, and understand their supply chains and industry trends.
 -  
Analyse market and industry data to drive value creation through the development and implementation of category strategies.
 -  
Ensure execution of improvement initiatives to reach and exceed business plans.
 -  
Work across the end-to-end procurement process, ensuring category performance across key procurement metrics.
 
What you’ll bring
To be successful in this role you will demonstrate the following:
-  
A strong commitment to the safety of yourself, our team and our stakeholders.
 -  
Connect and collaborate effectively within the team and broader internal / external stakeholders.
 -  
Strong analytical skills and the ability to summarise key information and deliver clear key messages to diverse audiences.
 -  
Supporting the development of category and supplier strategies to maximise value to Rio Tinto and our supply partners.
 -  
Effective negotiation skills and the ability to draft and execute commercial agreements.
 -  
Ability to partner with key external suppliers and stakeholders to co-develop projects and supply opportunities centred on achieving Rio Tinto’s strategic objectives.
 -  
Tertiary Degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline including business, commerce or law. A CIPS Certificate or Diploma in Purchasing or Supply is desirable.
 
What we offer
-  
Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress.
 -  
A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
 -  
A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive bonus
 -  
Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
 -  
Attractive share ownership plan
 -  
Company provided insurance cover
 -  
Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
 -  
Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
 -  
Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
 -  
Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave, cultural leave)
 
Where you will be working
Rio Tinto Procurement provides supply chain services that deliver value to the Rio Tinto Group through the strategic sourcing of goods and services for all operations and businesses. Value is enabled through close collaboration with business unit stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of requirements, and then delivered through uniformed processes, e-technology, increased corporate social responsibility and measurable value delivery for the Rio Tinto Group.
Application Deadline: 18th Nov 2025
(Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)
Please note, in order to be successfully considered for this role you must complete all pre-screening questions.
Rio Tinto does not accept unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles from recruiters or employment agencies. Rio Tinto will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee relating to unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles. Rio Tinto reserves the right to hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Rio Tinto.
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 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.
R43256
Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, 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 and meet opportunities.
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities, and people from different cultural backgrounds.
We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable being 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 who we are.
Start your application
Take your leadership career to the next level.
Where can Rio Tinto take you?
You’re passionate and ambitious with tremendous career aspirations. The breadth and growth of our organisation empowers you to define your ideal career path.
Take a look at Katie’s career journey
Take a look at Shona’s career journey


-  2022 - PresentManager Projects - Energy DevelopmentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
 -  2021Superintendent Operations CentreBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
 -  2020Development / Drill and Blast SuperintendentPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2019Deputy Quarry ManagerPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2018Development SupervisorPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2017Senior Engineer of Drill, Blast and SurveyPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2016Production EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2015Mine scheduler - 2 week plannerPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2014Drill and Blast EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
 -  2012Graduate Mining EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
 
-  2022 – PresentGeneral Manager Weipa OperationsWeipa, Far North Queensland, Australia
 -  2020General Manager Bell Bay AluminiumLaunceston, Tasmania, Australia
 -  2017Metal products DepartmentBoyne SmeltersGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2014Reduction line Manager – Boyne SmeltersGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2012Services department Manager Boyne SmeltersGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2011Manager Health, Safety, Environment and business improvement Boyne SmeltersGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2010Lean Six Sigma Black Belt – Boyne SmeltersGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2009Operations SuperintendentGladstone, Queensland, Australia
 -  2005Operations SuperintendentLaunceston, Tasmania, Australia
 -  2004Graduate EngineerLaunceston, Tasmania, Australia
 
Working at Rio Tinto
Help us deliver the materials that make human progress possible.
The plane you’re flying in just landed. You fire up your phone and get your laptop out of the overhead bin. Immediately, you’re in work mode – thousands of miles from your office. Do you ever stop to think about all the materials that make life in the 21st century possible? At Rio Tinto, we discover, develop and deliver the materials that drive human progress. When you work with us, you’ll experience advantages you won’t find anywhere else.
Working in a technical role at Rio Tinto
Your advanced expertise will help drive human progress.
We’ve developed technical capabilities through nearly 150 years of discovering, planning, and operating mines in every corner of the world. We’re an open, connected international team of technical specialists using some of the most sophisticated tools and robust data on the planet. Join us and experience:
Our application process
01
Apply
The first thing you’ll need to do is apply to the role. You can do this with your LinkedIn profile or you can upload your resume. We’ll also ask you to complete a few questions before you submit your application.
02
Undergo assessments
Our assessments are designed to help us work out whether you are suitable for the role. We will let you know which ones you’ll need to complete.
03
Interview(s)
Our interviews could be in person or online. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know you a bit better, answer any of your questions and talk about the exciting career opportunity you have applied for.
04
Offers and checks
At this stage, we will let you know if you have been successful. If you have been, we’ll need to conduct a couple of checks, such as a background or security check. You may also need to do a medical assessment depending on the role you have applied for.
05
Join the Rio Tinto team
Once the checks have been completed, we’ll be in touch to talk with you about your start date and answer any questions you may have before you start with us.
											
				
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 













