Oyu Tolgoi’s workforce today is more than 97 per cent Mongolian, and a major strategic focus for the company is to develop a skilled workforce that is continuously learning. We aim to attract the best talent, so that we can together deliver a safe and globally competitive copper business that contributes to the prosperity of Mongolia.
Oyu Tolgoi LLC is operating a copper-gold mine in southern territory of Mongolia. The company aspires a vision ‘Natural wealth to enduring value, knowledge, and skill’, and pursues a mission, 'Together deliver a safe and globally competitive copper business that contributes to the prosperity of Mongolia' to build one of the largest copper-gold mines worldwide.
Manager – Mine Design and Planning
- Be part of the world's leading mining organization
- Dynamic work culture and great exposure to multicultural teams
- Fantastic international expatriate opportunity in Mongolia at a World Class Mine
About the role
The Manager – Mine Design and Planning is accountable for leading the delivery of all technical Underground plans for the Hugo North Lift 1 Mine Plan. This includes developing and executing Budget Plans, Long-Term Strategies, and Mine Designs that ensure the safe and sustainable delivery of Oyu Tolgoi’s strategic objectives.
This role is pivotal in maintaining continuous, safe, and optimized underground operations by providing clear strategic direction and ensuring the timely, accurate, and compliant delivery of all planning scopes under its management. You will work on either a 5 Days On / 2 Days Off residential roster in Ulaanbaatar, or 4 Weeks On / 2 Weeks Off FIFO roster, reporting directly to the Senior Manager Underground Technical in the Underground Operations department.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic direction for Mine Planning activities across Budget and Long-Term Planning horizons to ensure alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices
- Drive the development and implementation of Mine Planning Frameworks and guidelines, regularly reviewing and updating them to reflect operational changes, regulatory and business requirements
- Oversee and improve the stakeholder engagement model with continuous improvement initiatives to support the planning process
- Oversee the production and development models to ensure accurate integration of planning inputs and outputs
- Maintain the Basis of Schedule and Design Register and oversee the Technical Management of Change processes for updates to the Life of Mine Plan
- Lead by example, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team
- Engage with Operational stakeholders and Business Partners to co-ordinate initiatives to improve copper delivery and de-risk the Mine Plan
- Facilitate ongoing training, coaching, and skill development for team members to enhance their capabilities and performance, whilst ensuring new employees receive adequate onboarding and training to fulfill their roles effectively
- Conduct regular performance reviews, provide feedback to support continuous improvement, and monitor and review team performance to ensure the achievement of monthly, annual, and long-term goals whilst implementing improvement plans where necessary
What you will need for this role
- Degree or Postgraduate Qualification in Mine Engineering or similar qualifications
- Underground mining experience with multiple appointed underground technical positions at multiple mines with 15+ years of experience in the Mining Industry
- Advanced technical knowledge of Mine Engineering, Mine Planning and Operational Experience
- Previous Budget and Long-Term Planning delivery experience
- Proven track record of excellence in Mine Planning inclusive of QAQC methods, engagement method with stakeholders, Mine Planning inputs gathering and setting
- Prior Management experience needed
- Prior cave mining methods or large operation experience
- Strong people skills with the ability to effectively work within multi-disciplinary teams
What we offer
- A dynamic work environment where the safety and well-being of our people is always the number one priority
- A once in a lifetime role to work on a unique orebody and multi panel block cave mine
- International relocation and visa assistance
- Competitive package, including annual incentive and living allowance
- Career development to further your ambitions
- Coaching and mentoring opportunities to support junior staff
- A comprehensive international health insurance for employees and their immediate family
- Access to the Rio Tinto employee share plan
About us
Joining the Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoi Underground Operations team is a fantastic opportunity to be part of one of the most exciting developments in copper and gold mining for many decades. The mine has reserves and resources that make it one of the world’s largest copper-gold deposits.
This mega mining operation is expected to be a major contributor to Mongolia’s development. As part of the Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoi Underground Operations team, you can contribute to something significant and learn and develop both personally and professionally. We offer a collaborative, high performing environment where success is achieved by working together.
Discover more about Mongolia and Oyu Tolgoi
Mongolia is increasingly becoming a destination for tourism and expatriate residents. As a rapidly developing city, Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar is seen as a comfortable, yet exciting place to live. With an array of cultural and social activities available and a growing network of international schools, housing options, and leisure facilities, it is home to a growing community of international expatriates.
Located in the South Gobi Desert, just 80 kilometres from the Chinese border, the Oyu Tolgoi open pit and underground mine and camp is a large, well-run and comfortable site with multiple amenities including recreational and sports facilities, a cinema, shops, restaurants and bars catered to a growing community. For more information about OT site, please check out this video.
Where you’ll be working
Oyu Tolgoi is an large Copper / Gold operation consisting of an open pit mine and large scale underground multiple block cave mine. The site is in the Gobi Desert region of Mongolia. The reserves case for the underground mine is in the order of 0.5 billion tonnes of ore to be mined from the future state name plate of 95,000 tonnes per day Hugo North Lift 1 (HNL1) block cave mine with a 20-year operational life. There is also the potential for 3 further block cave districts to increase mine life beyond 100 years.
Every Voice Matters
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 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.
Job application closes on Feb 6th, 2026
#GTS
Respect and Inclusion
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 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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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.
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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
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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 our Operations teams
The most important thing you’ll uncover is your own potential.
Working in Operations at Rio Tinto means you can make a hands-on difference in the discovery and delivery of the materials that make human progress possible. In return, we strive to help you achieve and even exceed your career goals. 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.