Senior Corporate Counsel

Senior Corporate Counsel

• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Permanent role with the Borates business, based in Los Angeles, USA, with routine visits to Boron mine site
• For California based roles the expected salary range is $201,200 – $276,650

About the role

All progress begins with pioneers. At Rio Tinto, it begins with you.

We are looking for a Senior Corporate Counsel, Borates to support the Borates senior leadership team in providing outstanding strategic legal support to the global Borates business.   

We are an open, connected global team that includes some of the industry’s best and brightest minds. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop and grow your career are broad and exciting.

The Borates business is currently subject to a strategic review, which could result in divestment. The Borates business is developing a standalone structure and the Senior Corporate Counsel, Borates role provides an opportunity to shape the legal function for a standalone business, assist with the transition and remain with the business in its next chapter (if divested).

Initially, reporting to the Rio Tinto General Counsel, Corporate and Strategic Projects with a dotted line to the Chief Financial Officer, Borates, and working in a challenging and exciting environment, you will be:

• Providing strategic advice across a broad remit of legal issues including commercial contracts, environmental, infrastructure, safety, employment, disputes and intellectual property
• Supporting the management of major legal and commercial risks of the global Borates business
• Oversee the provision of corporate secretarial services to the Borates group of companies
• Ensuring adherence to the highest standards of compliance in order to build and protect the reputation of Rio Tinto and the Borates’ business

What you’ll bring

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
• A law degree and admission to practice in the State of California (or the ability to obtain a license to practice law in California within one year of commencement of employment), plus 6 to 8 years post qualification experience
• Experience in dealings with complex Government and multi-stakeholder issues
• Strong corporate/commercial experience, including exposure to complex contracts, disputes, environment, safety, intellectual property, employment and projects and on-going management
• A creative mind to solve existing matters and anticipate future issues and a willingness to challenge the status quo
• Strong organizational skills and ability to integrate in cross functional teams to support on the delivery of new commercial models and partnerships
• Strong technical and analytical skills alongside a proven track record of formulating and offering proactive and creative solutions to commercial problems
• Experience managing relationships with external advisers and ensuring that a cost-effective service is delivered
• Strong cross-cultural awareness and ability to quickly adapt to the situation and have a flexible style for an appropriate audience amidst uncertainty and competing interests
• Commercial and ethical judgement and the willingness and confidence to continuously exercise it
• Experience with leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver outstanding legal support and a curiosity for broader AI applications
• A willingness to travel as needed to support on-going matters

What we offer

Be recognized 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 salary package with annual cash incentive awards for eligible employees
• Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions
• Access top tier family-friendly health and medical programs and pension plan
• Wellbeing benefits
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matter
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)

About Borates

The Borates business is a leading producer of refined borates, supplying nearly 30% of global demand to customers across industrial, agricultural and energy transition applications. It operates primarily from the Boron mine and processing facilities in California, United States, supported by processing and distribution capabilities in Europe.

Borates is one of the world’s leading producers of refined borates, with operations centered on the Boron mine in California, one of the largest known borate deposits globally. Borates are used in a wide range of applications including glass, ceramics, agriculture, construction materials and renewable energy technologies.

About Rio Tinto

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins with ​a first step, and someone willing to take it: explorers, inventors, entrepreneurs. ​Pioneers. ​

For nearly 150 years, Rio Tinto has been a company ​of pioneers – generations of people spanning the globe, all with the grit and vision to produce materials essential to human progress. ​

Our iron ore has shaped skylines from Shanghai to Sydney. Our aluminium – the world’s first to be certified “responsible” – helps planes fly and makes cars lighter. Our copper helps wind turbines power cities, and our boron helps feed the world and explore the universe. ​Our diamonds help us celebrate the best parts of life. 

Candidates outside of the PQE bracket with the right experience will also be considered for this position

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

Rio Tinto is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel safe, respected and valued. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome but are essential to our success. We treat all our people fairly and with dignity.

Rio Tinto participates in E- Verify to confirm work authorization. Please visit http://www.ucis.gov/ for more information.

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