Principal Advisor HSES

Principal HSES Advisor – Closure

• Join our dynamic team working on exciting Closure projects and sites
• Provide HSES input into regional projects and sites and overall RTC HSES plan and improvement initiatives.
• Permanent role based in Salt Lake City, Utah

About the role

We are looking for a Principal HSES Advisor – Closure for Americas to provide strategic and tactical HSES leadership across legacy / post-closure sites within the Americas region, supporting the transition from study to post closure execution phases and enabling long-term HSES maturity. This single-contributor role emphasizes influence over execution, focusing on coaching, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning.

The Principal HSES Advisor will support regional leadership in embedding HSES excellence, ensuring governance, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the portfolio. The role also contributes to broader closure HSES improvement initiatives and supports the maintenance and evolution of HSES systems and processes.

Reporting to the RT Closure HSES Business Partner, your key responsibilities will include:

Legacy / Post-Closure Site Support

• Lead regional HSES strategy development and implementation for post-closure sites, ensuring alignment with global Closure and HSES priorities.
• Provide ongoing support to sites, helping sustain HSES maturity and risk-based compliance.
• Act as a strategic partner to site and regional leadership, offering coaching and guidance to embed HSES values and practices.

Strategic & Tactical Balance

• Bring a balanced approach to strategic planning and tactical execution, ensuring HSES initiatives are forward-looking while grounded in operational realities.
• Contribute to the regional planning and prioritization efforts, contributing to closure roadmaps and long-term HSES integration.

Transition Support Across Closure Phases

• Provide HSES advisory support during site transitions—from study to post closure execution—ensuring continuity and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with site teams to prepare for closure readiness and post-closure sustainability.

Leadership Coaching & Capability Building

• Coach site and regional leaders to strengthen HSES leadership behaviors and decision-making.
• Promote a culture of care, curiosity, and courage, enabling teams to take ownership of HSES performance.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Build strong networks across regional and global stakeholders, acting as a connector and influencer rather than a direct executor.
• Facilitate collaboration between site teams, regional leadership, and global HSES functions to share best practices and resolve challenges.

Governance, Assurance & Systems Support

• Support the development and implementation of HSES governance frameworks for legacy sites.
• Contribute to the maintenance and continuous improvement of HSES systems and processes, ensuring they remain fit-for-purpose and aligned with evolving needs.
• Provide strategic input into assurance activities, helping sites meet performance expectations and regulatory requirements.

Closure HSES Improvement Initiatives

• Actively contribute to regional and global closure HSES improvement initiatives, bringing insights from the field and helping shape future strategies.
• Support the design and implementation of scalable solutions that enhance HSES performance across the closure lifecycle.

Reporting & Strategic Insights

• Deliver high-level reporting and insights on HSES performance, risks, and trends across legacy and closure sites.
• Contribute to regional dashboards and planning tools that inform strategic decision-making.

About you

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have:

• Qualifications in relevant disciplines such as health, safety, environment and/or social sciences. With additional experience and exposure to environmental compliance and management.
• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in a similar role
• Good HSE expertise applied to implementing HSE systems and processes in a complex operational environment, with field based and geographically dispersed workplaces.
• Must be able to travel to project sites
• Manage work across different time zones 
• Handle confidential information with the highest level of discretion
• Strong engaging and influencing skills, with the ability to coach leaders and to think strategically across the business value chain
• An ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing competing priorities supporting multiple stakeholder groups with strong problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)..

It will also be beneficial if you have:

• Proficiency in SharePoint, PowerBI, and SAP is bonus.
• Well-developed skills in planning, developing and delivering HSES training, coaching including the development of HSES training and educational materials.
• Experience in working with regulators and stakeholders within Rio Tinto and Community.

What we offer

Here is just a glimpse of our industry leading rewards package:

• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
• A competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees
• Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions
• Access to top tier family-friendly health and medical programs
• Excellent retirement plan including 6% defined company contribution
• Generous 401k matching program
• A comprehensive leave policy that covers all moments that matter in life (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, short term sick leave, paid holidays)
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matter
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program

Where you will be working

The Rio Tinto HSES Operations and Projects Team is a key part of the Group HSES function and provides leadership on our HSE Management System ensuring it meets the needs of our business, ensures HSES second line assurance is robust and effective and the HSES technology tools enable business success.

The HSES function is core to our business and our Mission is to be a learning organisation enabling a safe, responsible and productive business that protects and cares for people, the environment and our assets.

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

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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