Legal Counsel, China

• Based in Shanghai – China

About the role

We are looking for a Legal Counsel who will support the Chief Counsel China in achieving collaboration throughout Rio Tinto Legal locally but also globally in the sharing of knowledge, good practice and consistent approach. This role will be involved in advising all Product Groups and Functions of Rio Tinto on the legal aspects of their China activities with a focus on IP, ESG and China Corporate. This role will also need to support and implement the policies and practices of the Rio Tinto Group in respect of ESG, safety, business integrity and other matters of corporate significance.

This role is a great opportunity for a highly motivated individual, reporting to the Chief Counsel China and has the following key accountabilities with a view to enabling business to achieve its short and long term business goals (consistently with the principles of ethical legal practice):

• Provision of timely, accurate, independent and commercially focussed legal advice

• Drafting, reviewing and negotiation of legal documents

• Researching and collating information and texts on various legal topics and issues

• Preparing memos, minutes, advices and procedures manuals for meetings

• Liaising, developing and maintaining close working relationships with members of the Product Groups and Functions and Rio Tinto Legal globally and promoting collaboration and information sharing

• Cost effective management of external legal resources, to the extent engaged

• Reviewing and developing template documentation as may be required for repetitive transactions and circumstances

• Monitoring the compliance framework that will enable Rio Tinto to meet its statutory and corporate requirements

• Assisting in managing legal matters/risks

• Managing and updating Diligence and other Company Secretarial matters for China entities

• Supporting administrative matters of the China Legal team

About you

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

• A tertiary law degree with solid knowledge of Chinese law

• Not less than 8-10 years of post-qualification experience as a Chinese lawyer and working in a major law firm or in-house with high-quality, general corporate and commercial law experiences, or broader experience, including ESG related experience and not less than 3 years of general IP related experiences (e.g. patents, trademark protections and copyrights)

• Exposure to international legal work

• Strategic, analytical and ethical capabilities as well as commercial acumen in making judgments, defining problems and developing innovative solutions with guidance from senior lawyers

• Well-developed advisory, drafting and negotiation skills

• Written and oral proficiency in both Mandarin and English

• Ability to deal with complex and vital matters with input and guidance from the manager and team members

• Ability to work collaboratively at all levels within a multi-disciplinary team

• Ability to work with legal ambiguity and to find risk-weighted legal solutions

• Willingness to work with different cultures

• Ability to work autonomously

About us

We’re on a mission to become the world’s most valued metals and mining business – for the people who invest in us, the people we work and partner with, and the communities around us.

We operate across 35 countries and 6 continents, where our 61,000+ employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs. Our core products – iron ore, copper, aluminium and lithium – are the building blocks of a cleaner, smarter future.  To meet growing demand, we’re focused on keeping our people safe, while running and delivering world‑class operations and projects. And we’re committed to doing it responsibly – delivering lasting positive impact through deep expertise, strong social licence and long‑standing partnerships. Together, we’re solving global challenges and creating shared success.

China is Rio Tinto’s largest market, and home to our biggest shareholder, customers and important strategic partners. Rio Tinto shares a long, fruitful history of partnership with China. Our collaboration today ranges from trade, exploration, project development, and digital innovation, to R&D and talent development. China also serves as an important source of goods and services that support our global operations. We are also working together to address significant challenges such as climate change and sustainable development to shape a collective future.

Our values

Our people, culture and values create an environment where everyone feels safe, respected and empowered, so we can continue to find better ways together.

• Care: Care about the safety of ourselves and others, creating an environment of trust, and the impact we have on our colleagues and others, communities and the environment.

• Courage: Courage to show vulnerability, speak up and challenge when we can do better, and take ownership of our actions and outcomes to drive performance.

• Curiosity: Curiosity to learn and grow in our fields of expertise, look for opportunities to solve problems with everyday innovation, and be open to different perspectives.

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 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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