Senior Adviser Contracts

• Own the full contract lifecycle for a diverse exploration portfolio, helping teams mobilise safely and keep drilling and field programs on schedule 
• Build broad commercial capability through complex, bespoke contracts across commodities, projects and jurisdictions, with exposure to senior operational, technical, legal and procurement stakeholders 
• Permanent role based in Perth or Brisbane, with hybrid working offered 

We’re Finding Better Ways™ to provide materials the world needs, now and in the future.  Our values – care, courage and curiosity – guide how we work and how we treat each other.  

About the role  

We are looking for a Senior Adviser for Contracts to join Rio Tinto Exploration and help the Operations & Logistics team build a clear, proactive approach to end-to-end contract management. This newly created role will take ownership across early planning, contracting strategy, tendering, negotiation, award, administration, renewal and close-out, helping exploration programs secure the services they need without avoidable delays.  

Working in a well-established team based across Perth and Brisbane, you will have the autonomy to bring structure to a varied contract portfolio while partnering closely with technical and operational specialists. This is a prime opportunity for an experienced contracts, commercial, procurement or project professional who enjoys complex work, building trusted stakeholder relationships and seeing commercial decisions translate into safe, effective field delivery.  

What you'll be doing

Reporting to the Manager of Operations & Logistics and working in an experienced and dedicated team within Rio Tinto Exploration, you will:  

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of multiple contracts, from forward planning and strategy through tendering, award, administration, renewal and close-out 

• Partner with exploration managers, project leads, geoscientists and field-facing technical specialists to translate drilling, earthworks, logistics and other operational requirements into clear scopes of work and executable contract packages 

• Prepare and coordinate requests for proposals and quotations, tender documentation, evaluations, approval submissions, recommendations and service agreements 

• Coordinate supplier engagement and commercial negotiations, working closely with Legal, Commercial and Procurement to manage contractual, commercial and delivery risk within delegated authority 

• Maintain forward visibility of demand, milestones, renewals, expiry dates and emerging constraints so contracting becomes increasingly proactive rather than reactive 

• Administer variations, extensions, claims, disputes, supplier performance issues and close-out actions, while supporting contract owners to understand and act on contractual obligations 

• Maintain complete and auditable contract registers, Landfolio records, dashboards and approved repositories, providing first-line assurance over governance, approvals and lifecycle controls 

• Build trusted relationships with senior internal stakeholders, contractors and suppliers, representing Operations & Logistics and identifying practical improvements that strengthen delivery, assurance and commercial outcomes 

About you  

We’re looking for someone whose experience aligns with the key requirements below. You do not need to meet every “helpful for success” item to apply, if you bring relevant experience and are excited by the opportunity, we encourage you to submit an application.  

Required for Success  

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team  
• Demonstrated capability managing contracts across the full lifecycle, including contracting strategy, scope development, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, award, administration and close-out 
• Substantial experience in contracts, procurement, commercial management, category management or project delivery within a complex, multi-site or multi-region operating environment 
• Ability to work with technical and operational stakeholders to turn complex requirements into clear scopes, commercial packages and practical delivery arrangements, while managing supplier and contractual risk 
• A qualification in commerce, business, law, procurement, supply chain, contract management, project management or a related discipline, or substantial equivalent practical experience 
• Strong written communication, commercial judgement and stakeholder engagement, with the confidence to work independently and partner constructively with senior leaders, technical specialists, Legal, Procurement and suppliers 

Helpful for Success  

• Experience supporting exploration, mining, oil and gas, civil, technology or project-based operations, particularly where work spans multiple sites or jurisdictions 
• Experience with Landfolio or comparable contract, procurement, workflow or records-management systems 
• Experience mentoring others, improving contract governance or building portfolio-level reporting, renewal forecasting and assurance processes 

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 permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto  

• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program   

• 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 & cultural leave)  

• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)  

Where you’ll be working  

Rio Tinto Exploration strives to be the world’s best explorer, building on a 70-year legacy of transformative discoveries. With explorers operating in more than a dozen countries across the globe, we’re actively pursuing opportunities in our core commodities whilst also being opportunistic in identifying other valuable minerals that underpin modern life and economic development.    

Our global exploration team plays a pivotal role in discovering and safely delivering high-quality growth options for Rio Tinto. With diverse expertise across geoscience, technology, land access, data and information management, logistics and operations, communities and social performance, commercial and more, we work collaboratively to unlock value responsibly and sustainably, wherever we operate.    

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 LGBTQ+ 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.