Senior Corporate Counsel

About the role

Rio Tinto is seeking an experienced Senior Corporate Counsel to lead in‑country legal support for the Simandou Project in Guinea. Reporting to the Chief Counsel Simandou in London, you will act as the principal legal adviser to the Managing Director and senior leadership team on‑site, providing strategic, commercially pragmatic guidance throughout construction and operations.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the legal team in Guinea, fostering a high‑performing, collaborative function.
• Serve as the chief legal adviser to the in‑country Managing Director and senior leadership, delivering strategic counsel on health & safety, compliance, land access, community, procurement and infrastructure matters.
• Oversee external counsel engagements, ensuring quality, responsiveness and cost‑effective legal support.
• Partner with Legal, Governance, Corporate Affairs, Compliance, Commercial, Procurement and Operations teams to achieve positive outcomes.
• Advise on key project agreements, strategic commercial contracts and complex joint‑venture, governance and commercial arrangements.
• Lead negotiations and engagements with government ministries, regulatory authorities and other public stakeholders.

Required profile

• Commercially minded lawyer with strong judgment and a solutions‑focused approach.
• Proven experience providing senior‑level legal advice in a dynamic, multi‑stakeholder environment.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop legal teams.
• Experience in large‑scale mining or infrastructure projects is highly desirable.

Required skills