Senior Corporate Counsel – Head of Legal, Guinea

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Senior Corporate Counsel to lead in‑country legal support for Rio Tinto’s 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 across construction, operations and all related activities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the legal team in Guinea, fostering a high‑performing, collaborative function.
• Provide direct legal advice to the Managing Director and senior leadership on health and safety, compliance, land access, community relations, 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 to achieve positive outcomes.
• Support negotiation and management of key project agreements, joint‑venture structures and strategic commercial contracts.
• Coordinate in‑country engagements with government ministries, regulatory authorities and other public stakeholders.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer with extensive experience in corporate, commercial and infrastructure law, preferably within the mining sector.
• Commercially minded with strong judgment and a solutions‑focused approach.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, able to influence senior executives.
• Proven ability to lead and develop legal teams in challenging environments.

Required skills