Chief Counsel Disputes Closure and Sustainability

Chief Counsel, Disputes, Closure & Sustainability

• Advise the Executive Committee and Board on critical disputes, ESG, closure and sustainability matters that protect Rio Tinto’s value and reputation.

• Lead a high‑performing international legal team at the intersection of law, sustainability and social impact.

• Permanent role, based in London (UK), Brisbane or Perth (AU)

About the role

Finding better ways™ to provide the materials the world needs.

We are seeking a Chief Counsel, Disputes, Closure & Sustainability to provide enterprise-level legal leadership across Rio Tinto’s global disputes portfolio and its Closure and Sustainability / Community & Social Performance (CSP) businesses.

Reporting to the General Counsel, Corporate & Strategic Projects, this senior role is accountable for shaping and executing Rio Tinto’s global disputes strategy, managing legal risk arising from closure and legacy assets, and integrating legal oversight of sustainability, ESG and human rights-related exposures.

Operating at the intersection of complex litigation, regulatory enforcement, long‑term liability management and stakeholder‑sensitive matters, you will act as a trusted adviser to the Executive Committee and Board on material legal risk. You will ensure disputes are strategically managed, future risks are proactively mitigated, and closure and sustainability matters are addressed in a way that safeguards Rio Tinto’s long‑term value, reputation and licence to operate.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead Rio Tinto’s global disputes strategy, overseeing complex, high‑value and multi‑jurisdictional litigation, investigations and sensitive stakeholder disputes, with personal oversight of material matters.

• Embed best‑in‑class governance and risk discipline across the global disputes portfolio, including trend analysis, proactive risk mitigation and effective external counsel management.

• Provide legal leadership for closure and legacy assets, managing long‑term environmental, social and stakeholder liabilities and ensuring closure strategies avoid unintended parent‑company exposure, value leakage or adverse precedent.

• Integrate closure‑related disputes into the enterprise disputes framework and institutionalize lessons learned to strengthen global closure governance.

• Provide senior legal oversight on sustainability, CSP and ESG risks, including human rights, Indigenous relations (FPIC), grievance mechanisms, security frameworks and sustainability disclosures.

• Monitor and advise on emerging ESG and human rights litigation and regulatory developments, strengthening readiness for evolving due diligence and modern slavery regimes.

• Lead strategic responses to complex regulatory and enforcement actions, engaging with regulators and governments across OECD and non‑OECD jurisdictions in politically and socially complex environments.

• Lead and develop a high‑performing global legal team, building capability, succession and bench strength while optimizing resources, controlling spend and supporting enterprise‑wide risk management and strategic decision‑making.

What You Will Bring

You are a trusted adviser and values‑driven leader who operates with confidence at Board and executive level. You will also bring:

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team

• Extensive senior legal experience in a leading international law firm and/or complex multinational in‑house environment.

• Leadership of high‑stakes, multi‑jurisdictional litigation, investigations and regulatory matters, including work across OECD and non‑OECD jurisdictions.

• Trusted advisor to Boards and executive teams, with proven capability to manage material legal, regulatory and reputational risk.

• Strong ESG, sustainability and closure‑related legal expertise, particularly within highly regulated, stakeholder‑intensive industries.

• Demonstrated ability to build, lead and develop high‑performing, globally distributed legal teams.

• Exceptional strategic judgement, balancing legal, commercial and reputational considerations, and navigating ambiguity with clarity and composure.

• Credible, values‑driven leader with strong executive influence, cross‑cultural effectiveness, high ethical standards, and a collaborative style aligned with Care, Courage and Curiosity.

About the team

This role will report in the General Counsel, Corporate & Strategic Projects and will have a team of attorneys in Australia, North America, and Europe. You will be based in London (UK), Brisbane or Perth (AU). Travel will be required as reasonably necessary.

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.