Manager Communities & Social Performance (CSP) | Gladstone

• Lead with purpose. Build trusted partnerships. Shape a stronger future for Gladstone and the communities connected to our operations

• Build your career and your connections in Gladstone, a coastal community where your work can make a meaningful impact

• Permanent, full-time opportunity which includes attractive salary, annual incentives and a range of additional benefits designed to make your life better

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 an experienced Manager Communities & Social Performance (CSP) to lead our CSP function across Gladstone operations including Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL), Yarwun and Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL), helping to build and maintain a strong social licence to operate across the region.

This pivotal leadership role will shape and deliver our Gladstone CSP strategy, strengthen our social licence to operate, and build trusted, long-term relationships with Traditional Owners, communities, government, industry bodies and the broader Gladstone community. Leading a team of CSP professionals, you will work closely with operational and functional leaders to manage social risks and opportunities, deliver meaningful partnerships and commitments, and create sustainable shared value for our business and the Gladstone community.

The Communities & Social Performance team works closely with operational leaders and community stakeholders to ensure Rio Tinto's activities are delivered responsibly and sustainably. Through effective engagement, partnership development and proactive management of social performance risks and opportunities, the team plays a critical role in maintaining Rio Tinto's reputation and strengthening our connection with the communities where we live and work.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the General Manager – BSL, you will play an influential role in supporting sustainable operations, fostering trusted partnerships, and embedding CSP principles across our operations.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Lead the development and execution of the Gladstone CSP strategy and annual plan, ensuring alignment with Rio Tinto's broader objectives and standards
• Provide leadership, coaching and strategic direction to a team of CSP professionals
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Traditional Owners, local government, community organisations, industry groups and key external stakeholders
• Develop a deep understanding of community priorities, emerging issues and regional opportunities to inform business decisions and mitigate risk
• Lead stakeholder engagement activities that strengthen Rio Tinto's reputation and social licence to operate
• Identify, negotiate, implement and manage community partnerships, agreements and commitments that deliver shared value outcomes
• Oversee social investment programs, sponsorships and community initiatives to ensure meaningful and sustainable outcomes
• Manage complex social performance issues and stakeholder concerns, ensuring alignment with legal obligations, company policies and CSP standards
• Monitor and report on CSP performance, including stakeholder engagement effectiveness, community sentiment, commitments management and grievance resolution
• Promote cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Projects, HSEC, Government Relations, People Experience and other business functions to achieve CSP outcomes
• Represent Rio Tinto at community, industry and government forums across the Gladstone region
• Champion the principles of responsible engagement, cultural heritage protection, sustainable development and inclusive stakeholder relationships

About you

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

• Significant leadership experience in Communities & Social Performance, stakeholder engagement, community relations, government relations or a related discipline
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Tertiary qualifications in social sciences, community development, communications, public policy, environmental management or a related field
• Strong understanding of social performance principles and community engagement practices within complex operational environments
• Proven ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders, including Traditional Owners, community leaders, government representatives and industry partners
• Experience managing complex community or stakeholder-related risks, issues and opportunities
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills
• Strong strategic thinking capability, with the ability to balance community expectations and business objectives
• A commitment to sustainable development, cultural awareness, inclusion and creating shared value
• Experience working within heavy industry, resources, energy, infrastructure or similar sectors will be highly regarded

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.

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 competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards for eligible employees
• Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions
• Access to top tier family-friendly health and medical programs and pension plan
• Wellbeing benefits
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matters
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Relocation support

Where you will be working

Opened in 1982, Boyne Smelters Limited is Australia’s second largest aluminium smelter with a 1,000-person strong workforce. Located approximately 20 kilometres southeast of Gladstone at Boyne Island on the Central Queensland coast, BSL produces around 500,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum. 

Activities at BSL include manufacturing carbon anodes in the carbon plant, aluminium production (smelting) in reduction lines, and casting of molten material into aluminium products ready to ship. The smelter is connected via a conveyor belt to the Queensland Alumina Limited refinery for the supply of alumina.

Boyne Smelters is proud to contribute to the local community alongside the Rio Tinto Gladstone Aluminium sites – QAL and Yarwun refinery – through impactful funding initiatives and regional investment.

Please note, to be successfully considered for this role you must complete all pre-screening questions.

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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.