Corporate Affairs Business Partner – Africa at Rio Tinto

We are looking for a Corporate Affairs Business Partner – Africa to lead the delivery and implementation of strategic communications and stakeholder engagement across a broad range of activities relevant to our Africa portfolio, which are collectively associated with the media and communications area within the Minerals product group. This role is a great opportunity for a strategic, enthusiastic, caring, and resilient leader who is passionate about providing a high level of support, and guidance to our African businesses. Working closely with the Global Media, Brand, Communities, and External Affairs teams, as well as with site-based Corporate Affairs team, to ensure consistent, effective, impactful, and quality communications delivery both internally and externally.

Reporting to the Chief Communication Officer and External Affairs Officer – Minerals, the scope of the role will consist of (but not limited to) the following:

• Development of the communications strategy for each of our African assets/projects that aligns to business strategy, including strengthening our social license to operate.
• Develop and deploy strategic, tactical and crisis communications to manage reputational risk and ensure the successful delivery of business priorities.
• Manage and effectively leverage external platforms (conferences and industry engagements) to promote Rio Tinto’s profile and reputation across our Africa portfolio.
• Partnering with operational and functional leaders and teams, and key stakeholders, both internally across the Group and externally to deliver effective communications reputational outcomes.
• Building change and transformation communications to support commercial development, employee engagement, project deployment and productivity outcomes.
• Providing communications’ input and advice to our African assets on effective communications approaches, messages, channels, and audience engagement, including engaging and preparing senior leaders for external opportunities
• Travelling to site to understand context, challenges and opportunities and importantly, to build relationships with on-site leadership and corporate relations teams.
• Liaising closing with teams within the global Corporate Relations functions (Media & Digital, Brand and Reputation, and Corporate Communications and Employee Engagement, External Affairs and Communities) in delivering the functions global objectives in the Africa region.

What you’ll bring

• Experience working in Africa.
• An MBA degree, Masters in international affairs or equivalent
• Atleast 8 to 10 years of proven extensive tactical and strategic communications, external affairs or media experience or other relevant and transferable skills (e.g. law, strategy).
• Experience in working in a large complex organisation with a remote/regional workforce, preferably in extractives.
• French language skills as well as Private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a demonstrated safety commitment and performance
• Ability to build relationships at all levels of seniority, collaborate and influence outcomes with stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multicultural team environments.
• Ability to communicate and influence complex and strategic ideas effectively – both verbally and in writing – in English
• Innovative and creative thinking
• Exceptional analytical problem-solving skills to maximise business opportunities and align to strategic priorities.
• Willingness to travel, including to sites as required