Principal Traditional Owner Partnerships Programme Governance & Compliance

Riotinto

Perth

On-site

AUD 150,000 - 190,000

Full time

4 days ago
Be an early applicant
Application generator

Don’t send a generic resume — generate a resume and cover letter tailored to this exact role.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent role with Rio Tinto
Competitive base salary with annual...
Comprehensive medical benefits
Company-provided insurance
Salary sacrifice options
Career development & education support
Family-friendly leave & wellbeing
Employee discounts
Relocation assistance

Job summary

Rio Tinto is seeking a Principal Advisor for Governance & Compliance to lead the governance, assurance and performance framework for Traditional Owner Partnerships. You will report to the Manager TOP Governance & Improvement and ensure commitments, obligations and risk controls are clearly defined, managed and assured.

The role spans agreement making, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting workstreams across a complex programme.

Qualifications

  • Experience leading governance, compliance, assurance, risk or programme management across a complex programme or portfolio.
  • Experience interpreting agreements, obligations, commitments or regulatory requirements and translating them into practical business processes, controls and reporting routines.
  • Strong working knowledge of compliance registers, commitment trackers, risk controls, governance routines, dashboards and assurance reporting.
  • Demonstrated capability preparing governance papers, briefing notes, audit responses and clear written recommendations for senior decision-makers.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across multiple teams, clarify accountabilities and drive follow-through.
  • Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work respectfully in matters involving Traditional Owner groups, Prescribed Body Corporates and Indigenous partnership contexts.

Responsibilities

  • Leading governance processes that integrate agreement making, implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting workstreams.
  • Establishing and maintaining governance tools, including terms of reference, decision logs, action registers, risk and issue registers, dashboards, meeting packs and record-keeping standards.
  • Driving programme management discipline so initiatives are scoped, sequenced, resourced, tracked and reported with clear ownership.
  • Managing the portfolio of Traditional Owner Partnerships improvement projects, keeping dependencies visible and escalating issues early.
  • Establishing triage and response processes for urgent or unplanned work, including regulatory changes, Board visits, leader briefing packs and other high-priority requests.
  • Monitoring agreement commitments, compliance actions, milestones and governance deliverables through dashboards, registers and assurance reporting.
  • Defining evidence standards and supporting audit readiness for agreement commitments, compliance actions and governance decisions.
  • Leading governance support for implementation of improved Traditional Owner Partnerships ways of working, including clearer routines, accountabilities and escalation pathways.
  • Simplifying and automating governance, compliance, project tracking, document management and reporting processes.

Skills

Governance
Compliance
Assurance
Risk management
Programme management
Stakeholder management
Indigenous engagement

Education

Relevant governance/risk/compliance qualification

Tools

Governance dashboards
Record-keeping systems

Job description

  • Shape the governance, compliance and assurance framework that supports clear, reliable and evidence-based delivery of Traditional Owner commitments.
  • Lead programme governance across agreement making, implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting, enabling clear ownership, timely escalation and confident decision-making.
  • Perth-based opportunity in our Central Park office, with access to a modern gym, wellness programs and convenient CBD amenities.

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 a Principal AdvisorProgramme Governance & Compliance to lead the governance, compliance, assurance and performance framework for Traditional Owner Partnerships.

Reporting to the Manager TOP Governance & Improvement, you will help ensure Traditional Owner commitments, agreement obligations, risk controls, evidence requirements and reporting routines are clearly defined, consistently managed and effectively assured.

Working across agreement making, agreement implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting workstreams, you will establish practical governance tools, strengthen programme discipline and support timely decision‑making. This role is central to improving visibility, accountability and assurance across a complex programme of work, helping Traditional Owner Partnerships provide a clear and reliable experience for Traditional Owner groups and Prescribed Body Corporates.

What
  • Shape the governance, compliance and assurance framework that supports clear, reliable and evidence-based delivery of Traditional Owner commitments.
  • Lead programme governance across agreement making, implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting, enabling clear ownership, timely escalation and confident decision‑making.
  • Perth-based opportunity in our Central Park office, with access to a modern gym, wellness programs and convenient CBD amenities.

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 a Principal AdvisorProgramme Governance & Compliance to lead the governance, compliance, assurance and performance framework for Traditional Owner Partnerships.

Reporting to the Manager TOP Governance & Improvement, you will help ensure Traditional Owner commitments, agreement obligations, risk controls, evidence requirements and reporting routines are clearly defined, consistently managed and effectively assured.

Working across agreement making, agreement implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting workstreams, you will establish practical governance tools, strengthen programme discipline and support timely decision‑making. This role is central to improving visibility, accountability and assurance across a complex programme of work, helping Traditional Owner Partnerships provide a clear and reliable experience for Traditional Owner groups and Prescribed Body Corporates.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the Manager TOP Governance & Improvement and working across Traditional Owner Partnerships, you will be:

  • Leading governance processes that integrate agreement making, implementation, heritage, risk, compliance and reporting workstreams.
  • Establishing and maintaining governance tools, including terms of reference, decision logs, action registers, risk and issue registers, dashboards, meeting packs and record‑keeping standards.
  • Driving programme management discipline so initiatives are scoped, sequenced, resourced, tracked and reported with clear ownership.
  • Managing the portfolio of Traditional Owner Partnerships improvement projects, keeping dependencies visible and escalating issues early.
  • Establishing triage and response processes for urgent or unplanned work, including regulatory changes, Board visits, leader briefing packs and other high‑priority requests.
  • Monitoring agreement commitments, compliance actions, milestones and governance deliverables through dashboards, registers and assurance reporting.
  • Defining evidence standards and supporting audit readiness for agreement commitments, compliance actions and governance decisions.
  • Leading governance support for implementation of improved Traditional Owner Partnerships ways of working, including clearer routines, accountabilities and escalation pathways.
  • Simplifying and automating governance, compliance, project tracking, document management and reporting processes.
About you

We’re looking for someone whose experience aligns with the key requirements below. You do not need to meet every “helpful for success” item to apply; if you bring relevant experience and are excited by the opportunity, we encourage you to submit an application.

Required for Success
  • A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
  • Demonstrated experience leading governance, compliance, assurance, risk or programme management across a complex programme or portfolio.
  • Experience interpreting agreements, obligations, commitments or regulatory requirements and translating them into practical business processes, controls and reporting routines.
  • Strong working knowledge of compliance registers, commitment trackers, risk controls, governance routines, dashboards and assurance reporting.
  • Demonstrated capability preparing governance papers, briefing notes, audit responses and clear written recommendations for senior decision‑makers.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across multiple teams, clarify accountabilities and drive follow‑through.
  • Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work respectfully in matters involving Traditional Owner groups, Prescribed Body Corporates and Indigenous partnership contexts.
Helpful for Success
  • Experience in mining, resources, government or another large and highly regulated organisation.
  • Experience supporting internal or external audits, regulatory assurance activities, governance forums or programme management office functions.
  • Experience working with Traditional Owner agreements, Native Title, cultural heritage, land access, social performance or complex stakeholder commitments.
  • A relevant qualification in governance, risk, compliance, law, business, project management or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
What we offer
  • A work environment where safety is always the number one priority.
  • A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto.
  • A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with an annual incentive program.
  • Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family.
  • Company‑provided insurance cover.
  • Extensive salary sacrifice and salary packaging options.
  • Career development and education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions.
  • Ongoing access to family‑friendly health and medical wellbeing support.
  • Leave for all of life’s reasons, including annual, paid parental, personal and cultural leave.
  • Exclusive employee discounts across banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more.
  • Possible domestic relocation assistance.
Where you’ll be working

Our modern office located in Central Park tower in Perth provides an inspiring environment for collaboration and professional growth. You’ll have access to a modern gym, wellness programs and convenient amenities that support a healthy work‑life balance. Situated in the heart of Perth, the office is close to public transport and several parking options.

#gts

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.

R63724

Get your free, confidential resume review.
or drag and drop your file here.
Similar jobs

Similar jobs worth comparing

Senior Advisor Planning
Senior Advisor Planning

Riotinto • Perth

On-site
AUD 130,000 - 190,000
Permanent role
Competitive salary + incentive
Medical benefits
+7
Superintendent Indigenous Support
Superintendent Indigenous Support

Rio Tinto • Tom Price

On-site
AUD 140,000 - 170,000
Permanent position working directlyfor
Base salary with annual incentive
Private health insurance for employees
+7
Superintendent Indigenous Support
Superintendent Indigenous Support

Riotinto • Tom Price

On-site
AUD 140,000 - 190,000
Competitive base salary
Medical benefits including private
Share ownership plan
+2
Advisor Wa Communities
Advisor Wa Communities

Riotinto • Tom Price

On-site
AUD 90,000 - 130,000
Annual incentive program
Private health insurance
Relocation assistance
+1
Principal Advisor Industrial Relations (Major Projects)
Principal Advisor Industrial Relations (Major Projects)

Rio Tinto • Perth

On-site
AUD 150,000 - 210,000
Safety culture emphasis
Competitive base salary
Medical benefits including private
+6
Principal Adviser Exploration
Principal Adviser Exploration

Rio Tinto • City of Brisbane

On-site
AUD 210,000 - 290,000
Base salary
Annual incentive
Medical benefits
+4
Superintendent Indigenous Support
Superintendent Indigenous Support

Rio Tinto • City Of Karratha

On-site
AUD 130,000 - 170,000
Competitive base salary
Annual incentive program
Comprehensive medical benefits
+2
Superintendent Indigenous Support
Superintendent Indigenous Support

Riotinto • City Of Karratha

On-site
AUD 150,000 - 230,000
Relocation assistance
Education support
Private health insurance for employees
Senior Specialist Water (Contracts & Procurement)
Senior Specialist Water (Contracts & Procurement)

Rio Tinto • Perth

On-site
AUD 180,000 - 240,000
Flexible WFH
Parental leave
Annual incentive
+6
Senior Specialist Water (Contracts and Procurement)
Senior Specialist Water (Contracts and Procurement)

Rio Tinto • Perth

On-site
AUD 140,000 - 190,000
Flexible working from home
18 weeks parental leave
Private health insurance
+5