Principal Advisor, Commercial

Principal Advisor, Commercial

• Exciting opportunity to join Rio Tinto Energy & Climate (RTEC) – Pacific Operations Repowering Team.
• Apply your analytical skill set and commercial acumen to help Rio Tinto meet its decarbonization targets.
• Perth/Brisbane based position.

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

An exciting opportunity now exists for a Principal Advisor, Commercial to join our RTEC Pacific Operations Repowering Team in Perth/Brisbane. Reporting to the Manager Energy Analytics, this role is predominately accountable for undertaking energy market modelling, energy system optimization modelling, financial modelling and providing commercial and strategic insights to support business case development. 

Rio Tinto’s Pacific Operations account for around 50% of Rio Tinto’s global emissions, decarbonization of these assets is critical to ensure Rio Tinto’s decarbonization targets are met. The Pacific Operations Repowering team has been tasked with repowering these assets to reduce associated emissions and ensure long term economic viability.

The team has already played a key role in the execution of 2.2GW of renewable PPAs, making Rio Tinto Australia’s largest off taker of renewable energy. This is just the start with a lot more capacity still required.

Your previous experience in quantitative modelling, including risk analysis of options across both medium and long-term scenarios will be key to your success and integral to Rio Tinto’s ability to optimise portfolio decision-making. An understanding of the key drivers of renewables systems, and a background in utilising relevant software packages (e.g. PLEXOS/Homer etc.) is a pre-requisite for the role. You will have already supported business decision making in renewables, and have a good understanding of competitive wholesale electricity markets. An ability to scope energy system design and complete advanced cash-flow analysis of project economics in a range of locations will be required. Your ability to synthesise complicated information into a consumable format will be a key strength when working closely with senior stakeholders to assess the impact of new developments on cost and risk exposure.

Reporting to the Manager, Energy Analytics and working in a challenging and exciting environment you will:

• Develop and maintain fit for purpose project finance models and linear optimization models assessment of renewable portfolios/systems
• Leverage financial/market analysis to share commercial/risk management insights to stakeholders and leadership
• Partner with and influence internal stakeholders to drive alignment of strategic and commercial goals for the renewable portfolio
• Supporting transaction due diligence and deal execution process
• Support preparation of proposals for Investment Committee and executive leadership submissions.

What you will bring

Ideally, you will have:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in a commercial or technical discipline,
• Demonstrated experience in building robust financial/market/linear optimisation models and undertaking commercial analysis
• An ability to apply linear optimisation modelling techniques/expertise to an array of electricity problems and assessment of energy vector opportunities,
• Experience in and good understanding of renewable energy projects will be advantageous
• Experience in electricity market analysis and modelling
• Team-oriented with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Strong communication, stakeholder, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively communicate in both written and presentation format and effectively tailor the message to a variety of audiences 
• Highly motivated with the ability to work autonomously and remain organized in a fast-paced environment
• Exceptional attention to detail, highly developed analytical skills, and an ability to If you have a clear appreciation of the business impact this role has and can couple this with demonstrated technical capability, care and credibility, then we would love to see your application.

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 reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan and extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Career development & 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 (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Relocation assistance for the right candidate.

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 and meet opportunities.

Where you will be working

This role can be based in either our Perth or Brisbane Hubs 

Every Voice Matters

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.

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

Application will close on October 10^th 2024.