Manager – Communications

Manager Communications, Rio Tinto Kennecott

• Join our global leading business offering outstanding personal development
• Key Leadership role in the Copper Corporate Affairs team
• Permanent role based in Salt Lake City, Utah

About the role

We are seeking an experienced candidate to lead communications at our Rio Tinto Kennecott business in Utah. As part of a global mining company at the forefront of finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs to grow and decarbonize, this exciting role will own the communications agenda at one of America’s most iconic copper operations.

As team leader, you will protect and enhance Rio Tinto Kennecott’s reputation and social license both in- and outside the fence driving employee engagement and public support, and reaching new demographics to build advocacy among our million neighbors in the Salt Lake Valley.

Key accountabilities include the development and execution of media engagement plans; digital content and storytelling; brand and marketing strategies;

employee communications; and issues management.

Reporting to the Senior Communications Manager for Rio Tinto’s Copper group in the Americas, you will :

Oversee the development and execution of strategic communications plans.

• Act as a senior Rio Tinto Kennecott spokesperson, leading a proactive and responsive media engagement strategy in collaboration with Rio Tinto’s group media relations team.
• Proactively lead messaging and narrative development; managing news content, brand storytelling, employee communications, and issues management.
• Design, develop and implement campaigns, tools, and tactics to educate and inform stakeholders taking ownership of communication channels and platforms, including sponsorship activations.
• Keep track of emerging trends and issues impacting our industry, including measures of awareness and sentiment, implementing plans to manage reputational risks and opportunities.
• Partner with the business’s Communities & Social Performance and Government Affairs specialists to align efforts and deliver integrated stakeholder engagement plans.
• Partner with our Studies & Permitting team to co-deliver targeted communications plans.
• Play an active role in our Business Resilience Team as the communications lead for crisis management response and communications requirements.
• Guide and counsel senior leaders by championing effective leader communications across the business to continuously improve frontline employee engagement.
• Manage and mentor talent development across your team.
• Manage annual budget and planning.

About you

You are a talented communications and reputation marketing practitioner who believes that employees are your most effective brand ambassadors.

You are innovative and creative as evidenced by a broad portfolio of work across multiple communications disciplines. You closely track social and environmental trends to ensure you are well informed, and readily able to identify risks and opportunities.

You aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the team. You love to learn and teach others how to influence outcomes by building their communication capability and understanding.

What you’ll bring

• An unwavering commitment to safety, for yourself, your team and those around us.
• Senior experience (10+ years) in corporate communications, employee communications and reputation management. Extractive or industrial company experience a plus, but not essential.
• Advanced knowledge of local and regional media network and landscape.
• A proven track record of leading, supporting, and developing a team.
• Experience delivering integrated communications across a variety of channels and audiences
• A marketing-driven mindset with strategic planning experience and a personal commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.
• Excellent written and spoken language skills, with sharp attention to detail and the ability to tailor complex information for a breadth of audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, high emotional intelligence and cultural awareness.
• Ability to work flexibly, accommodating occasional evening, weekend and holiday hours.
• University degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or a related field.

What we offer

We are committed to providing our employees with a generous benefits package. Be recognized for your contribution, your thinking, your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress, we provide :

• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
• Advantageous salary package with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees.
• Access to top-tier family-friendly health programs including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, and various voluntary benefits.
• Excellent retirement plan including up to 6% defined company contribution; Generous 401k matching program.
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program, which allows you to purchase Rio Tinto Company shares.
• Comprehensive leave policies which cover all moments that matter in life : PTO (paid time off), paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave.
• A favorable child-caregiver leave program (Up to 100% salary top-up)
• Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to Virgin Pulse with incentives supporting your wellbeing.
• Ongoing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family; to help in addressing educational opportunities, addiction treatment, depression, stress, domestic issues, financial management, and legal concerns.
• Our team and industry experts are here to support and work with you to explore your learning potential and career goals.

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