Principal Advisor, Sales

Rio Tinto • Chicago, IL

2d • $131,200 - $180,400 • Hybrid

About The Position

Rio Tinto is seeking a Principal Advisor, Billet Sales – North America to support profitable growth of its aluminium billet business across North America. This customer-facing commercial role develops customer account plans, builds a pipeline of spot and term opportunities, and negotiates physical billet sales with existing and prospective customers. The role offers an opportunity to deepen aluminium market expertise while contributing to profitable sales growth in a fast-moving regional market.

The position reports to the Sales Director, Aluminium Atlantic and works across the aluminium sales business. It is based in Rio Tinto’s downtown Chicago office, with a salary range of $131,200–$180,400. The role collaborates across Sales, Portfolio, Operations, Logistics, Marketing, Customer Service, Credit, Finance, Legal and Trade to align customer opportunities with available metal and support contract execution. Sales activities and contracts must meet legal, regulatory, governance and risk-management requirements.

Requirements

• Commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• Demonstrated experience in aluminium, metals or a related industrial sector, with relevant exposure to sales, manufacturing or supply-chain management.
• Experience in a customer-facing commercial role, including developing business, executing customer account plans and supporting achievement of sales targets.
• Demonstrated experience identifying, developing and converting commercial opportunities, with capability in sales, commercial negotiation and business development.
• Ability to understand customer requirements and translate them into practical commercial proposals, supported by strong analytical, communication and presentation capability.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Finance or an equivalent discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of aluminium billet, extrusion markets and related customer applications.
• Understanding of aluminium pricing, regional premiums and physical contract structures.
• Understanding of hedging and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute account plans for assigned billet customers, translating customer priorities and growth plans into actions that grow Rio Tinto’s business.
• Build and actively manage a pipeline of spot and term sales opportunities with existing and prospective customers across North America.
• Lead negotiations for assigned customer accounts and contribute to larger, more complex physical contract negotiations.
• Develop trusted customer relationships and understand customer businesses, sourcing strategies, technical requirements and growth plans.
• Maintain current knowledge of North American billet and extrusion markets, including customer demand, competitor activity and market developments, and use this insight to identify growth opportunities.
• Provide accurate sales forecasts and account updates, including customer priorities and pipeline opportunities, to support revenue, volume and margin objectives.
• Partner with Portfolio to align customer opportunities and contractual commitments with available metal.
• Collaborate with Customer Service, Operations, Logistics, Marketing, Credit, Finance, Legal and Trade to support effective contract execution.
• Support customer credit, receivables and collections.
• Ensure sales activities and contracts meet Rio Tinto legal, regulatory, governance and risk-management requirements.

Benefits

• Annual incentive bonus.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision and life insurance coverage, plus various voluntary benefits.
• Retirement plan including up to 6% defined company contribution and 401(k) matching.
• Share ownership plan.
• Paid time off, paid holidays and paid bereavement leave.
• Parental leave.
• Leisure discount programs.
• Virgin Pulse wellbeing incentives.
• Employee Assistance Program offering confidential counselling or expert guidance for employees and their families.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal