Senior Advisor Strategic Planning - Underground
About The Position
Rio Tinto Kennecott is seeking a Senior Advisor Strategic Planning - Underground to develop safe, executable underground mining strategies that maximize value and enable profitable extraction of Kennecott’s underground assets. Reporting to the Manager, Integrated Planning, the role shapes long-term development choices, integrates technical and commercial inputs, and delivers decision-ready analysis and recommendations for underground opportunities. The position leads strategic life-of-mine planning, high-impact studies, trade-off evaluations and investment recommendations. It works closely with technical and business leaders and supports planning and mine-design work from concept through feasibility and execution readiness. The role is based at Kennecott, an integrated copper mining operation near Salt Lake City, Utah, with a concentrator, smelter and refinery.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering or a relevant technical discipline.
- Seven or more years of progressive mining experience, including substantial underground planning, studies or technical services experience.
- Demonstrated expertise in long-range planning, life-of-mine planning, underground mine design, production scheduling and economic evaluation.
- Experience supporting conceptual, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies and translating technical analysis into business recommendations.
- Strong understanding of underground mining methods, development sequencing, ventilation, backfill, material handling and operational constraints.
- Advanced capability using Deswik CAD, Deswik Sched or equivalent mine planning and scheduling tools.
- Strong communication, stakeholder engagement and technical leadership skills, including the ability to influence and develop others.
- Commitment to safety and wellbeing, with leadership grounded in Care, Courage and Curiosity.
Nice To Haves
- Experience advancing underground mine-development opportunities from early-stage studies through execution or operational ramp-up.
- Experience in an integrated mining and processing operation where underground development interfaces with an existing open-pit mine and downstream facilities.
- Professional registration, reserve reporting experience, or exposure to digital planning, optimization, automation or advanced analytics.
Responsibilities
- Develop and optimize underground mining strategies and life-of-mine plans that maximize value while maintaining safe, executable outcomes.
- Evaluate mining methods, production rates, development sequences, cut-off strategies and infrastructure options to balance value, risk and optionality.
- Integrate geology, geotechnical, hydrogeological, ventilation, backfill, processing, environmental and operational inputs into strategic mine plans.
- Lead trade-off studies, economic evaluations and business-case recommendations to support investment and senior leadership decisions.
- Guide study-level mine designs, schedules and technical work packages from concept through feasibility and execution readiness.
- Identify and manage key technical and business risks, opportunities and dependencies, maintaining traceability to value outcomes.
- Improve strategic planning processes, standards, scenario management and quality assurance across planning horizons.
- Build cross-functional partnerships and provide clear reports, presentations and technical mentoring.
Benefits
- Annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees.
- Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision and life insurance coverage, plus voluntary benefits.
- Retirement plan with up to 6% defined company contribution and 401(k) matching.
- Employee share program allowing employees to purchase Rio Tinto shares.
- Paid time off, paid holidays and paid bereavement leave.
- Child-caregiver leave program with up to 100% salary top-up.
- Discount programs for leisure purposes.
- Virgin Pulse wellbeing incentives.
- Employee Assistance Program for employees and their families.
- Learning support to explore learning potential and career goals.
- Safety-focused and inclusive working environment.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
