- Work with a global mining and metals company
- Leadership role with strategic focus
- Tasked with building a procurement hub with versatility
- Based in Shanghai, China
About The Role
Rio Tinto Procurement (RTP) provides supply chain services that deliver value to the Rio Tinto Group through the strategic sourcing and buying of goods and services for all operations and businesses. Playing a fundamental role, value is achieved through uniformed processes, e-technology, increased ESG responsibility and measurable savings for the Group.
The role of
Senior Manager, China Hub is a critical leadership position designed to transform our traditional sourcing activities into a strategic, multi-regional innovation hub. As we aim to double our manageable spend impact by 2030, this role will lead the pivot from transactional execution to high-value category strategy and offshore contracting support, drive for technological scouting in electrification, renewable energy and cutting-edge technology.
Reporting to the
GM Procurement – China and Simfer, you will be responsible for leading the "Commercial Engine" of our Global operations, expanding our supplier footprint across China and Southeast Asia and further where relies on China mature supply chain to ensure a resilient, cost efficient and de-risked global supply chain.
Key Responsibilities
- Visionary Leadership Lead, coach, and elevate a diverse team of professionals, shifting the culture from a legacy of transactional sourcing to a forward-looking business partnership approach.
- Strategic Hub Development Drive end-to-end category and sourcing strategies that leverage China’s industrial ecosystem while proactively developing the "China + 1" strategy through expansion into Southeast Asia and so on.
- Innovation & Tech Scouting Identify and integrate disruptive technologies—such as battery solutions and renewable energy—into our global project and category pipeline to reframe cost foundations and ensure sustainability.
- Geopolitical & Risk Management Navigate complex global tariff risks and geopolitical intensities by diversifying the supplier pool and building regional resilience.
- Stakeholder Influence Develop high-level business cases and maintain collaborative relationships with global internal stakeholders to align the China Hub’s activities with the broader business planning cycle.
- Accountability Own the results for spend targets, quality deliverance, contract governance, and measurable savings for the Group Procurement.
About You
To be successful in this transformative role, you will be a visionary leader who can set long-term strategy while maintaining a hands-on "get your hands dirty" execution mindset.
- Experience Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in procurement or supply chain within a Global Multinational Corporation (MNC).
- Leadership At least 8 years in a leadership role managing a sizable, diverse team with a proven passion for developing people.
- Education Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; MBA preferred.
- Language Fluency in both English and Mandarin is mandatory, French is preferred.
- Mindset Proven experience in driving scalable change management and a "can-do" attitude. Collaboration and result driven.
Preferred Qualifications
- Extensive experience working across diverse cultures and managing regional portfolios.
- Proven experience working within Joint Ventures (JV) context.
- Proven experience working on building up synergies post merge and acquisition.
- Background in the mining, metals, or heavy industrial sectors
What We Offer
- A safety-first work environment and a permanent position directly with Rio Tinto.
- Competitive base salary with an annual incentive program and an attractive share ownership plan.
- Comprehensive medical insurance and family-friendly wellbeing support.
- Dedicated career development and education assistance to support your leadership ambitions.
- Be recognized for your contribution - our thinking and your hard work and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress
- A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
- Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
- Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
Where You Will Be Working
You will be based in our Shanghai office, the heart of our partnership with RioTinto. This relationship continues to be transformative for Rio Tinto, and as the head of the China Procurement Hub, you will be at the forefront of China’s growth story and its integration into our global operations.
Since Rio Tinto established its first office in Beijing almost 40 years ago with just three people, the Group has built partnerships with China that span supply, innovation, knowledge transfer, culture and procurement. It's a relationship that has been transformative for Rio Tinto and which continues to make a significant contribution to China’s growth story.
The company’s history in China stretches back over a century, when Rio Tinto made the first borates sales to the country. Since 1973 when Rio Tinto was one of the first foreign companies to export iron ore to China, it has shipped over 2.5 billion tonnes of the commodity, more than any other mining company. This extraordinary volume has been driven in large part by the pioneering joint ventures and partnerships that the Group has forged in recent decades.
Application Deadline 13th March 2026 COD
(Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove job postings prior to the stated closing date)
Please note, in order to be successfully considered for this role you must complete all pre-screening questions.
Rio Tinto does not accept unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles from recruiters or employment agencies. Rio Tinto will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee relating to unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles. Rio Tinto reserves the right to hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Rio Tinto.
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 Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ 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.
