Procurement Category Specialist

About the role

Join a leading company that offers outstanding personal development and global career opportunities. Rio Tinto Borates is hiring a Procurement Category Specialists to support California Operations (Boron and Wilmington).

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement strategy for chemicals, fuels, and energy-related categories critical to mining and processing operations.
• Scope includes Natural gas contracting and execution.
• Develop sourcing strategies aligned to site demand, burn forecasts, and operational constraints.
• Run competitive events (RFI/RFQ/RFP) and/or negotiate directly with marketers, utilities, and brokers as appropriate.
• Manage contract award, nominations/confirmations handoffs, and ongoing supplier performance to ensure continuity of supply.
• Sulfuric Acid: Secure reliable supply for process requirements, balancing delivered cost, quality specifications, and safety requirements.
• Diesel and Lubricants supply agreements: Establish supply frameworks covering bulk fuel, packaged lubes, and on-site service support (as applicable).
• Diesel and Lubricants supply agreements: Negotiate pricing mechanisms, surcharges, and service levels (delivery windows, minimums, emergency supply).
• Process chemicals and bulk reagents: Manage end-to-end sourcing for critical reagents, ensuring alignment to technical specifications and production needs.
• Industrial gases: Source bulk and packaged gases and related services (delivery, cylinder management, on-site installations where applicable).
• Market intelligence and supplier risk mitigation: Track market trends, supplier dynamics, and cost drivers; translate insights into category strategies and negotiation levers.
• Supplier risk mitigation: Assess and manage risks (single-source, logistics, financial viability, ESG/HSE) and implement mitigation actions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, supply chain, or related discipline preferred.
• 2+ years of procurement or project management experience.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Analytical and critical thinking capability.
• Ability to challenge specifications and drive commercial value.
• A strong health, safety, and ethical mindset.
• SAP Materials Management experience preferred.

Qualifications

Strong preference for a candidate with experience in the Southern California natural gas market, including tariff structures, transportation economics, and regulatory considerations. The ideal candidate can interpret pipeline/utility tariffs, understand basis differentials and transportation constraints, and translate that knowledge into contract terms and sourcing recommendations. Familiarity with California-specific regulatory and compliance requirements (and how they impact commercial structures and risk) is highly valued.

Skills

• Strong negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Analytical and critical thinking capability.
• Ability to challenge specifications and drive commercial value.
• A strong health, safety, and ethical mindset.

Benefits

We are committed to providing a generous benefits package to recognize your contributions, your way of thinking and your hard work. Therefore, our benefits include:

• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment.
• Access to family-friendly health programs including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, and various voluntary benefits.
• A 401(k)-matching program in which the company matches .35 per dollar up to 5% of your base pay.
• A generous employee share program which allows you to purchase Rio Tinto shares.
• Comprehensive leave policies which cover all moments that matter in life (paid time off, paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave).
• A favorable child-caregiver leave program.
• Ongoing Employee Assistance Program for you and your family to address educational opportunities, addiction treatment, depression, stress, domestic issues, financial management, and legal concerns.
• Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to incentives to support your wellbeing.

Pay

The salary range for this role in California is $125,440 - $172,480.

Schedule

This is a hybrid role, however the successful candidate will be required to work onsite at Boron CA or Wilmington CA a minimum of three days per week to ensure strong operational alignment and stakeholder engagement.