South32 cuts 70 corporate jobs after Alcoa alumina deal

South32 is cutting around 70 white-collar corporate and back-office roles across its offices, including its Perth headquarters, following the company’s agreement to sell its bauxite and alumina assets to Alcoa.

The job cuts were first reported by The Business News, with the redundancies coming as South32 restructures its corporate operations following the major alumina business sale.

Corporate roles affected

The affected positions are understood to be primarily corporate and back-office roles across South32’s offices. The company’s Perth headquarters is among the locations affected by the workforce reduction.

The cuts follow South32’s agreement to sell its bauxite and alumina assets to Alcoa, a transaction that is expected to reshape the company’s operational and corporate footprint.

The workforce changes are focused on corporate positions rather than frontline operations.

Worsley Alumina operations unaffected

Frontline operational roles at South32’s Worsley Alumina site are not affected by the latest corporate redundancies, according to ABC News.

The distinction means the job cuts are concentrated within corporate and support functions, while operations at the Worsley site continue separately.

The reductions highlight the workforce implications of South32’s decision to divest its alumina business as the company adjusts its organisational structure following the deal with Alcoa.