Industrial Relations Senior Manager
Role: Industrial Relations Senior Manager
Location: Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane / Canberra
Role Summary
The Industrial Relations Senior Manager provides strategic leadership and subject-matter expertise on industrial relations (IR) and labor compliance. The role ensures constructive relationships with employees, unions, and external bodies while minimizing business risk and supporting organizational objectives. This position acts as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on workforce relations, policy interpretation, and dispute resolution.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Industrial Relations Leadership
Define and lead the organization’s industrial relations strategy in alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
Advise senior leadership on complex IR matters, including enterprise bargaining, workforce change, and risk mitigation.
Monitor external IR developments (legislative changes, case law, union activity) and assess organizational impact.
Union & Stakeholder Engagement
Act as the key point of contact for unions, employee representatives, and relevant external bodies.
Lead union negotiations, consultations, and discussions related to change initiatives and workforce conditions.
Build constructive, professional relationships to promote positive and stable labor relations.
Enterprise Agreements & Compliance
Lead or oversee enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) negotiations, renewals, and variations.
Ensure compliance with relevant labor laws, modern awards, EBAs, and organizational policies.
Partner with Legal, HR, and Payroll teams to ensure accurate interpretation and application of industrial instruments.
Change Management Support
Provide IR and ER guidance for organizational changes such as restructures, acquisitions, redundancies, and offshoring/onshoring initiatives.
Conduct risk assessments and prepare IR strategies to support business transformation while minimizing disruption.
Governance, Policy & Capability Building
Develop, review, and maintain IR-related policies, frameworks, and playbooks.
Coach and upskill HR leaders and people managers on industrial and employee relations best practices.
Support audits, investigations, and internal governance requirements related to workforce relations.
Key Stakeholders
Senior Business Leaders
HR Business Partners & People Operations teams
Legal & Compliance teams
Unions and employee representatives
External regulators, conciliators, or tribunals (as required)
Required Experience & Qualifications
Extensive experience (typically 10+ years) in Industrial Relations and/or Employee Relations within complex or regulated environments.
Strong expertise in labor law, enterprise agreements, awards, and compliance frameworks.
Proven experience leading union negotiations and managing complex employee relations cases.
Experience supporting large-scale organizational change initiatives.
Key Skills & Competencies
Advanced negotiation and influencing skills
Strong risk assessment and decision-making capability
Excellent stakeholder management at senior levels
High emotional intelligence and sound judgment
Ability to balance employee advocacy with business needs
Clear, confident written and verbal communication
Leadership Expectations (Senior Manager Level)
Operates as a trusted advisor to executives
Demonstrates sound judgment in high-risk situations
Models organizational values and ethical decision-making
Contributes to enterprise-wide people strategy and governance
#LI_GM
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Melbourne
Brisbane
Canberra
Sydney
平等就业机会声明
所有聘用决定均不考虑年龄、种族、信仰、肤色、宗教、性别、国籍、血统、残疾状况、退伍军人身份、性取向、性别认同或表达、基因信息、婚姻状况、公民身份或任何其他受联邦、州或地方法律保护的因素。
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