Employee & Industrial Relations Lead

UniSuper; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

17% superannuation contribution

$1,500 yearly development budget

20 weeks fully paid parental leave

3 additional paid leave days

Job summary

UniSuper seeks an Employee & Industrial Relations Lead to provide specialist ER/IR and WHS expertise across the organisation, partnering with leaders and the People team to manage employee matters, employment and health and safety risk, and industrial obligations.

You will deliver practical ER frameworks, analyse trends, support organisational change and help leaders navigate employment decisions, investigations and disputes with sound judgement and commercial pragmatism.

Qualifications

• Significant practical ER/IR experience in a corporate setting.
• Strong knowledge of Australian employment and industrial relations law.
• Experience with workplace investigations and employment disputes.
• Ability to translate employment law into practical advice, policies and processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide ER/IR guidance across UniSuper and partner with People Partners.
• Advise on enterprise agreements, disputes, consultation and industrial obligations.
• Develop ER frameworks, templates and tools for consistent decision making.

Skills

ER/IR expertise

Australian employment law

Investigations

Change management

Education

Qualifications in employment/industrial relations or law

Job description

UniSuper is a workplace where highly skilled professionals are empowered to Think Great and deliver exceptional retirement outcomes for our members. With a culture grounded in accountability, collaboration and care, your work contributes directly to members’ longterm financial security. The People Business Unit support UniSuper employees by creating an empowered workforce that delivers beyond expectations and where people can be and do their best for our members. We’re building a future-focused workforce with a culture of excellence, growth and innovation. Step into an impactful specialist role where your ER/IR expertise can help leaders navigate employee matters with confidence and strengthen workplace practices across UniSuper.

The role

As our Employee & Industrial Relations Lead, you will provide specialist ER/IR and WHS expertise across UniSuper, supporting leaders and the People team to manage employee matters, employment and health and safety risk, and industrial obligations. You will partner closely with People Partners and People Operations, using ER insights and trends to improve consistency, build capability and support organisational change. Furthermore, you will:

• Advise on employee relations matters, including performance, conduct, grievances, workplace conflict, investigations and employment decisions.
• Partner with leaders and People Partners on employee matters, restructures, organisational change and workforce transitions.
• Advise on the interpretation and application of UniSuper’s Enterprise Agreement, industrial obligations, disputes and consultation processes.
• Deliver practical ER frameworks, procedures, templates and tools that support consistent decision making and employment compliance.
• Analyse ER case data and trends to identify emerging risks, recurring themes and opportunities to prevent employee issues.
• Improve ER/IR practices through practical guidance, education, insights and appropriate use of technology and AI.

About you

You bring significant practical employee and industrial relations experience within a corporate environment, with strong knowledge of Australian employment and industrial relations legislation. You apply sound judgement and problem-solving capability with a commercial, pragmatic approach that balances employee experience, organisational outcomes and employment risk. In addition, you will have:

• Significant experience across employee relations matters, workplace investigations and employment disputes.
• Strong working knowledge of the Fair Work Act and Enterprise Agreement environments.
• Experience interpreting, applying and negotiating Enterprise Agreements and supporting organisational consultation processes.
• Experience working constructively with unions and managing industrial relations matters.
• Ability to translate employment law and industrial obligations into practical advice, policies, processes and workplace solutions.
• Relevant qualifications in employment/industrial relations, law, human resources, business or a related discipline.

UniSuper believes that the best way to achieve great things is when we come together and collaborate. Therefore, we ask you to commit to 60% of your time in office. UniSuper is proud of our culture and benefits, which empower our people to achieve their full potential, thrive, and grow their career with us. These include:

• 17% superannuation contribution
• $1,500 yearly development budget
• 20 weeks fully paid parental leave
• 3 additional paid leave days

It should go without saying, but at UniSuper, we value and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We believe that a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, interests, abilities, and skills is crucial for delivering great retirement outcomes for our members.