Employee Relations Advisor

Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA); Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) in Australia seeks a Senior Workplace Relations Advisor to deliver trusted, commercially focused advice to employers nationwide. You will lead complex matters, interpret modern awards and enterprise agreements, and guide client strategies in a fast-paced environment.

You will work with senior managers and employment lawyers to grow capability, share expertise, and shape advisory excellence across industries.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of Australian workplace relations legislation, modern awards and industrial instruments.
• Experience advising on complex employment and industrial relations matters.
• Ability to interpret legislation and provide practical, commercially focused solutions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on complex workplace relations and employment matters.
• Interpret and apply modern awards, enterprise agreements, contracts and workplace legislation.
• Assess risks across employment, industrial and employee relations.
• Deliver clear, practical, commercially relevant guidance to clients.
• Coach and mentor Workplace Relations Advisors and support knowledge sharing.

Skills

Workplace relations expertise

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Coaching/mentoring

Autonomy with team collaboration

Job description

Join a team where workplace relations advice is anything but routine.

We're looking for an experienced Senior Workplace Relations Advisor to join our Workplace Advice Unit and play a pivotal role in delivering trusted, commercially focused advice to employers across Australia.

This is not your typical advisory role.

You'll work at the forefront of complex workplace relations matters, partnering closely with external senior leaders, workplace relations specialists and employment lawyers within the firm. Every day presents new challenges, from interpreting modern awards and navigating difficult employee relations issues through to supporting high-profile client matters and emerging legislative changes.

Working closely with senior managers and employment lawyers, you'll gain exposure to a diverse range of industries, workplace challenges and emerging legislative developments.

If you thrive in a fast-paced but supported environment, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to develop your expertise alongside some of Australia's leading workplace relations professionals, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice on complex workplace relations and employment matters.
• Interpret and apply modern awards, enterprise agreements, employment contracts and workplace legislation.
• Assess employment, industrial and employee relations risks.
• Deliver clear, practical and commercially relevant guidance to clients.
• Determine appropriate escalation pathways for matters requiring specialist legal input.
• Coach and mentor Workplace Relations Advisors.
• Provide guidance on research methodology, legislative interpretation and risk assessment.
• Support the development of team capability and advisory excellence.
• Contribute to quality assurance activities and advisory consistency.
• Lead improvements to knowledge resources, processes and service delivery.
• Identify trends, recurring issues and emerging workplace relations risks.
• Assist in the development of technical updates, guidance materials and client resources.
• Partner with internal advisors, account managers and employment lawyers.
• Support the resolution of complex or sensitive client matters.
• Build strong working relationships across the business.
• Contribute to operational leadership and team coordination when required.

About You

You are a technically strong workplace relations professional who enjoys tackling complex issues and helping others grow.

You'll bring:

• Strong experience in workplace relations, employee relations, industrial relations or employment law advisory environments.
• Advanced knowledge of Australian workplace relations legislation, modern awards and industrial instruments.
• Experience managing complex or higher-risk employment matters.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to interpret ambiguous legislation and provide practical solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or providing technical guidance to colleagues.
• The ability to work autonomously while contributing positively to a collaborative team environment.
• A commitment to delivering accurate, commercially sound and client-focused advice.

Why Join Us?

Collaborate daily with experienced workplace relations professionals, senior managers and employment lawyers who are passionate about their craft.