Employee Relations Manager

EY; Australia; Hybrid; AUD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development opportunities

Flexible work arrangements

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Join EY as an Employee Relations Manager in Australia. This role is crucial for managing complex employee relations cases and providing expert advice to stakeholders without direct reports. You will work closely with HR partners and contribute to various projects while maintaining a flexible work arrangement.

The position requires strong influencing skills and a solid understanding of employment legislation. EY offers a competitive salary and a supportive environment for personal and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex employee relations cases.
• Strong practical approach to ambiguous problems.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within a specialist team.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior escalation point for employee relations.
• Partner with HR and legal teams on sensitive issues.
• Maintain work–life balance through flexible arrangements.

Skills

Influencing senior leaders

Managing complex employee relations

Knowledge of employment legislation

Understanding case law

Solutions-focused approach

Autonomous work

Stakeholder management

Job description

At EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence.

We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go.

Join EY and help to build a better working world.

Employee Relations Manager

The opportunity

As one of our Employee Relations Managers on a 15 month Parental Leave coverage, you will support a high‑performance culture by acting as a senior subject‑matter expert for the business. This role is focused on the management of complex and high‑risk employee relations matters, rather than people leadership. You will work closely with leaders, HR Business Partners and other centres of excellence to manage escalated matters such as workplace investigations, conduct issues, ill‑health, redundancies and restructures, and senior or sensitive performance matters, as well as other complex employee relations issues. This role does not have direct reports. Instead, you will provide expert advice, guidance and coaching to stakeholders and Employee Relations Advisors on complex cases. You will also contribute to priority projects aligned to the Talent agenda, including legislative change, policy development and continuous improvement initiatives. This role can be performed from any of our EY offices across Australia. Our roles can potentially be adjusted to work flexibly with reduced hours. Please speak with us about potential options.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Acting as the senior escalation point for complex and high‑risk ER case management
• Partnering with HR Business Partners, General Counsel and other Talent Centres of Excellence on matters such as investigations, restructures and acquisitions
• Working with leaders at all levels to deliver practical, sustainable solutions to sensitive employee issues
• Providing expert guidance and informal coaching to Employee Relations Advisors on complex cases
• Contributing to ER‑related projects, including legislative updates and process improvement initiatives
• Maintaining work–life balance through a flexible, hybrid working model

Skills And Attributes For Success

• Strong ability to influence and partner with senior leaders across the organisation
• Demonstrated experience managing complex and escalated employee relations cases
• Strong knowledge of employment legislation and statutory requirements
• Up‑to‑date understanding of case law, legislative changes, awards and emerging ER issues
• A practical, solutions‑focused approach to complex and ambiguous problems
• The ability to work autonomously while collaborating effectively within a specialist team-
• Proven capability managing diverse stakeholders and navigating sensitive situations

Ideally, you’ll also have the skills and attributes below but don’t worry if you don’t tick all the boxes. We’re interested in your aptitude, attitude and willingness to learn.

What We Offer You

• Career development: At EY, your career is yours to shape! We’ll develop you with future‑focused skills and equip you with world‑class experiences com/au/careerdevelopment
• Flexible work arrangements: Our flexible work policies empower you to balance your professional and personal life, fostering a culture of trust and autonomy.
• A comprehensive benefits package: From a yearly wellness incentive, to access to additional 8 weeks of flex leave per year, and family‑friendly policies, including up to 26 weeks of gender‑neutral paid parental leave, we cater to your diverse needs to help you thrive both personally and professionally www.ey.com/au/benefits
• Salary: We offer a competitive salary which is open to negotiation pending on skills and experience.

Acknowledgement of Country

EY acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which EY offices are located around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures, and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. Find out more about our vision for reconciliation at ey.com/en_au/careers/indigenous

Inclusiveness is core to who we are and how we work together, driving value for our people and for our business. We encourage applications from people of all ages, nationalities, abilities, cultures, sexual orientations, and gender identities and are committed to providing an equitable and barrier free recruitment experience for all. We encourage you to share any support and adjustments you need to be your best and participate equitably in our recruitment process. We understand sharing your needs with us can be daunting, so if you have questions before or during your application, we welcome you to get in touch at [e-mail] or [phone] (option 2). Anything you tell us will be kept completely confidential.