Head of Human Resources

People for Purpose; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 173,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Self-care leave

Salary packaging

Job summary

Youth Law Australia (YLA) is recruiting a senior People and Culture Director to work with the Executive Director and senior leaders. The role combines strategic guidance and hands-on delivery across workforce planning, culture, risk and lifecycle activities, including learning and development.

It is a standalone P&C role with no direct reports, offering flexible hours and remote work across Australia or hybrid work from Sydney.

Qualifications

• Broad senior-level people and culture experience.
• Experience advising senior leaders and boards.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and practical advice on workforce planning, culture, and employee lifecycle.
• Lead organisation-wide learning and development, including management development.
• Support Board development and senior leadership with people-related governance.

Job description

Remuneration: $150,000 per annum for a four-day working week (0.8 FTE).

Type: Part-time

Location: Work remotely from anywhere in Australia or in a hybrid arrangement from YLA’s Sydney office

Strengthen people practices in a national organisation supporting children and young people

• Build fit-for-purpose people foundations as YLA continues to grow
• Partner with leadership in a values-led, mission-driven environment
• Combine strategic and hands-on work supporting staff and the Board.

Organisation: Youth Law Australia

Position: People & Culture Director

Remuneration: $150,000 per annum for a four-day working week (0.8 FTE).

Type: Part-time

Location: Work remotely from anywhere in Australia or in a hybrid arrangement from YLA’s Sydney office

Employees: 2 - 10 employees

Strengthen people practices in a national organisation supporting children and young people

• Build fit-for-purpose people foundations as YLA continues to grow
• Partner with leadership in a values-led, mission-driven environment
• Combine strategic and hands-on work supporting staff and the Board.

The organisation

Youth Law Australia (YLA) is the only national community legal centre dedicated to supporting children and young people, anywhere in Australia, with any legal problem. For more than 30 years, YLA has provided free, confidential legal assistance to young people experiencing harm, disadvantage or systemic barriers, using the law as a practical tool to improve lives.

Headquartered at UNSW with outreach offices at the University of Tasmania and University of Melbourne, YLA operates nationally with a geographically dispersed workforce and a strong volunteer base. The organisation is deeply purpose-driven and works within the realities of government funding cycles, with a strong focus on quality, care, and sustainability.

The role

The People and Culture Director is a newly created role that reflects YLA’s growth. Working closely with the Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer and senior leaders, the role provides practical and strategic advice across workforce planning, culture, complex people matters, organisational risk and the employee lifecycle. The role also leads YLA’s organisation-wide learning and development approach, including management development, and supports Board development through the Executive Director.

This is a standalone People and Culture role with no direct reports, so you’ll need to be equally comfortable providing senior advice and managing the day-to-day work yourself. You’ll provide accessible, relationship-based support to staff and work closely with the COO, administration staff and external accountants across core people and culture activities including recruitment, onboarding, policies, performance support and day-to-day advice. The role also contributes to fit-for-purpose systems and shared ways of working across the organisation.

YLA is seeking someone with broad senior-level people and culture experience who is comfortable working independently, advising senior leaders and supporting managers in their people responsibilities. The role requires sound judgement, discretion, and the ability to navigate complexity thoughtfully, balancing the needs of individuals with the requirements of the organisation.

You’ll also bring sound knowledge of employment and HR-related obligations and be comfortable working across Federal, State and Territory requirements, liaising with internal and external legal advisors where needed.

Experience in values-led or for-purpose environments will be helpful, as will experience working in a standalone P&C role or in organisations where systems are evolving and growing. The successful candidate will bring a collaborative, grounded approach, and the confidence to offer practical advice that supports both people and the organisation.

Experience working in an environment that has implemented trauma-informed, culturally safe, child safe and/or victim-centred approaches would be desirable.

This role does not manage volunteers directly but leads the people frameworks and systems that support effective volunteer management, working in partnership with legal leaders who retain day-to-day responsibility for volunteers.

Please note that relevant child-related screening requirements for your jurisdiction, together with a National Police Check, will be required for the role.

This permanent, senior People and Culture opportunity offers flexible part-time hours (0.6–0.8 FTE), with the option to work remotely from anywhere in Australia or in a hybrid arrangement from YLA’s Sydney office. The working arrangements can be tailored to suit the right candidate, with benefits including paid parental leave, additional paid self-care leave and salary packaging.

Remuneration

This role will have a base salary of $150,000 per annum for a four-day working week (0.8 FTE). Flexibility to work three days per week (0.6 FTE) may also be considered, with the salary adjusted pro rata to $112,500 per annum.

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday, 15 November 2026.