Head of People & Culture

Avive Health; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Avive Health in Sydney leads a growing private mental health hospital group with a multi-site footprint and interstate travel requirements. You will shape culture, workforce experience and capability across the organisation, while partnering with Co-CEOs, executive teams and hospital leaders to drive performance and sustainable growth.

The role blends strategic thinking with practical delivery, building frameworks, leadership capability and workforce insights to support current operations and

Qualifications

• Significant generalist HR and People & Culture experience in a multi-site organisation.
• Strong recruitment, workforce planning and talent attraction capability.
• Practical knowledge of Australian employment law, modern awards and enterprise agreements.

Responsibilities

• Shape and embed Avive’s culture, values and employee experience across hospitals and service lines.
• Lead workforce planning for current operations, new sites and future growth.
• Build talent pipelines and reduce reliance on recruitment agencies.
• Establish onboarding experiences across workforce groups.
• Develop practical performance, development and leadership capability frameworks.
• Coach leaders on conduct, performance and attendance.

Skills

HR generalist

People leadership

Recruitment

Workforce planning

Talent attraction

Australian employment law

Job description

Sydney-based | Multi-site healthcare group | Regular interstate travel

Avive Health is seeking an experienced Head of People & Culture to shape the culture, workforce experience and people capability of a growing private mental health hospital group.

This is Avive’s senior people leadership role. Working closely with the Co-CEOs, executive team and hospital leaders, you will lead the people priorities that support Avive’s current operations and future growth.

The role combines strategic thinking with practical delivery. You will build the frameworks, leadership capability and workforce insights Avive needs while remaining visible, accessible and connected to teams across its sites.

The opportunity

Avive Health operates private mental health hospitals and virtual care services across Australia, with further growth planned.

As Head of People & Culture, you will help Avive attract, develop and retain the clinical and non-clinical capability required to deliver high-quality care and sustainable growth.

You will be supported by external HR specialists who provide additional capacity and technical expertise when required.

Key responsibilities

Shape and embed Avive’s culture, values and employee experience across its hospitals and service lines.

Lead workforce planning for current operations, new sites and future growth.

Build strong clinical and non-clinical talent pipelines and reduce reliance on recruitment agencies.

Establish a consistent and effective onboarding experience across different workforce groups.

Develop practical performance, development and leadership capability frameworks.

Coach leaders through conduct, performance, attendance and workplace matters.

Maintain visibility of workforce risks, capability gaps and emerging themes across sites.

Lead the people aspects of consultation, organisational change and workforce integration.

Strengthen employee engagement, retention, succession planning and recognition.

Own Avive’s HR systems and people data, translating information into clear insights for the executive team and Board.

Work effectively with external specialists on complex workplace relations, industrial relations and employment matters.

About you

You are an experienced senior People & Culture leader who can build trusted relationships while maintaining sound commercial and professional judgement.

You will bring:

Significant generalist HR and People & Culture experience in a multi-site organisation.

Demonstrated success building culture, leadership capability and employee experience during growth or change.

Strong recruitment, workforce planning and talent attraction capability.

Practical knowledge of Australian employment law, modern awards and enterprise agreements.

Confidence coaching senior leaders and working with complex employee matters.

The ability to turn workforce information into practical decisions and priorities.

A hands-on approach, balanced with the ability to plan for Avive’s longer-term needs.

The willingness and ability to travel regularly interstate.

Experience in healthcare, hospitals, aged care or another clinically led environment will be highly regarded. Experience supporting new site openings, acquisitions or private equity-backed growth would also be valuable.

This is an opportunity to shape the people function of an organisation at an important stage of growth. You will work directly with senior decision-makers, build practical approaches from the ground up and influence how Avive’s culture develops across its expanding national footprint.

Avive’s mental health care is customised, to give anyone who needs support the right kind of support at the right time.

Our private mental health facilities, currently in Brisbane (QLD) and on the Mornington Peninsula (VIC) provide specialised treatment for drug and alcohol use disorders, general adult psychiatry, mood and anxiety disorders, early life trauma, adult trauma including defence (Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Australian Defence Force) and emergency first responders; and women’s mental health.