HR Partner

University of Sydney; New South Wales; On-site; AUD 177,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Sydney is seeking an experienced HR Partnering professional to provide strategic HR expertise in support of the University’s objectives. You will collaborate with HR Centres of Expertise to deliver an integrated service offering and partner with leaders to translate workforce strategy into practical people outcomes.

You will bring substantial HR partnering experience in large, complex organisations, ability to apply enterprise agreements and policy to workplace situations, and a

Qualifications

• Experience delivering strategic HR advice grounded in enterprise agreements, policies and employment frameworks.
• Ability to translate complex HR concepts into practical guidance for leaders.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to translate workforce strategy into pragmatic HR outcomes.
• Provide clear, evidence-based advice on complex people matters grounded in policy and frameworks.
• Manage a high-volume portfolio of HR matters with sound judgment on urgency and risk.
• Maintain robust case records and ensure timely, quality stakeholder communication.
• Collaborate with HR Centres of Expertise to deliver integrated, client-focused solutions.
• Support workforce planning, organisational design, talent and change initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement across HR Partnering and capability development.

Skills

HR partnering

Stakeholder management

Policy interpretation

Change management

Industrial relations knowledge

Evidence-based advice

Job description

Full time, 12months fixed-term opportunity for a HR Partnering professional to provide strategic HR expertise and advice in support of your client’s business objectives and the University’s strategy.

Collaborate with the other HR Centres of Expertise to deliver an integrated service offering to The University.

Base Salary $152,045 + 17% superannuation.

About the opportunity

The HR Partnering function works alongside leaders to translate the University’s workforce strategy into practical people outcomes. We provide contemporary, evidence-based and pragmatic HR advice that helps leaders navigate complex workforce matters, make informed decisions and deliver on their strategic priorities.

We are seeking experienced HR Partners who can build trusted relationships with leaders while remaining comfortable working hands-on across a diverse and fast-paced portfolio. You will bring sound judgement, curiosity and a solutions-focused mindset, balancing organisational objectives, employee experience, risk and compliance when providing advice. A key part of the role is turning complex HR, industrial relations and policy requirements into clear, practical and actionable advice. You will work with stakeholders to understand the issue behind the issue, assess available evidence and options, and provide advice that is grounded in the Enterprise Agreement, University policy, relevant employment frameworks and contemporary HR practice.

The role operates in an environment where priorities can shift quickly, and case volumes can be high. You will therefore need to be comfortable managing multiple matters concurrently, prioritising effectively, maintaining accurate records and ensuring stakeholders receive timely, considered advice.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Partner with leaders to understand their workforce priorities and provide pragmatic, evidence-based HR advice that can be applied in real-world situations.
• Provide clear advice on complex people matters, translating policy, industrial instruments and HR frameworks into practical options and recommendations for stakeholders.
• Manage a high-volume and varied portfolio of HR matters, applying sound judgement to assess urgency, risk and competing priorities.
• Maintain high-quality case records and documentation, ensuring advice, decisions, actions and key stakeholder interactions are appropriately captured.
• Work collaboratively with HR Centres of Expertise and other HR colleagues to develop integrated, practical and client-focused solutions.
• Provide strategic and operational advice across workforce planning, organisational design, talent and succession, performance, workplace culture, reward and recognition and organisational change.
• Support leaders through workforce and organisational change, helping them navigate both the people and operational implications of change.
• Use workforce insights, evidence and contemporary HR practice to identify emerging issues, challenge assumptions and support informed decision-making.
• Build the capability and confidence of leaders to manage people matters effectively, rather than simply providing transactional HR solutions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement across HR Partnering by sharing knowledge, identifying opportunities to simplify ways of working and supporting consistent HR practice.
• Support the Senior Manager and Associate Director with broader portfolio and HR initiatives, including capability development, coaching and implementation of improved frameworks, technology and processes.

About you

You are an experienced HR professional who combines strong technical HR capability with commercially minded, pragmatic judgement. You are comfortable moving between strategic workforce conversations and complex day-to-day people matters, and you know when an issue requires deeper analysis, escalation or specialist input. You will bring:

• Substantial HR partnering experience within a large, complex and multifaceted organisation, ideally within a tertiary education or Centre of Expertise operating model.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear, pragmatic and solutions-focused advice, grounded in evidence, policy, industrial instruments and relevant employment frameworks.
• Strong experience interpreting and applying enterprise agreements, awards, employment legislation and organisational policies to complex workplace situations.
• The ability to work effectively in a high-case-load environment, balancing competing priorities and maintaining a responsive, high-quality service to stakeholders.
• Excellent time management, organisation and prioritisation skills, including the ability to exercise judgement about urgency, risk and appropriate escalation.
• Strong case management and record-keeping discipline, with the ability to maintain clear, accurate and contemporaneous documentation.
• Demonstrated experience supporting organisational change, workforce planning and the delivery of complex people initiatives.
• The confidence to respectfully challenge thinking, test assumptions and provide leaders with balanced options and recommendations.
• Highly developed stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility and trusted relationships with senior leaders.
• A collaborative approach to working across HR Partnering, specialist HR teams and other professional functions to provide consistent and joined-up advice.
• Sound judgement and discretion when managing sensitive, confidential and complex people matters.
• Experience engaging with unions, employee representatives, government bodies or other external stakeholders where required.
• Experience supporting medical, health or allied health environments would be highly regarded.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in a manner satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive.

We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve.

We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+.

We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer.

Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

Applications Close Wednesday 07 October 2026 11:59 PM.

The University values are excellence, trust and accountability.

The University of Sydney is committed to diversity and social inclusion.

Applications from people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; equity target groups including women, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTIQ; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged.

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

The University of Sydney may conduct routine pre-employment checks before an appointment is made.