Human Resources Business Partner

Speno Rail Maintenance Australia; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Speno Rail Maintenance Australia is seeking an experienced HR Business Partner to support NSW operations, coaching leaders and frontline teams on employee relations and performance discussions.

Based in Kirrawee with regular site visits to Chullora and yards, you will lead enterprise agreement activities, navigate unions, and tailor ER/IR solutions for a blue-collar workforce while driving people initiatives that deliver practical outcomes on site.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in an Employment Relations or Industrial Relations role.
• Experience working with unions and enterprise bargaining.
• Background that connects with a blue-collar workforce and can build trust.
• Willingness and ability to travel to the yard and site regularly.
• Sound knowledge of Australian employment legislation and IR practice.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic mindset with practical on-site execution instincts.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• A proactive, people-first approach.
• Tertiary qualification in HR, Employment Law, IR, or relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• As HR Business Partner, be the trusted people partner for NSW operations - coaching leaders and employees on employee and industrial relations, performance conversations, and day-to-day people leadership.
• Act as the go-to advisor for employee relations and navigate union engagement and enterprise bargaining.
• Lead and support Enterprise Agreement drafting, review, and negotiation.
• Partner with business leaders to shape ER/IR solutions tailored to each site's challenges.
• Provide employment relations expertise across policies, procedures, and legislation.
• Lead end-to-end recruitment for the NSW business.
• Use HR data to inform business decisions.
• Stay ahead of employment legislation and IR developments.

Skills

IR experience

Union engagement

Blue-collar empathy

Travel readiness

Australian law

Stakeholder mgmt

Strategic mindset

Problem solving

People-first

Education

HR/IR qualification

Job description

Speno Rail Maintenance Australia – Kirrawee NSW

Speno Rail Maintenance Australia (SRMA) is a leading provider of rail maintenance across Australia and New Zealand. With over 50 years of experience, we're committed to delivering safe, efficient, and innovative solutions for our clients. Safety, integrity, and excellence sit at the heart of everything we do - and our people are what make that possible.

About the role

As HR Business Partner at SRMA, you'll be the trusted people partner for our NSW operations - out on track and side-by-side with both the leaders and the employees who keep our business moving. Based out of our Kirrawee office, with regular visits to our Chullora yard and out on site, this full-time role puts you right at the heart of how we support our workforce, not behind a desk removed from it.

What you'll be doing

Getting out to the Chullora yard and on site regularly to work directly with Supervisors, Superintendents, and leaders - coaching and upskilling them in employee and industrial relations, performance conversations, and day-to-day people leadership.

Being an accessible, trusted point of contact for employees on the ground - someone they can raise concerns with directly, not just a name on an org chart.

Acting as the go-to advisor for employee relations matters, bringing genuine confidence in navigating union engagement and enterprise bargaining.

Leading and supporting Enterprise Agreement drafting, review, and negotiation.

Partnering with business leaders to understand their challenges and shape practical, tailored ER/IR solutions - not one-size-fits-all policy.

Supporting employees through workplace matters with fairness and genuine care.

Driving people initiatives that genuinely land with a blue-collar, operational workforce.

Contributing to organisational development and culture initiatives that strengthen how our teams work together.

Providing employment relations expertise across employee management, policies and procedures, and employment legislation.

Leading end-to-end recruitment for the NSW business, partnering with leaders to attract and secure the right people for our teams.

Using HR and ER data to bring insight and clarity to business decisions.

Keeping on top of employment legislation and industrial relations developments so our practices stay ahead of the curve.

What we’re looking for

Significant experience in an Employment Relations or Industrial Relations role - this is not a generalist HR position, and we need someone with genuine depth in this space.

Real experience working with unions and enterprise bargaining - you're comfortable at the table, not just across the paperwork.

A background that connects with a blue-collar workforce - you get what it’s like on the ground and can build trust quickly with both employees and leaders.

Willingness and enthusiasm to travel to the yard and site regularly - this role isn't just a desk job.

Sound knowledge of Australian employment legislation and industrial relations practice.

Strong stakeholder management skills - you build credibility with people at every level, from employees on the tools to the executive team.

A strategic mindset paired with the practical instincts to turn ideas into outcomes that actually work on site.

Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

A proactive, people-first approach.

Tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Employment Law, Industrial Relations, or relevant experience.