National HR Leader – Manufacturing & Operations

u&u Recruitment Partners; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

U&U Recruitment Partners is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead the national HR function from Australia’s operations. You will partner with the Managing Director and General Managers to shape strategy, support workforce planning, and drive capability across sites.

The role calls for deep industrial relations expertise, blue-collar engagement, and a commercially minded HR leader who can influence business decisions and deliver value at scale.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior HR leadership role in warehousing, distribution or manufacturing.
• Ability to lead HR strategy and partner with senior leaders to drive results at scale.
• Expert employee relations experience in a blue-collar, unionised environment.
• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation and HR best practice.
• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Business or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the leadership team to deliver people strategies aligned to business objectives;
• Lead the HR function across Australia, driving workforce planning, talent management, and organisational capability;
• Develop and implement initiatives across leadership development, succession planning, and change management;
• Provide expert advice on employee relations, industrial relations, performance management, and compliance;
• Champion a high-performance culture, coaching leaders to build capability, engagement, and accountability;
• Drive talent attraction, retention, and development strategies to support business growth;
• Lead and mentor the HR team, fostering a collaborative and customer-focused HR function;
• Influence and contribute to strategic business decisions as a trusted member of the leadership team;
• Ensure HR policies, practices, and programs support a positive employee experience and minimise organisational risk; and
• Use people insights and workforce data to inform decision‑making and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Senior HR leadership

Employee relations

Industrial relations

Australian employment law

Talent management

Leadership development

Strategic partnering

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or Business

Job description

U&U Recruitment Partners is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead the national HR function from Australia’s operations. You will partner with the Managing Director and General Managers to shape strategy, support workforce planning, and drive capability across sites.

The role calls for deep industrial relations expertise, blue-collar engagement, and a commercially minded HR leader who can influence business decisions and deliver value at scale.