Onboarding Excellence Lead - Associate Director (1-year Fixed Term Contract)

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

Benefits offered by this job

None

Job summary

EY is seeking an ONBE Lead to shape onboarding for EY’s global workforce. You will provide governance across regions, align on operating models, and drive adoption of onboarding strategies and technology improvements.

In this high‑visibility role, you will influence stakeholders globally, lead a small team, manage risks, and deliver measurable improvements in productivity and user experience during a major transformation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related discipline or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide global functional governance for the ONBE project, ensuring alignment with onboarding strategy, standards, processes, operating model and broader Talent priorities.
• Translate strategic direction into clear design principles, priorities and decision frameworks that enable timely decision‑making, delivery and adoption.
• Act as project functional co‑lead and senior decision partner, consolidating input from onboarding SMEs and regions into clear, actionable recommendations and functional sign‑off where required.
• Validate solution designs to ensure they are scalable, compliant and operationally viable across regions prior to deployment.
• Represent onboarding as a single, consolidated function voice within project leadership forums and governance bodies.
• Collaborate and influence regional stakeholders to align with global onboarding processes, tools and ways of working.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for onboarding‑related risks, dependencies, change impacts and adoption barriers.
• Champion simplification, consistency, operational excellence and experience improvement as core principles of onboarding transformation.

Skills

Global onboarding

Stakeholder management

Change leadership

Executive engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related discipline

Equivalent professional experience

Job description

At EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence.

We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go.

Join EY and help to build a better working world.

The opportunity

EY is launching Onboarding Excellence (ONBE), the next evolution of our global onboarding strategy. Building on the Onboarding Foundation technology project, ONBE focuses on transforming pre‑and post‑day‑one onboarding across all hire types through process and experience optimization, automation, AI‑enabled improvements and targeted technology enhancements.

As an ONBE Lead you will play a key role in shaping how EY welcomes talent globally. Working within a unified global team, you will provide global functional leadership and governance for our ONBE project, ensuring that onboarding process, experience, technology and change decisions are strategically aligned, operationally viable, scalable across regions, and adopted effectively.

This high‑visibility role offers the opportunity to influence a long‑term global transformation, contribute to the future ‘art of the possible’ process and experience design, onboarding Target Operating Model (TOM), and help deliver measurable business value, including faster time to productivity, improved experience and increased operational efficiency.

Essential functions of the job

• Provide global functional governance for the ONBE project, ensuring alignment with onboarding strategy, standards, processes, operating model and broader Talent priorities.


• Translate strategic direction into clear design principles, priorities and decision frameworks that enable timely decision‑making, delivery and adoption.


• Act as project functional co‑lead (with the Global Onboarding Lead) and senior decision partner, consolidating input from onboarding SMEs and regions into clear, actionable recommendations and functional sign‑off where required.


• Validate solution designs to ensure they are scalable, compliant and operationally viable across regions prior to deployment.


• Represent onboarding as a single, consolidated function voice within project leadership forums and governance bodies.


• Collaborate and influence regional stakeholders to align with global onboarding processes, tools and ways of working, balancing standardization with regulatory and practical local needs.


• Serve as a senior escalation point for onboarding‑related risks, dependencies, change impacts and adoption barriers, driving resolution and risk mitigation.


• Champion simplification, consistency, operational excellence and experience improvement as core principles of onboarding transformation.

Supervision Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the work of two Onboarding Excellence Subject Matter Representatives (SMRs) assigned to the project, providing direction, prioritization and support.

Skills And Attributes For Success

• Strong understanding of global onboarding operating models, end‑to‑end processes and regional adoption dynamics.


• Proven ability to influence without authority, balancing strategic intent with on‑the‑ground realities.


• Confidence and credibility as a decision owner, escalation point and trusted strategic advisor.


• Experience partnering across process, technology, change and communications workstreams in complex projects.


• Comfortable working in matrixed, cross‑functional delivery models with multiple stakeholders.


• Data‑driven mindset, with the ability to define KPIs, interpret experience and operational data, identify root causes and convert insights into practical improvement actions.


• Strong executive presence, able to communicate complex or difficult decisions clearly and engage senior stakeholders with confidence.


• Demonstrated change leadership and agility, articulating benefits, removing barriers and maintaining composure under pressure.


• Strong influencing and partnering skills, able to propose credible options, reach resolution and maintain trust through transparency.


• Continuous improvement and innovation mindset, challenging the status quo to drive efficiency, risk reduction and resource optimization.


• Sound quality and risk management capability, ensuring appropriate controls, compliance and high‑quality outcomes within agreed timelines.

Ideally you’ll also have:

• Exposure to global Talent platforms supporting onboarding processes.


• Experience working with Target Operating Models and/or process optimisation.


• Experience applying automation, digital solutions and AI‑enabled capabilities to improve process efficiency and user experience.

This position reports to:

Global Onboarding Lead

Works closely with:

• Onboarding Excellence project team


• Global TA2 & Onboarding team members


• Regional teams


• Process & Experience, Product Owners, Technology and Data/Analytics specialists supporting Onboarding

Other Requirements

• Due to the global nature of the role, willingness to work across time zones as required.


• May require occasional travel.


• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with ability to tailor messages to different audiences and cultures.

Job requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related discipline or equivalent professional experience

This job posting relates to an existing vacancy within our organization.

What We Offer You (Canada)

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. In addition, our Total Rewards package allows you to decide which benefits are right for you and which ones help you create a solid foundation for your future. Our Total Rewards package includes a discretionary bonus program, a comprehensive medical, prescription drug and dental coverage plan, a defined contribution pension plan, a great vacation policy plus firm paid days that allow you to enjoy longer long weekends throughout the year, statutory holidays and paid personal days (based on province of residence), and a range of exciting programs and benefits designed to support your physical, financial and social well‑being. Plus, we offer:

• Support and coaching from some of the most engaging colleagues in the industry


• Learning opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career


• The freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you

Inclusiveness at EY

Inclusiveness is at the heart of who we are and how we work. We’re committed to fostering an environment where differences are valued, policies and practices are equitable, and our people feel a sense of belonging. We embrace diversity and are committed to combating systemic racism, advancing gender equity and women in leadership, advocating for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, promoting our neuroinclusion and accessibility initiatives, and are dedicated to amplifying the voices of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) nationally as we strive towards reconciliation. Our diverse experiences, abilities, backgrounds, and perspectives make our people unique and help guide us. Because when people feel free to be their authentic selves at work, they bring their best and are empowered to build a better working world.

Learn about our commitment to Inclusiveness at https://www.ey.com/en_ca/about-us/corporate-responsibility/equity

What We Offer You (Global)

At EY, we’ll develop you with future-focused skills and equip you with world‑class experiences. We’ll empower you in a flexible environment, and fuel you and your extraordinary talents in a diverse and inclusive culture of globally connected teams. Learn more.

EY | Building a better working world

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi‑disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

At EY, we use artificial intelligence (AI) tools as one element of our recruitment process to enhance efficiency and improve the candidate experience. While AI supports us in our process, human judgment and decision-making remain integral in our candidate experience. We are committed to the responsible use of AI, and our practices are continuously reviewed and refined to ensure they align with the highest ethical principles and regulatory requirements

To all recruitment agencies: EY does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Any resumes submitted without a prior agreement or request from our hiring team will not be considered. EY is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes