Senior Consultant Employee Relations (Strategy and Projects)

Bendigobank; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Health and wellbeing support

Private health insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Gym membership discounts

Job summary

Bendigo Bank is seeking a Senior Consultant ER to lead strategy and projects across the organisation, advising senior leaders on industrial and employee relations. You will drive ER initiatives, interpret industrial instruments, support payroll governance, draft contracts, engage with unions, and guide on major workplace change, all within a hybrid, nationally flexible model.

This is a high-visibility role requiring pragmatic, commercial thinking and strong negotiation and coaching capabilities

Qualifications

• Strong risk and compliance focus, with demonstrated ability to advise on complex and strategic matters in a pragmatic and commercial way.
• Tertiary qualification in either Industrial/Employee Relations, Law or related discipline are desirable
• Demonstrated high performance and proven experience in a senior role in Industrial/Employee Relations/HR
• Deep knowledge and understanding of relevant workplace law, modern awards, and enterprise agreements
• Ability to interpret employment contracts and policies, managing ambiguity effectively
• Demonstrated advocacy and negotiation capabilities
• Excellent stakeholder relationship and influencing skills up to executive level
• Proven capability to coach and mentor all levels of employees, people leaders, and executives regarding employee and industrial relations

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advice on industrial and employee relations matters across the Bank.
• Lead strategic delivery of ER initiatives and projects.
• Interpret industrial instruments and support enterprise bargaining and payroll governance.
• Draft and interpret employment contracts and templates.
• Address complex queries related to People & Culture policies.
• Advise on employment implications of acquisitions, divestments, and outsourcing.
• Guide on employment and industrial aspects of major workplace change.
• Engage with relevant unions and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Implement the consequence management framework in alignment with Code of Conduct and policies.
• Investigate and respond to whistleblower matters and workplace complaints.

Skills

Risk and compliance focus

Strategic advisory

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Coaching and mentoring

Contract interpretation

Relationship building

Executive influence

Education

Tertiary qualification in Industrial/Employee Relations or Law

Job description

We’ve never been ‘just a bank’. Just like you should never be ‘just an employee’. We’re united in our belief that in banking, better can be bigger, and together we’re making it happen.

It starts here. With Bendigo Bank… and you.

Our people are at the heart of our Bank, and we care about them deeply. The People and Culture (P&C) division delivers meaningful work in support of our group strategy, with a focus on enriching the employee experience and helping our people to thrive at the Bank.

Within the People and Culture division, our Employee Relations (ER) team provide specialist employee and industrial relations strategic advice and support to the business. As trusted advisors, the ER team ensure that employment-related legislation and regulatory obligations are met. The team also manage our industrial arrangements and union and regulatory engagement.

We currently have a full-time opportunity for someone to come on board as Senior Consultant ER to focus on Strategy and Projects and industrial relations. Working across the organisation, you’ll support senior leaders and managers to deliver on our 2030 Strategy by providing strategic and commercial advice on industrial and employee relations matters.

In this strategic and visible role, you’ll get to advise on and provide strategic project delivery of ER initiatives including:

• Interpretation and advice in relation to the Bank’s industrial instruments including supporting enterprise bargaining and implementation
• Pay and employment law compliance matters, in connection with workplace laws, enterprise agreements and modern awards, including providing specialist ER advice into internal and external payroll review and payroll governance activities, and any associated remediation and regulatory engagement
• Employment contracts including drafting of templates, advice and interpretation
• Resolution of complex queries related to People & Culture policies and procedures
• Advising on the employment implications associated with acquisitions, divestments, and outsourcing
• Advice on the employment and industrial aspects of major workplace change
• Engagement with relevant Unions
• Implementation of the consequence management framework in alignment with the Bank’s Code of Conduct, Consequence Management Policy and other policies (including investigation and outcomes in whistleblower matters and complaints regarding harassment, discrimination, bullying, whistleblower concerns, and workplace bullying complaints process)

Join a supportive, collaborative, pragmatic and engaged team with a diverse set of skills, where you’ll get to genuinely influence the Bank’s strategic initiatives.

This role can be based in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane or Bendigo. We offer flexible work options that put our people first, working in a hybrid model with a minimum local Head Office attendance requirement determined by your Leader, to find a rhythm that works best for you and your team. We believe that coming into the office some of the time is the best way to learn, stay connected and collaborate effectively, especially for key activities like team days, 1:1s, and town halls.

What you’ll bring to the role

• A strong risk and compliance focus, with demonstrated ability to advise on complex and strategic matters in a pragmatic and commercial way
• Tertiary qualification in either Industrial/Employee Relations, Law or related discipline are desirable
• Demonstrated high performance and proven experience in a senior role in Industrial/Employee Relations/HR Candidates with a legal background in relevant areas are encouraged to apply
• Deep knowledge and understanding of relevant workplace law, modern awards, and enterprise agreements
• Ability to interpret employment contracts and policies, managing ambiguity effectively
• Demonstrated advocacy and negotiation capabilities
• Excellent stakeholder relationship and influencing skills up to executive level
• Proven capability to coach and mentor all levels of employees, people leaders, and executives regarding employee and industrial relations

So, why work with us?

• Want big impact that matters? Here, you’ll know your work directly benefits the customers and communities we all serve.
• Want to be more than just a number? Join a team that truly values you – and that gets more and more diverse every day.
• Want career opportunity AND flexibility? Achieve both here, where we know that balance and progression go hand in hand.

You’ll also get access to a great range of benefits, including:

• Hybrid work? Flexible hours? Our flexible work options are designed to suit your life.
• Health and wellbeing support, including discounted gym memberships, private health insurance options, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your immediate family members.

We’re making better, bigger. And we’ll get there with you.

Could you be our newest Senior Consultant, ER Strategy and Projects? Now’s the time to set your sights even higher – on the future you and the future career you deserve. Apply now! Applications close 6 September.

At Bendigo and Adelaide Bank we believe a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is central to our success and we actively encourage applications from those who bring diversity of thought to our business. We support candidate requests for adjustment to accommodate an illness, injury, or disability to equitably participate in the selection process.