Senior Employee Relations Specialist

C.H. Robinson Company; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Program

Robinson Cares program

Flexible work options

Equal Opportunity employer

Job summary

C.H. Robinson Oceania is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist in Port Melbourne, Victoria. You will consult on complex employee relations issues, support compliance initiatives, and partner with HR and legal as needed.

Responsibilities include advising managers, handling performance and terminations, and drafting employment documents while staying current with local laws and company policies. This role requires travel and strong stakeholder collaboration.

Qualifications

• Fluency in written and verbal English.
• Ability to read, write, and speak language specific to region/country.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in Employee Relations.
• Ability to travel up to 5% domestically and internationally, with some travel to U.S.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive employee relations consultation to managers and employees by understanding regulations, policies and company values.
• Consult with employees, managers, executives and HR about complex issues and provide solutions including coaching, discipline, investigations and terminations.
• Manage performance management and termination processes to ensure compliance and appropriate severance calculations.
• Draft, review and maintain employment-related documents in compliance with policy, benefits and local law.
• Review internal processes and drive compliant improvements and regional projects.

Skills

English proficiency

Travel up to 5%

Employee relations experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Primary Location: Port Melbourne, Victoria Australia

C.H. Robinson is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist, responsible for leveraging knowledge of HR and employment law, combined with business understanding, to consult about complex employee relations issues, execute processes, solve problems, and proactively support the business on compliance related initiatives.

Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities of this position consist of, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide comprehensive employee relations consultation to managers and employees by having a deep understanding of legal regulations, company policies and procedures, and C.H. Robinson values; educating and counseling to ensure compliance with local employment laws.
• Consult with employees, managers, executives, other internal departments, and Human Resources about complex employee issues and provide solutions. This includes policy and performance management issues that may result in coaching, discipline, investigations and/or terminations.
• Manage, coordinate, and provide consultation on the performance management and termination process, ensuring that terminations are done in compliance with local regulations, internal enterprise policies & processes, and support the company’s best interests, inclusive of severance payment calculation.
• Support in the drafting, review, and maintenance of employment related documents, in compliance with company policy, benefits, and local law.
• Review internal processes and make recommendations for improvements. Drive solutions that are compliant while supporting business objectives and goals.
• Identify and manage projects that support compliance requirements in region or support process improvements.
• Proactively stay up to date on employment regulations (both local and federal) and ensure C.H. Robinson’s policies and processes are aligned. Lead implementation as needed.
• Expertly investigate employee issues and recommend action based on findings, while keeping accurate and appropriate documentation. Interact with organization leaders and influence recommended outcomes, in alignment with company practice, local regulations and best practices.
• Use functional expertise to develop proactive strategies to enhance C.H. Robinson’s work environment.
• Regularly assess case management data for trend analysis review; work with appropriate stakeholders to address any issues as needed.
• Regional subject matter expert who leads and participates to contribute to project success.
• Partner with internal and external legal counsel, as needed, while actively managing costs and vendor relationship.
• Respond to government claims and various state requests for information.
• Manage and partner with internal and external legal partners on conciliation hearings and labor claims.
• Coordinate, manage, and complete locally regulated reporting and assessments, ensuring the company is in compliance. Make recommendations based on outcomes.
• Drive globally consistent employee relations practices by aligning policies and procedures across regions, while actively ensuring compliance with local labor laws and cultural expectations.

Required Qualifications:

Required:

• Fluency in written and verbal English
• Ability to read, write, and speak language specific to region/country
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 4 years of experience in Employee Relations
• Ability to travel up to 5%; domestically and internationally, with some travel to U.S.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred:

• Ability to develop strong relationships and partner with managers, executives, and other Human Resources departments
• Proven conflict resolution skills
• Strong influencing skills and business savvy
• High degree of confidentiality
• Analytical skills and ability to use data to drive decision making
• Ability to create new or review and update existing processes
• Ability to make recommendations at all levels of the organization
• Understanding of employment regulation and how to apply law to company policy
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation/communication proficiency
• Strong problem solving/critical thinking skills
• Good judgment with the ability to make timely and sound decisions
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities
• Values a diverse and inclusive work environment

At C.H. Robinson Oceania, we are a proud Equal Opportunity employer offering flexible work to support a work/life balance along with offering a broad range of career development opportunities.

Benefits:

• Employees have access to our well regarded, confidential Employee Assistance Program.
• Our Robinson Cares program allows our employees to give back to the community.