Senior HR Generalist (Perth, CBD) - Top-tier law firm - 4 days per week

Mallesons; Perth; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mallesons in Perth seeks a Senior HR generalist to support a designated practice group and the Perth office, combining national and local HR exposure in one senior role.

You will provide advisory HR support to Partners and Managers on employee relations, performance management and HR policies aligned to the people strategy, while also handling centre operations, risk, and change management for the Perth centre.

Responsibilities

• Advisory HR support to designated practice groups, coaching Partners and Managers on employee relations, performance management and HR policies.
• Centre Manager responsibilities include geographic and location-based HR operations, risk, policy advice and centre event rollout.
• Support local centre change and alignment with national People & Development (P&D) initiatives.
• Deliver annual initiatives such as Performance, Talent and Remuneration, and promote learning and development.
• Build trusted relationships with PIC and CPP Perth, supporting location-based strategy and change.

Job description

• Senior HR generalist position supporting a pivotal designated practice team/group + local HR delegation for the Perth office
• Combining national and local HR exposure within one senior generalist role.
• Play a key role in fostering connection, collaboration and cultural alignment, enhancing the day‑to‑day people experience across the Perth centre.

Who are we?

We are Mallesons. The top-tier independent firm from Australia, a full-service firm trusted on the most complex and consequential matters across our region and around the world. We've been part of Australia's story for almost 200 years and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners and custodians of these lands and waters. Our independence gives us the flexibility to combine our extensive top tier full-service capability with the best advisers in every market. With deep expertise, collective judgment and genuine collaboration, we cut through complexity so our clients can move forward with confidence and make more happen.

Role

Based in the Perth CBD office, reporting to the Sydney based People & Development (P&D) National Manager, with a dotted line to the Perth based Head of People & Development (P&D) Workplace Experience, this varied role offers 2 key responsibilities - Advisory and Centre Manager. Advisory, majority of the role, will involve providing advisory HR support to designated practice groups/practice teams often across various offices; advising and coaching Partners and Managers on employee relations, performance management and HR policies aligning to the people strategy. The Centre Manager (CM) aspect of this role (approx 20% that will flex up and down) has responsibility for geographic and location-based HR operations and relationships in Centre. Responsibilities may include risk and incident management, consistent centre policy and operational advice, project work roll out of cyclical centre events, supporting local centre change.

This varied role, supported by the wider P&D, has key responsibilities that include:

• Understanding the drivers of team performance and proactively highlighting business needs or issues that may impact performance and client service delivery
• Case managing and advising on performance management matters; terminations, complaints and EEO issues
• Advice and interpretation of policies to partners and staff and coaching on people related issues
• Promotion of P&D policies, procedures, processes and systems; providing feedback and ideas for improvement of firm people policy and procedures
• Delivery of annual initiatives such as Performance, Talent and Remuneration
• Promoting learning and development in conjunction with Talent and Capability
• Being involved in strategic projects related to engaging and retaining our people and improving the employee experience and supporting our People and Culture team in delivering key activities
• Centre leadership & national alignment, collaborating on centre-based people matters
• Building strong, trusted relationships with the Partner In Charge (PIC) and Centre People Partner (CPP) Perth, supporting location-based strategy and change, and connecting local insights and issues as needed
• Centre responsibilities for risk, compliance & crisis leadership
• Providing leadership on centre risk, WHS, compliance and incident management
• An escalation point and sounding board locally.

Who are we looking for?

Our P&D roles need collaborative, strategic forward thinkers, who can connect the dots. In a high performance, high expectation culture like Mallesons, you will need broad generalist capability, strong situational judgement and the ability to respond quickly and confidently to emerging issues and incidents.

You will be seen as a visible and trusted on‑the‑ground presence, strengthening alignment across the P&D team and contributing to a positive, engaged and inclusive workplace culture.

With an excellence without arrogance ethos, and maturity that comes from experience in environments where excellent commercial acumen is required, you will also bring:

• A deep level of experience in a human resources advisory capacity where you have become a trusted advisor, within professional services
• Sound understanding of the law and legislation affecting human resource management
• Experience with performance review systems and implementation of remunerations reviews
• Experience with process and policy improvement
• Ability to liaise with people at all levels of the organisation
• Service orientated with a practical and action orientated approach
• Organisational skills and ability to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines
• Excellent presentation skills

Please note internally this role is called People & Development Manager and Centre Manager Perth.

Applications close COB AEST 5pm Monday 19th October 2026.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to Bridget on (02) 563.

Why work with us?

We build careers that go everywhere. Mallesons is a special place to work where anything is possible, ambitions are limitless and diversity and inclusion play an important role. It's a place where you will collaborate with exceptional colleagues and clients, where you will sharpen your edge and support others to do the same, where you will make a difference you can be proud of. You will have access to a suite of wellbeing initiatives, benefits, policies and process that will support you to achieve your career goals.

Together we learn. Together we master. Together we lead.

Diversity and Inclusion

Mallesons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from diverse backgrounds. We welcome, value, support and harness the positive benefits that people's different life experiences bring, especially as they relate to gender, sexual identity, culture, faith, disability and life stages.

If you are unsure if you meet all criteria for this role, but have a passion for delivering high quality work, developing your skills and realising your full potential, then we encourage you to apply and have a further conversation about how you could fit at Mallesons.

We have a range of inclusive hiring practices - if you would like to seek workplace adjustments to complete your application please contact the Recruitment contact for this role or email @mallesons.com.