Senior Human Resources Business Partner

Consulting & Generalist Hr,Industrial & Employee Relations; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development support

Salary packaging options

Discounted school fees

Job summary

Pymble Ladies’ College seeks an experienced Senior Human Resources Business Partner to lead employee relations within a busy HR team. This permanent, full-time role involves advising on complex workplace matters, acting as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, and driving policy development across the lifecycle.

The role requires a strong background in ER, negotiations with unions, and the ability to coach HR Partners while maintaining confidentiality and high integrity.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualifications are desirable.
• 7+ years HR experience with 5+ years in senior employee relations.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations into sensitive matters.
• Strong knowledge of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and National Employment Standards.
• Ability to coach leaders and lift HR capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end management of complex employee relations matters including investigations, misconduct and serious performance concerns.
• Provide authoritative advice on compliance obligations and enterprise agreements.
• Coach HR Partners and leaders to manage conflicts and psychosocial risks.
• Develop and review employee relations policies and procedures; deliver training to leaders.
• Analyse ER data to identify trends and report to Head of HR.

Skills

Senior HRBP experience

Employee relations

Workplace investigations

Advice on Fair Work Act & NES

Coaching leaders

Conflict resolution

HR policy design

HR data analysis

MS Office / Teams / HRIS

Education

Bachelor degree in Human Resources / IR

Postgraduate qualifications desirable

Tools

MS Teams

HRIS systems

Job description

Pymble Ladies’ College is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia for girls Kindergarten to Year 12 with boarding from Year 7. At Pymble, we foster a world-class educational environment with the importance of global citizenship and a worldwide perspective central to our strategic intent.

We believe our staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are our most valuable resource. We are proud to have passionate and dedicated staff who recognise the unique strengths and qualities of every Pymble girl.

The role

Pymble Ladies’ College is seeking an experienced employee relations specialist to join our Human Resources team as Senior Human Resources Business Partner. This is a permanent, full-time position with a commencement date subject to mutual agreement.

Reporting to the Head of Human Resources, the Senior Human Resources Business Partner is the College’s principal specialist in employee relations, partnering with the Head of Human Resources and leaders across the College as a trusted adviser on complex, sensitive and high-risk workplace matters. The role is an individual contributor with no direct reports, and carries a high degree of autonomy, judgement and accountability.

While the role specialises in employee relations, it is a generalist HR role covering all facets of the employee lifecycle. You will hold your own business unit and set of stakeholders, work closely with the HR Business Partners, and contribute to key HR projects across the College. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the end-to-end management of complex employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, misconduct and serious performance concerns, grievances and complaints.
• Providing authoritative advice to the Senior Executive Team, the Executive Team and other leaders on the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the National Employment Standards, work health and safety and anti-discrimination obligations, and relevant awards and enterprise agreements.
• Acting as a coach and escalation point for the HR Business Partners, lifting employee relations capability across the HR team.
• Coaching leaders to hold difficult conversations, manage conflict and psychosocial risks, and resolve concerns early.
• Leading the review and development of employee relations policies and procedures, and designing and delivering training for leaders and managers.
• Analysing employee relations data to identify trends, emerging risks and root causes, and reporting regularly to the Head of Human Resources.

This role is on site, on campus, a minimum of four days per week, with travel to our Vision Valley campus in Arcadia as required.

Our kind of team member

You will display the following skills and attributes:

• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Psychology, Business or a related discipline (postgraduate qualifications are desirable).
• Significant HR experience (generally 7+ years), including at least 5 years in a senior employee relations role, with a demonstrated track record of leading complex matters from advice through to resolution.
• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations into sensitive matters, including bullying, harassment and misconduct, and writing clear, defensible findings reports.
• Strong working knowledge of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the National Employment Standards, modern awards, enterprise agreements, work health and safety and anti-discrimination legislation, and the ability to apply them pragmatically.
• Understanding of psychosocial hazards and the work health and safety obligations to manage them, applied in employee relations matters and in coaching leaders.
• Experience engaging constructively with unions, including an understanding of the Independent Education Union (IEU) and its role within the industrial framework of the Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW).
• Credibility and influence with senior leaders, with the courage to give frank, well-reasoned advice and hold a position under pressure.
• Strong coaching skills and the ability to mentor and lift the capability of colleagues without formal authority.
• Exceptional judgement, discretion and integrity in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft high-quality reports, letters and advice for a variety of audiences.
• The ability to work autonomously and manage multiple complex matters concurrently, while remaining calm, empathetic and resilient.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills, and competence in the use of MS Teams and HRIS systems.
• A willingness to use AI tools responsibly and effectively to improve the quality, accuracy and efficiency of work, while protecting confidential and sensitive information.
• A passion for continuous improvement of systems and processes.
• Support for the ethos and values of the College.

Your kind of workplace

Pymble people are at the heart of what the College offers its students. That’s why every Teacher, Professional Services and Co-curricular staff member is valued for being the person they are, for the quality of their work, for their diverse contribution and for their wins – big and small. We express our appreciation in many ways, including through recognition programs, story sharing, celebrations, feedback, and competitive remuneration.

We treasure our caring, collegiate community, which Pymble people often refer to as the ‘Pymble family’. We also appreciate that our family is not the only one in the lives of Pymble people, so we ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to supporting work-life balance, providing family benefits and contributing to community connections.

Your kind of benefits

The salary for this role is highly competitive and commensurate with experience. We also offer a range of benefits, including:

• Training and professional development support
• Financial support towards additional studies, relevant courses, certifications, or tertiary study (subject to approval)
• Salary packaging options
• Discounted school fees (where applicable)
• Use of our Aquatic and Fitness Centre, with access to the Independent Schools Fitness Passport Program
• Annual preventative health checks
• A dedicated Staff Wellbeing team and regular social events
• Close to public transport and nearby (street) parking
• Access to "Pymble Discounts", which is a retail platform offering employees discounts at over 700 retailers

We also provide a wide range of opportunities for Pymble people personally and professionally through growth strategies, career progression, access to the latest technology and best in class resources.

Our process normally involves two rounds of interviews and reference checks. Please note that applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may occur prior to the closing date. Applications for this opportunity will close on 27th November 2026.

Successful candidates must provide a paid Working with Children Check prior to engagement.

Pymble Ladies’ College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a workforce which represents the diverse society in which we live. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

We acknowledge the Durramurragal as the traditional custodians of the land on which our College is built. We pay respect to Elders past, present and future recognising the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.