Senior Industrial Relations Advisor

UGL; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

UGL is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Advisor to partner with Australian operations on strategic and practical IR matters. You will advise leaders, support bargaining and dispute resolution, and ensure compliance with employment legislation across a dynamic workforce.

You will build credible relationships with leaders, employees, and unions, contributing to a safe, compliant, and high-performing work environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of industrial relations experience.
• Experience leading enterprise bargaining and managing disputes.
• Strong knowledge of the Fair Work Act and contemporary IR frameworks.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert IR advice to leaders and project teams.
• Lead and support enterprise agreement negotiations.
• Manage union relationships and right of entry matters.
• Mitigate industrial risk in collaboration with operations.
• Deliver IR training for teams and projects.

Skills

IR experience

Enterprise bargaining

Dispute management

Workplace relations

Fair Work Act knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Education

IR/HR/Law degree

Job description

About UGL

UGL is a leading provider of engineering, construction and maintenance services, delivering some of Australia's most important infrastructure and energy projects. UGL's Corporate team provides strategic support across the business, partnering with leaders and project teams to drive performance, governance and operational excellence across a diverse national workforce.

About UGL

UGL is a leading provider of engineering, construction and maintenance services, delivering some of Australia's most important infrastructure and energy projects. UGL's Corporate team provides strategic support across the business, partnering with leaders and project teams to drive performance, governance and operational excellence across a diverse national workforce.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the National Industrial Relations Manager, you will partner closely with operational leaders, People & Culture teams, and senior stakeholders to provide strategic and practical industrial relations advice across a complex and dynamic workforce.

This is an opportunity to influence business outcomes through effective IR strategy, enterprise bargaining, dispute resolution, compliance management, and stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert industrial and employee relations advice to leaders across the business
• Support and implement IR strategies aligned with organisational objectives
• Lead and support enterprise agreement negotiations and management
• Assist in managing union relationships and right of entry matters
• Partner with operational leaders to proactively mitigate industrial risk
• Support dispute resolution and represent the business in industrial matters where required
• Coach and develop leaders and People & Culture professionals on IR and ER best practice
• Deliver IR and ER training programs to operational and project teams
• Support tender submissions with industrially compliant and commercially competitive solutions
• Ensure compliance with relevant employment legislation, enterprise agreements, policies and procedures

About You

You are a commercially minded Industrial Relations professional who enjoys building strong stakeholder relationships and navigating complex workplace matters.

You'll Bring

• Tertiary qualifications in Industrial Relations, Human Resources, Law or a related discipline
• Significant experience within Industrial Relations, ideally 5+ years
• Strong experience across enterprise bargaining, dispute management and workplace relations
• Sound knowledge of the Fair Work Act and contemporary IR frameworks
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• The ability to influence, negotiate and build credibility with leaders, employees, clients and union representatives
• Experience supporting operational or project-based environments will be highly regarded

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on complex and high-profile projects across Australia
• Exposure to senior business leaders and strategic IR initiatives
• Collaborative and supportive national team environment
• Flexible location options across major Australian cities
• Competitive remuneration and career development opportunities

Note: Applicants may be subject to relevant screening checks, including a national criminal history check and pre-employment medical assessment.

Discipline

Employee Relations Advisor

Primary Location

Australia-QLD-Brisbane CBD & Inner Suburbs

Other Locations

Australia-NSW-Sydney CBD, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs

Work Type

Full-time