Senior Legal Manager

Sharp & Carter; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp & Carter is seeking a qualified employment lawyer to join its Australian team in Sydney. You will provide specialist employment law advice, support operational leaders, and manage complex employee relations matters in a large, diverse organisation.

This hands-on advisory role focuses on workplace investigations, disciplinary processes, grievances and performance management, with opportunity to shape policies and work with senior stakeholders to achieve commercially practical outcomes.

Qualifications

• Qualified and admitted lawyer with experience in employment law, workplace relations or employee relations.
• Experience gained within a law firm, in-house legal team or dedicated employee relations function.
• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation and enterprise agreements.
• Proven ability to advise on workplace investigations, misconduct, grievances and performance management.
• Ability to interpret complex legal issues and provide practical, commercially focused advice.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex employee relations matters from initial complaint to resolution.
• Conduct impartial workplace investigations involving misconduct, grievances and sensitive matters.
• Advise on employment legislation, enterprise agreements, policies and procedural fairness.
• Provide guidance on disciplinary processes, performance management and termination-related risk.
• Collaborate with operational managers, HR Partners and senior stakeholders to deliver practical outcomes.
• Prepare investigation reports, employment-related correspondence and recommendations.
• Coach business leaders and HR colleagues on employee relations issues and risk management.
• Identify trends and contribute to improvements in internal processes and practices.

Skills

Employment law

Workplace investigations

Stakeholder engagement

Legal advisory

Enterprise agreements

Written communication

Education

Bachelor of Laws

Juris Doctor

Admission to practise in Australia

Job description

Our client is a leading Australian organisation with a significant national presence and a large, diverse workforce. Operating in a complex and highly operational environment, the business offers an excellent opportunity for a qualified lawyer to apply their employment law expertise to a broad range of challenging workplace matters.

With an established Employee Relations function and a strong emphasis on collaboration, the organisation is seeking a commercially minded employment lawyer to provide specialist advice and support to stakeholders across the business.

About the Role:

Working closely with the broader Employee Relations team, you will play a key role in managing complex employee relations matters, providing specialist employment law advice and supporting operational leaders in navigating sensitive workplace issues.

This is a hands-on advisory position offering exposure to a broad range of employment matters, with a particular focus on workplace investigations, disciplinary processes, employee grievances and performance management.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing complex employee relations matters from initial complaint or escalation through to resolution.
• Conducting impartial workplace investigations involving misconduct, bullying, grievances and other sensitive employee matters.
• Advising on employment legislation, enterprise agreements, workplace policies and procedural fairness.
• Providing guidance on disciplinary processes, performance management, employee disputes and termination-related risks.
• Working closely with operational managers, HR Business Partners and senior stakeholders to develop practical and commercially appropriate outcomes.
• Preparing investigation reports, employment-related correspondence and recommendations.
• Coaching and supporting business leaders and HR colleagues on employee relations issues and risk management.
• Identifying employee relations trends and contributing to improvements in internal processes and practices.

About You:

You will be a qualified and admitted lawyer with experience in employment law, workplace relations or employee relations, gained within a law firm, in-house legal team or dedicated employee relations function.

You will ideally bring:

• A Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor and admission to practise law in Australia.
• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation, workplace relations frameworks and enterprise agreements.
• Demonstrated experience advising on workplace investigations, misconduct, grievances, disciplinary processes and performance management.
• The ability to interpret complex legal and industrial issues and provide practical, commercially focused advice.
• Strong written skills, particularly in preparing investigation reports, employment correspondence and recommendations.
• Confidence engaging with stakeholders at different levels, including operational managers and senior leaders.
• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and navigate sensitive workplace matters.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach and sound judgement when assessing employment-related risks.

Experience within large, complex or unionised organisations would be advantageous, particularly where you have worked closely with operational or blue-collar workforces.

Why Join?

This is an excellent opportunity to apply your legal expertise within a large and dynamic organisation, working directly with the business on matters that have a tangible operational impact.

You will gain exposure to complex and varied employee relations issues, work alongside experienced professionals and play an important role in supporting managers and improving workplace practices across the organisation.

The position will appeal to a qualified lawyer who enjoys the technical aspects of employment law but equally values stakeholder engagement, problem-solving and delivering practical outcomes in a commercial environment.