Senior People Partner

NSW Department of Communities and Justice; Sydney; On-site; AUD 154,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working

Professional Growth

Wellbeing Framework

Job summary

Legal Aid NSW in Sydney is seeking a Senior People Partner to work with senior leaders, building capability and accountability across the organisation. You will advise on a broad range of workforce matters, balance organizational needs with employee wellbeing, and influence strategy and change across a geographically dispersed workforce.

This role requires strong judgement, resilience and a practical approach, with experience in unionised or public sector environments; you will champion

Qualifications

• Experienced HR professional who builds trusted relationships with senior leaders and partners across the organisation.
• Experience in unionised, public sector or similarly complex environments is highly regarded.
• Ability to balance organisational outcomes with fairness and employee wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic workforce and people advice aligned with organisational objectives.
• Coach and support leaders to manage performance, change and employee relations matters.

Skills

Judgement

Influence

Accountability

Strategic partnership

Education

Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources or Industrial Relations

Job description

Senior HR partnering role focused on judgement, influence and accountability

Salary Range - $154,231.00 - $178,369.00 (plus super and entitlements)

Ongoing full-time position, located in Haymarket

About Legal Aid NSW

We stand beside people when they need it most.

At Legal Aid NSW, fairness isn’t just a legal principle, it shapes everything we do - our culture, our services, our workplace and our decisions.

Since 1979, Legal Aid NSW has provided legal advice, support and representation in criminal, family and civil law, helping people across NSW navigate hardship and complex legal issues. Our work is challenging, but deeply meaningful.

In partnerships with LawAccess NSW, Community Legal Centres and the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT, we are located throughout the state including our Central Sydney office, 25 regional offices, and satellite and outreach offices.

About the Role

As a Senior People Partner, you will play a critical role in supporting Legal Aid NSW's strategic priorities by partnering with senior leaders to build organisational capability, strengthen leadership accountability and foster a positive workplace culture. Acting as a trusted advisor, you will provide expert guidance on a broad range of workforce matters, helping leaders navigate complex people challenges with confidence, fairness and sound judgement.

This role operates at both a strategic and operational level, requiring the ability to influence decision-making, manage risk, and develop practical solutions that balance organisational needs with employee wellbeing. You will work closely with executives and managers across a geographically dispersed workforce, supporting workforce planning, organisational change, employee relations and leadership development initiatives that contribute to sustainable service delivery.

Working collaboratively across the HR function, you will help drive continuous improvement in people practices, systems and processes, while promoting inclusive, respectful and culturally safe workplaces.

Key responsibilities include:

• Partner with Executive Directors, senior leaders and managers to provide strategic workforce and people advice aligned with organisational objectives.
• Coach and support leaders to confidently manage performance, conduct, workplace change and employee relations matters.
• Lead and provide advice on complex and sensitive people matters, balancing legal, operational, cultural and employee considerations.
• Support workforce planning, succession planning and capability development initiatives to meet current and future organisational needs.
• Collaborate with HR specialists to deliver integrated people solutions that strengthen leadership capability, workforce outcomes and organisational culture.
• Contribute to HR transformation and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance people processes, systems, service delivery and the employee experience.

About You

You are an experienced HR professional who builds trusted relationships and works effectively with senior leaders to navigate complex people and workforce challenges. You bring sound judgement, resilience and a practical approach, providing advice that balances organisational outcomes with fairness, accountability and care.

You thrive in complex environments, remaining calm and solutions-focused when managing sensitive matters. With a strong people partnering background, you enjoy coaching and enabling leaders to make confident decisions, build capability and foster respectful, inclusive and high-performing workplaces. Experience in a unionised, public sector or similarly complex environment will be highly regarded.

You Belong Here

Here, every role has purpose.

Whether you’re delivering frontline legal services or strengthening our organisation from behind the scenes, you’ll help create fairer outcomes for the people across NSW.

We’re building a workplace where every culture, identity, ability and voice are included and valued. We welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with visible and invisible disability, culturally diverse communities, and LGBTQI+ communities so you can connect and flourish at every stage of career.

You will be part of a diverse and inclusive organisation, working alongside like-minded and values driven people dedicated to justice, community impact, and delivering exceptional support and service through cross collaboration.

Benefits of working at Legal Aid NSW

• Flexible Working - we are a Flex Ready certified and Carers and Employers accredited organisation. We are leading the way in offering a variety of flexible working options to uniquely support your unique work life balance.
• Professional Growth – as the largest law firm in NSW we offer a variety of opportunities to enhance your career at every stage, through regional graduate programs, Practical Legal Training and work placements, mentoring, training, and secondment opportunities.
• Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing – with dedicated programs, training, resources, and respectful work practices, our Wellbeing Framework ensures your physical, mental and psychosocial wellbeing matters, so you feel supported, safe and holistically well.
• Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency
• Undertake relevant pre-employment checks such as Criminal Record Check and Conduct Service Check
• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Industrial Relations or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel to regional and metropolitan offices as required

Legal Aid NSW is committed to a recruitment process that is inclusive and barrier free.

For recruitment enquiries, accessibility support and recruitment adjustments, please contact Jayne Nguyen at [e-mail] or call the Talent Acquisition team on 02 9134 9347.

We may use this recruitment to create a Talent Pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.