Senior Workplace Relations Specialist

Northern Health; City of Hume; On-site; AUD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Health is seeking a Senior Workplace Relations Specialist to lead complex employee and industrial relations matters across our health service network. You will drive assessment, strategy and implementation with executives, unions and legal teams to deliver practical, defensible outcomes.

Responsibilities include managing misconduct, investigations, disputes and regulatory matters, while coaching leaders and shaping policy and governance to reduce risk and strengthen organisational

Qualifications

• Senior-level expertise in employee/industrial relations or employment law.
• Proven track record leading complex and high-risk IR matters.
• Ability to manage unions, investigations and regulatory processes.
• Strong governance, risk assessment and advisory capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex employee and industrial relations matters from start to resolution.
• Manage workplace investigations, findings, recommendations and outcomes.
• Advise leaders on employment, risk, operational and reputational issues.
• Coordinate union engagement, grievances and external proceedings.
• Prepare briefs, recommendations and executive correspondence.

Skills

IR/ER Expertise

Stakeholder Management

Influence without Authority

Governance & Risk

Communication Skills

Strategic Problem Solving

Operational Delivery

Education

Law/IR/HR qualification

Job description

People & Culture | Northern Health | Full Time Ongoing

We're seeking an experienced and highly capable Senior Workplace Relations Specialist to lead the management of our most complex and high-risk employee and industrial relations matters.

Northern Health is the major provider of acute, maternity, sub-acute, mental health, specialist, community and home-based services in Melbourne’s rapidly growing outer north.

Services are provided through our six main campuses:

Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Bundoora Centre, Craigieburn and Mernda Community Hospitals and Kilmore District Hospital. In addition, Mental Health Services are provided at Epping, Broadmeadows, Jacana, Preston, Mill Park, Mernda and Coburg.

At Northern Health, we're building a healthier future for Melbourne's growing northern community. As one of Victoria's largest public health services, we support a diverse workforce across multiple hospital, community and mental health settings.

About the Role:

This is not a traditional advisory role.

As a senior workplace relations practitioner, you will take ownership of the pathway for complex matters from assessment through to resolution. You will work closely with executives, directors, operational leaders, unions, Legal and People & Culture professionals to navigate challenging employee and industrial relations issues and deliver practical, defensible and operationally workable outcomes.

The role leads the work associated with misconduct, performance, behavioural concerns, grievances, workplace investigations, industrial disputes, employment risk and matters before the Fair Work Commission and other external tribunals, review bodies and regulatory authorities.

You will not simply identify risks or provide technical advice. You will develop the strategy, coordinate stakeholders, establish decision points, provide recommendations and guide matters through to implementation while ensuring procedural fairness, sound governance and appropriate escalation of risk.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Leading complex employee and industrial relations matters from commencement through to resolution.
• Managing workplace investigations, including allegations, findings, recommendations and outcome correspondence.
• Advising leaders on employment, industrial, legal, operational and reputational risk.
• Developing practical pathways, options and implementation plans for complex workforce issues.
• Managing union engagement, disputes, grievances and consultation processes.
• Supporting Fair Work Commission matters and other external review, tribunal and regulatory proceedings.
• Preparing high-quality briefs, recommendations, submissions and executive correspondence.
• Coaching leaders and building organisational capability in workplace relations practice.
• Identifying systemic workforce risks and recommending improvements to policy, process and governance.

What We're Looking For:

Technical IR/ER Expertise

Substantial senior-level expertise in employee relations, industrial relations or employment law, supported by advanced knowledge of industrial instruments, employment legislation, workplace investigations and procedural fairness.

Depth of Experience

Demonstrated experience leading complex and high-risk employee and industrial relations matters. We are interested in the complexity, scope, autonomy and risk profile of matters managed, not simply years of service.

Stakeholder Management and Influence

Exceptional ability to build trusted relationships, establish credibility and coordinate stakeholders with competing interests and perspectives. Proven capacity to influence without formal authority and maintain alignment through difficult and sensitive matters.

Hands-On Delivery

A strong track record of personally undertaking the technical and practical work required to progress complex matters, including analysis, strategy development, documentation, stakeholder engagement and implementation.

Ability to quickly absorb incomplete or conflicting information, identify critical issues and distinguish legal, industrial, operational, safety, cultural and reputational risks.

Pathway Design and Problem Solving

Demonstrated ability to convert complexity into a practical and achievable path forward, including options, recommendations, dependencies, decision points and implementation actions.

Judgement, Governance and Courage

Exercises sound judgement in ambiguity, provides frank and balanced advice, understands governance frameworks and appropriately escalates material risks and decisions.

Communication and Advisory Capability

Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce concise, balanced and defensible advice, correspondence, investigation material, briefings and recommendations.

Operating Style

You are curious, pragmatic, calm under pressure and resilient. You enjoy working in complex environments, getting into the detail, coordinating stakeholders and seeing matters through to completion.

Qualifications:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Law, Industrial Relations, Employee Relations, Human Resources or a related discipline.
• Eligibility to practise law is desirable but not essential.
• Current National Police Check (or willingness to obtain one).
• Current Victorian Driver Licence.

Success in This Role Looks Like:

• Leaders receive timely, practical and defensible advice.
• Complex matters progress with pace, procedural fairness and sound governance.
• Industrial and employment risks are identified and managed early.
• Stakeholders experience professional, credible and coordinated engagement.
• Outcomes are achieved through clear pathways, sound judgement and effective stakeholder alignment.
• Lessons learned strengthen broader organisational practice and capability.

If you're an experienced workplace relations professional who thrives on complexity, enjoys solving difficult problems and wants to make a meaningful impact in a large and evolving health service, we'd love to hear from you.