Special Counsel - Workforce Relations

UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Salary packaging benefits

Recognition and rewards platform

Career development opportunities

12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 we�

Diversity and inclusive leave

Job summary

UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families in Brisbane is seeking an experienced and strategic Workforce Relations Special Counsel. This senior role serves as the principal authority on complex workforce relations matters, shaping strategy and leading high‑risk cases across the organisation.

You will advise the General Manager Workforce Strategy and senior leaders, guiding enterprise‑level legal risk management and workforce reform initiatives while mentoring junior colleagues and engaging

Qualifications

• Admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia with a current practising certificate.
• Extensive post‑admission experience in employment and industrial relations law, including management of complex, high‑risk matters.
• Demonstrated experience representing organisations in tribunals and commissions on complex or sensitive matters.
• Proven experience providing strategic legal advice to senior executives and influencing organisational outcomes.
• Strong capability in mentoring and developing legal or employee relations professionals.
• Experience within large, complex or highly regulated environments highly regarded.
• Experience working in or advising public, not‑for‑profit or health and community services sectors desirable.
• High proficiency across Microsoft Office suite.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism in sensitive matters.
• Commitment to the mission and values of the not‑for‑profit sector.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary escalation point for the most complex, high‑risk employee and industrial relations matters.
• Lead legal strategy for critical workforce relations cases, including unfair dismissal and discrimination.
• Represent the organisation in conciliation, mediation and hearings before the Fair Work Commission and other jurisdictions.
• Determine when matters require external legal counsel and manage briefing and oversight.
• Provide authoritative enterprise‑level legal advice on employment and industrial relations legislation and contracts.
• Advise on complex workforce change initiatives, restructures and large‑scale transformation programs.
• Identify emerging legal risks and develop mitigation strategies with senior leaders.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the workforce relations practice, including mentoring colleagues.
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders and regulators at senior levels.
• Lead continuous improvement in workforce relations legal processes and governance.

Skills

Employment law

Industrial relations

Legal advisory

Strategic thinking

Mentoring

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families – Brisbane QLD

$15,900 - $15,900 a year

Full time

Hybrid

5mo ago , from UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families

We want people who are great as individuals, and even better in a team.

We’re on the lookout for an experienced and strategic Workforce Relations Special Counsel, who’s ready to roll up their sleeves and operate as the key authority on complex, high-risk and strategic workforce relations matters across the organisation.

Operating within our Workforce Strategy function, this senior legal leadership role provides authoritative employment and industrial relations advice, shapes organisational industrial strategy, and leads the management of the most complex and sensitive workforce relations matters.

As a trusted advisor to the General Manager Workforce Strategy, Senior Executives and People and Culture leaders, you will play a critical role in safeguarding organisational outcomes, managing legal and industrial risk, and supporting long‑term workforce sustainability. You will also provide professional leadership and oversight to Workforce Relations Counsel and Associate roles.

Key Responsibilities

Act as the primary escalation point for the most complex, high-risk and high-impact employee and industrial relations matters, including those with significant legal, reputational, psychosocial or commercial implications.

Lead legal strategy for critical workforce relations cases, including unfair dismissal, general protections, discrimination, adverse action and complex industrial disputes.

Represent the organisation in conciliation, mediation and hearings before the Fair Work Commission and other relevant jurisdictions for sensitive or precedent‑setting matters.

Determine when matters require external legal counsel and manage briefing, strategy and oversight to ensure quality and value.

Provide authoritative enterprise‑level legal advice on employment and industrial relations legislation, Modern Awards, enterprise agreements, employment contracts and workforce‑related regulatory obligations.

Advise on complex workforce change initiatives, restructures and large‑scale transformation programs.

Identify emerging legal and industrial risks and proactively develop mitigation strategies in partnership with People and Culture and senior leaders.

Provide professional leadership and technical oversight of the workforce relations legal practice, including mentoring, peer review and capability uplift.

Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and represent the organisation externally with regulators, tribunals, unions and professional bodies at a senior level.

Lead continuous improvement in workforce relations legal processes, governance frameworks and reporting.

What you will bring:

Admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia with a current practising certificate.

Extensive post‑admission experience in employment and industrial relations law, including management of complex, high‑risk matters.

Demonstrated experience representing organisations in tribunals and commissions on complex or sensitive matters.

Proven experience providing strategic legal advice to senior executives and influencing organisational outcomes.

Strong capability in mentoring and developing legal or employee relations professionals.

Experience within large, complex or highly regulated environments highly regarded.

Experience working in or advising public, not‑for‑profit or health and community services sectors desirable.

High proficiency across Microsoft Office suite.

Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism in sensitive matters.

Commitment to the mission and values of the not‑for‑profit sector.

Why you will love it here:

Working with us means stepping into a role that’s as broad as it is meaningful. You will gain exposure to:

A large, complex organisation supporting more than 400,000 people across Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Multiple service streams including health, aged care, disability and community services.

Strategic workforce transformation initiatives that directly support frontline care delivery.

Opportunities to influence enterprise‑level industrial strategy and organisational risk management.

And the perks? We’ve got plenty:

• Flexible work arrangements to support work‑life balance.
• Access to salary packaging, meal and entertainment benefits - up to $15,900 per year tax free as well as up to $2,650 of your pre‑tax income to pay for meal and entertainment benefits. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via the following link: SalaryPackagingExplained.
• A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, a wellbeing program and employee assistance program.
• Career development opportunities to challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference.
• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months service, in addition to the government scheme.
• Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events.

We’re committed to creating safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for all—especially children, young people, and the elderly. Our services are built on trust, care, and a deep sense of responsibility.

What makes a difference for you?

The opportunity to be part of the second-largest Queensland employer who has been leading by example for more than 100 years. Joining our team, you’ll be welcomed as part of the UnitingCare family. We’re a proud not‑for‑profit with more than 16,500 staff and 9,000 volunteers across our brands of BlueCare, Lifeline, ARRCS, The Wesley Hospital, Buderim Private Hospital, St Stephen’s Hospital, and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital.

• Flexible work arrangements to support work‑life balance
• Access to salary packaging, meal and entertainment benefits- up to $15,900 per year tax free as well as up to $2,650 of your pre‑tax income to pay for meal and entertainment benefits. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via theSalaryPackagingExplained link
• A recognition and rewards platform, providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, including everyday expenses, holidays, health insurance, annual awards celebration, wellbeing and employee assistance programs
• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave, available after 6 months’ service, in addition to the government scheme
• Diversity and inclusive leave, offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year, Diwali, Ramadan, NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events
• Career development opportunitiesto challenge yourself, grow and make a meaningful difference
• A positive and inclusive team based on respect, shared standards, strong values and a commitment to serving others

Child safe, Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe, Child Friendly organisation and will:

provide welcoming, safe and nurturing services for children

implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services

appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple– everybody iswelcome here. At UnitingCare, diversity is at the core of our who we are, our mission and our values.We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity.Demonstrating our commitment to reconciliation and building long‑term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples, UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children, young people and the elderly safe from harm, within our services, workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.