Special Counsel - Workforce Relations

UnitingCare Queensland; Queensland; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Salary packaging

Employee discounts

Parental leave

Diversity leave

Job summary

UnitingCare Queensland is seeking an experienced Special Counsel – Workplace Relations to act as the key authority on complex workforce relations matters across the organisation.

You will provide authoritative employment and industrial relations legal advice, shape industrial strategy, and lead the management of the most complex workforce relations matters, reporting to the General Manager, Workforce Strategy and partnering with People and Culture leaders.

Qualifications

• Admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia with a current practising certificate.
• Extensive post-admission experience in employment and industrial relations law.
• Experience representing organisations in tribunals and commissions.
• Proven strategic legal advice to senior executives and influencing organisational outcomes.
• Mentoring and developing workforce relations professionals.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary escalation point for the most complex, high-risk and high-impact employee and industrial relations matters.
• 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.

Skills

Strategic advisory

Industrial relations

Legal leadership

Mentoring

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Education

Australian legal qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Make a meaningful difference with us: We want people who are great as individuals, and even better in a team. We’re on the lookout for an experienced and strategic Special Counsel – Workplace Relations, who will operate as the key authority on complex, high-risk and strategic workforce relations matters across the organisation. The role provides authoritative employment and industrial relations legal advice, shapes organisational industrial strategy, and leads the management of the most complex and sensitive workforce relations matters. The position is a trusted advisor to the General Manager, Workforce Strategy, senior executives and People and Culture leaders, and plays a critical role in safeguarding organisational outcomes, managing legal and industrial risk, and supporting long-term workforce sustainability. The Workforce Relations Special Counsel is also accountable for professional leadership of workforce relations legal practice, including oversight, mentoring and quality assurance of Workforce Relations Counsel and Workforce Relations 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.

• 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: Salary Packaging Explained.
• 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 the SalaryPackagingExplained 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.

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.

Safe workplace 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. UnitingCare is the second-largest Queensland employer, with more than 16,500 staff and 9,000 volunteers across our brands of UnitingCare, BlueCare, Lifeline, ARRCS, The Wesley Hospital, Buderim Private Hospital, St Stephen’s Hospital, and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital. When you join the UnitingCare family, you are part of something bigger.

We’re on a mission to make a meaningful difference every day, working with thousands of Australians to ensure they live life in all its fullness. We want people who are great as individuals, and even better in a team. People who stand up for what is right. Who are open to new ideas. Who champion innovation. Who lead through learning, and lead by example.