Strategic People Operations Leader (AI & Transformation)

Xero Limited; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero Limited in Sydney, Australia, is seeking a Senior Strategy Manager, People Strategy & Operations, to turn the people strategy into actionable initiatives. You will own cross-functional projects, shape governance, and present to the Executive Leadership Team and board.

You’ll work in a hybrid Sydney-based role, coaching junior staff, and advancing processes through technology and AI to unlock faster decision-making and scalable impact.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives from problem definition through to implementation, ideally in consulting, or strategy and operations, transformation within a technology or SaaS environment.
• Strong structured problem-solving skills and ability to turn a complex, ambiguous challenge into a clear plan with measurable outcomes.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, translating data into clear recommendations, facilitating alignment and guiding discussions to resolution.
• Comfort moving between technical/system-focused problems and organizational/people-focused ones, and continuously raising the bar on how work gets done.
• Coaching others and developing junior staff in analytical thinking, project approach, and strategic execution.
• Genuine curiosity about how technology and AI can reimagine people processes and an inclination to rethink problems, not just solve them.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex strategic and operational projects end-to-end, from problem definition through to implementation and measurable outcomes.
• Build and tighten the operating rhythm for the People Team, creating streamlined and more automated ways of working to support better decision-making.
• Prepare analysis, strategic narratives, and recommendations for Xero's Executive Leadership Team and board.
• Reimagine key People processes using technology and AI to create better, faster ways of working.

Job description

Xero Limited in Sydney, Australia, is seeking a Senior Strategy Manager, People Strategy & Operations, to turn the people strategy into actionable initiatives. You will own cross-functional projects, shape governance, and present to the Executive Leadership Team and board.

You’ll work in a hybrid Sydney-based role, coaching junior staff, and advancing processes through technology and AI to unlock faster decision-making and scalable impact.