WHS Business Partner

aviagen; Goulburn; On-site; AUD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Aviagen in Goulburn, NSW, is seeking a WHS Business Partner to be on-the-ground safety expert across our farms and hatchery operations. You will report to the HR Manager and collaborate with the Operations team. This hands-on role requires spending time on site, conducting risk assessments, investigations, and coaching leaders to build a strong safety culture.

Regular travel across NSW sites is expected. If you bring a Diploma or higher in Health and Safety and at least three years of WHS

Qualifications

• Diploma or higher qualification in Health and Safety.
• At least three years' WHS experience in a multi-site or operational environment.
• Strong investigation capability; ICAM highly regarded.
• Solid knowledge of Australian WHS legislation and Codes of Practice.
• Willingness to work onsite in live poultry environments with PPE and biosecurity requirements.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with managers, supervisors and teams to discuss safety.
• Coach leaders to strengthen WHS capability, accountability and ownership.
• Lead and support meaningful incident investigations with root-cause analysis.
• Facilitate risk assessments and help teams develop realistic, effective controls.
• Lead workplace audits, inspections and compliance reviews and implement improvements.
• Strengthen contractor management and worker consultation processes.
• Develop and deliver practical, engaging WHS training and safety initiatives.
• Provide guidance on WHS legislation and industry best practices.

Skills

WHS

Risk assessment

Incident investigation

Coaching & leadership

Safety training

Contractor management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Diploma or higher in Health and Safety

Tools

Donesafe

ICAM

Job description

Job Description Summary

Job Description:

WHS Business Partner

Who we are:

Aviagen is the leading poultry meat breeding company, supplying breeding stock to poultry companies across Australia. Our operations are grounded in sustainability, quality and innovation, from our Goulburn hatchery and breeder farms through to our corporate office, and we're a vital part of Australia's poultry meat breeding industry.

With around 180 staff across our NSW operations, we're proud of our product and the way we deliver it, and the future is bright, with plenty of opportunity to grow as we do.

Based in Goulburn, NSW, covering our operations at Goulburn, Wellington, Bowral and Wagga Wagga. Regular travel across all NSW sites is a core part of this role.

The Role:

Reporting to the HR Manager and working daily with our Operations team, the WHS Business Partner is Aviagen's on-the-ground safety specialist, supporting leaders and teams across our farms and hatchery operations.

This is a genuinely hands‑on role. You'll spend real time where the work happens - on the hatchery floor and out on farm - building relationships with our people, learning what they do and seeing first‑hand how safety fits into their everyday work.

The "Business Partner" part of the role matters. You'll work alongside managers, supervisors and teams as a trusted adviser, bringing WHS expertise, coaching and constructive challenge, and helping leaders build the confidence and ownership to run safety within their own areas.

No two weeks will look quite the same. One day you might be on the hatchery floor facilitating a risk assessment or leading an incident investigation; the next, you could be walking a farm with a manager, reviewing contractor controls, delivering training, conducting an audit, refining a H&S systems module or preparing insights for our leadership team.

This role has no direct reports, so your impact will come through your credibility, relationships and ability to influence others. If you enjoy being visible in the workplace, solving real operational safety challenges and helping leaders build a stronger safety culture, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Build trusted relationships that encourage open, honest conversations about safety.
• Work alongside managers, supervisors and teams to understand their operations and safety challenges.
• Coach leaders to strengthen WHS capability, accountability and ownership.
• Lead and support meaningful incident investigations that identify root causes and practical actions to prevent recurrence.
• Facilitate risk assessments and help teams develop realistic, effective controls.
• Lead workplace audits, inspections and compliance reviews, and turn findings into practical improvements.
• Strengthen risk management, contractor management and worker consultation processes.
• Develop and deliver practical, engaging WHS training and safety initiatives.
• Use WHS data, incident trends and operational insights to identify emerging risks and improvement opportunities.
• Provide practical advice on WHS legislation, Codes of Practice and industry good practice.

What Success Looks Like:

Success in this role isn't about ticking boxes or enforcing rules - it's about understanding the operation, working with people and helping teams find practical ways to work safely, while growing our safety culture and implementing continuous improvements. You'll need to be comfortable having a difficult conversation when it's needed, and just as comfortable listening, coaching and building trust.

What You'll Bring:

• You're an experienced, resilient and people-focused WHS professional who genuinely enjoys being part of an operational business.
• You're approachable and confident, knowing when to listen, when to coach and when something needs to be constructively challenged. You're just as comfortable pulling on your boots and spending the day onsite as you are presenting to senior leaders.
• A Diploma or higher qualification in Health and Safety.
• At least three years' WHS experience, ideally in a multi-site or operational environment.
• Strong investigation capability, with ICAM or similar highly regarded.
• Strong risk assessment, consultation and contractor management skills.
• Sound knowledge of Australian WHS legislation and Codes of Practice.
• Confidence using electronic H&S systems, with Donesafe experience highly valued.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and presentation skills.
• A full driver's licence and willingness to complete D&A testing and a police check.
• Willingness to work in live poultry environments, following biosecurity requirements and wearing required PPE.
• Most importantly, you'll bring curiosity, energy and a genuine desire to make a difference. We want someone who becomes a familiar and trusted face across our sites, someone our people want to involve because they value their advice.

What's on Offer:

Remuneration rage between $125,000 to $145,000 pl