Workplace Relations Specialist

Cochlear; Sydney; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Cochlear in Sydney, Australia, is seeking an experienced Workplace Relations Specialist to join the Global People & Culture Service & Experience team. You will provide expert advice on Modern Awards, Enterprise Agreements, and employment legislation, leading wage compliance initiatives and strengthening governance across Cochlear's Australian operations.

You will partner with leaders to identify compliance risks, support IR reform, and drive proactive ER/IR projects while building robust

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation, Modern Awards and employment relations frameworks.
• Experience in wage compliance, award interpretation and workplace governance.
• Ability to manage complex workplace investigations and sensitive employee relations matters.
• Experience partnering with unions, employee representatives and workplace delegates.
• Sound judgement and strong problem-solving skills with confident influencing.
• Experience in a contemporary People & Culture function.

Responsibilities

• Champion best practice ER/IR initiatives across Cochlear's Australian operations.
• Interpret and advise on Modern Awards, Enterprise Agreements and applicable State & Federal legislation.
• Support wage and entitlement projects such as providing Award interpretation and analysing data to ensure compliance with industrial instruments.
• Conduct wage analyses including examining timesheet data, penalty rates, allowances, and other Award entitlements.
• Prepare compliance risk assessments through data examination within compliance frameworks and methodologies.
• Review and suggest process and system improvements to ensure ongoing compliance, including record keeping, wage reviews and salary reconciliation, employment contracts, time and attendance rules, and visa management.
• Support the implementation of amendments in IR reform.
• Take leadership of proactive ER/IR projects
• Support complex case management
• Develop robust relationships with key internal stakeholders

Skills

Australian employment law

Modern Awards

Wage compliance

Workplace governance

Workplace investigations

Unions collaboration

Job description

Cochlear's mission is to help people hear and be heard. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a life full of hearing. We aim to give people the best lifelong hearing experience and access to innovative future technologies. We collaborate with the industry's best clinical, research and support networks. That's why more people choose Cochlear than any other hearing implant company. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping more people to hear and experience life's opportunities. We're looking for an experienced Workplace Relations Specialist to join our Global People & Culture Service & Experience team and play a key role in strengthening workplace governance, wage compliance and employment practices across Cochlear's Australian operations. Reporting into the Workplace Governance & Specialist Advice Team, you'll provide expert advice on Modern Awards, Enterprise Agreements, employment legislation and workplace relations matters. You'll lead wage compliance initiatives, support governance programs, identify compliance risks and partner with leaders to ensure Cochlear maintains fair, compliant and effective workplace practices. The role requires expertise in wage compliance, employment legislation, workplace investigations and governance frameworks.

Please note, this is a fixed term contract until July 2027.

What You'll Be Doing

• Championing best practice ER/IR initiatives across Cochlear's Australian operations
• Interpret and advise on relevant Modern Awards, Enterprise Agreement and applicable State & Federal legislation.
• Support wage and entitlement projects such as providing Award interpretation and analysing data to ensure compliance with industrial instruments.
• Conduct wage analyses including examining timesheet data, penalty rates, allowances, and other Award entitlements.
• Prepare compliance risk assessments through data examination within compliance frameworks and methodologies.
• Review and suggest process and system improvements to ensure ongoing compliance, including but not limited to record keeping, wage reviews and salary reconciliation, employment contracts, time and attendance rules, and visa management.
• Support the implementation of amendments in IR reform.
• Take leadership of proactive ER/IR projects
• Support complex case management
• Developing robust relationships with key internal stakeholders

What You'll Bring

We're looking for someone who combines deep technical expertise with strong stakeholder management skills and a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach.

Essential Experience

• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation, Modern Awards and employment relations frameworks
• Demonstrated experience in wage compliance, award interpretation and workplace governance
• Proven capability managing complex workplace investigations and sensitive employee relations matters
• Experience partnering with unions, employee representatives and workplace delegates
• Sound judgement, strong problem-solving skills and the ability to influence with confidence
• Experience working within a contemporary People & Culture function

Highly Regarded

• Exposure to enterprise bargaining and implementation activities
• Experience working within matrixed organisations and partnering across HR Centres of Excellence
• Process improvement, systems transformation or governance experience

How we recognise your contribution

We want Cochlear to be a place where our people enjoy coming to work. Through our internal programs and employee benefits we aim to create an environment where our people will feel valued and supported. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or simply finding an environment which enables you to succeed.

Desired Skills and Experience

Employment Relations, Wage Compliance, Modern Awards interpretation, HR Business Partner

At Cochlear we value and welcome the unique contributions, perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees and aim to build a culture that celebrates and leverages these differences, creating a sense of belonging and enabling our people to realise their full potential. We offer flexible working arrangements, and we understand flexibility is not the same for everyone. We're open to a conversation about what flexibility means for you.