ER People Partner

Suntory Oceania; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working – hybrid working

Free parking on site in Manukau

Volunteer leave

Suntory Day (birthday off)

Job summary

Suntory Oceania in Auckland is seeking a hands-on People Partner who can embed in the business, partner with leaders, coach managers, and navigate employee relations matters. You’ll support our Supply Chain and Manufacturing teams, building strong relationships with frontline staff to drive performance and engagement.

As the face of People & Culture for your client groups, you’ll provide practical advice across the employee lifecycle, collaborate with regional Centres of Excellence, and deliver

Qualifications

• Experience as an HR Advisor or People Partner
• Strong knowledge of employment relations, HR legislation and HR best practice
• Proven ability to coach leaders through performance, conduct and employee relations matters
• Confidence influencing and building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, procedures and employment legislation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound judgement and attention to detail
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment
• Experience working with HR systems and people processes
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to provide practical, people-focused support across the employee lifecycle
• Coach managers through performance, conduct and employee relations matters
• Navigate employee relations matters with ER/IR expertise
• Support Supply Chain and Manufacturing functions and frontline teams
• Collaborate with regional Centres of Excellence to deliver key people programs
• Build credibility on the ground and influence outcomes in a fast-paced environment

Skills

Generalist HR partnering

ER/IR experience

Coaching leaders

Stakeholder management

HR systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Job description

Welcome to Suntory Oceania | Nau mai ki Suntory Oceania

Bringing the best of Suntory to Oceania.

By harnessing the best of Suntory from across Australia and New Zealand, Suntory Global Spirits and Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania have created a multi-beverage powerhouse – Suntory Oceania.

Our 40 market-leading brands, including Jim Beam® and Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Hibiki® Japanese Whisky, Canadian Club® Whisky, -196, V Energy, Maximus, and Suntory BOSS Coffee, are powered by five distribution centres, more than 1,500 Suntorians and two local manufacturing sites. With full end-to-end control of our portfolio, we pioneer new beverage experiences, inspired by innovation and craftsmanship.

What is the opportunity? | He aha te kōwhiringa?

We're looking for a People Partner to join our People & Culture Business Partnering team in Auckland.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced HR professional who enjoys partnering with leaders, coaching managers, navigating employee relations matters and driving people initiatives that make a real difference. Working as part of our P&C Business Partnering team, you'll be embedded in the business, building strong relationships with leaders and employees while providing practical, people-focused support that enables performance and growth. This is not a specialist Centre of Excellence or back-office ER role. It's a hands‑on partnering position where you'll be close to the action, influencing outcomes and helping leaders navigate everyday people challenges.

You’ll primarily support our Supply Chain and Manufacturing functions, partnering with leaders and teams across operational environments including manufacturing, logistics and distribution. Success in this role will come from enjoying a highly visible, fast-paced workforce environment, building credibility on the ground and supporting leaders to create engaged, high-performing teams.

As the face of People & Culture for your client groups, you'll provide trusted advice and support across the employee lifecycle, helping leaders build capability, manage change, strengthen engagement and navigate employee relations matters. You'll also collaborate closely with our regional Centres of Excellence to deliver key people programs, processes and projects.

About you | Nō hea koe

You’ll bring strong generalist ER/IR and HR experience, together with a genuine passion for partnering with leaders in operational environments. You're comfortable spending time in manufacturing and supply chain settings, building relationships with frontline leaders and employees, and providing practical solutions to complex people challenges.

Most importantly, you enjoy being close to the business and partnering directly with stakeholders to make things happen

You Will Likely Have

• Experience as a HR Advisor or People Partner
• Strong knowledge of employment relations, HR legislation and HR best practice
• Proven ability to coach leaders through performance, conduct and employee relations matters
• Confidence influencing and building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, procedures and employment legislation
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with sound judgement and attention to detail
• The ability to thrive in a fast‑paced and evolving environment
• Experience working with HR systems and people processes
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach

It Would Be Advantageous If You Also Have

• A tertiary qualification in Human Resources or a related discipline
• Experience within FMCG or a similarly fast‑paced industry
• Exposure to unionised workforces
• Facilitation, workshop or presentation experience.

If you’re not an expert in all these areas, don’t worry! A lot of what we look for is how you would align with our values and your ability to utilise your unique skills and experience.

What’s in it for you? I He aha te mea e whiwhi ai koe?

• Grow your career – we like to promote from within and have incredible learning and development opportunities around the world
• Generous incentive to reward your hard work
• An inclusive parental leave policy for both primary and secondary caregivers
• Gradual return to work to help you transition back from parental leave
• Flexible working – flexible hours and hybrid working
• Free parking on site in Manukau
• We are committed to giving back to our communities, so we provide you with volunteer leave to do so
• A Suntory Day – enjoy your birthday off!

Our DEI Commitment | Tō mātou kaingākau ki te Kanorau, te Mana Ōrite me te Kotahitanga

At Suntory, we recognise that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavour to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.