Senior Employee Relations Leader — Hybrid, 12‑Month Coverage

EY; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Flexible work

Benefits package

Salary negotiable

Job summary

EY Australia/New Zealand is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Manager to lead the Oceania ER Team on a 12-month parental leave cover. This role blends people leadership with advanced ER expertise and a strategic focus on Talent priorities, reporting into the Oceania ER leadership.

You will optimise workflows, oversee complex ER matters, and drive capability uplift across the team while maintaining risk controls and alignment with firmwide priorities.

Qualifications

• Graduate or postgraduate qualifications in Human Resources, Law, Psychology, Business or related fields.
• 10+ years’ experience in employee relations, including complex case management and stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including coaching, capability uplift and contributions to team culture.
• Experience leading strategic ER initiatives and delivering operational improvement programs.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior leaders and navigate challenging stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational effectiveness across Oceania ER, ensuring high-quality, consistent and efficient delivery of ER work—spanning case management, operational processes, and critical strategic projects.
• Provide people leadership across the ER Team, fostering a culture of psychological safety, collaboration, capability development, and shared accountability.
• Oversee complex ER matters and operational initiatives, ensuring alignment with Talent and firmwide strategy, while driving uplift in quality, capability, and team performance.

Skills

Employee relations

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

ANZ employment law

Education

HR/Law/Psych/Business degree

Job description

EY Australia/New Zealand is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Manager to lead the Oceania ER Team on a 12-month parental leave cover. This role blends people leadership with advanced ER expertise and a strategic focus on Talent priorities, reporting into the Oceania ER leadership.

You will optimise workflows, oversee complex ER matters, and drive capability uplift across the team while maintaining risk controls and alignment with firmwide priorities.