Senior Employment Relations Specialist — Flexible Location

Department of Corrections NZ; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 112,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Corrections NZ is seeking a Senior Employment Relations Specialist to lead complex ER matters and provide strategic guidance across the National Office and Regions.

You will manage a caseload, support People Service teams and managers, and lead in mediation, investigations, and high-risk processes while driving fair, consistent outcomes and organisational capability in employment relations.

Qualifications

• Solid understanding of employment relations and employment law.
• Minimum 3 years in a Senior HR adviser role or equivalent with a focus on ER.
• Experience managing personal grievances, mediation, disciplinary, performance and conflict resolution processes.
• Public sector experience, including unionised environments or advising large, complex organisations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with empathy and trust-building.
• Cultural awareness and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the public sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a caseload of complex ER matters with strategic guidance to People Service teams and managers.
• Provide strategic advice to ensure timely, effective resolution of cases.
• Manage personal grievances, represent the organisation in mediation, support investigations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of ER policies, frameworks and practices.
• Collaborate with legal, integrity and employee representative groups to strengthen ER.

Skills

Employment relations

Employment law

Grievance handling

Mediation

Public sector experience

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Te Tiriti o Waitangi awareness

Resilience

Problem solving

Job description

Department of Corrections NZ is seeking a Senior Employment Relations Specialist to lead complex ER matters and provide strategic guidance across the National Office and Regions.

You will manage a caseload, support People Service teams and managers, and lead in mediation, investigations, and high-risk processes while driving fair, consistent outcomes and organisational capability in employment relations.