Senior Employee Relations Specialist

Overview

Everyday, all around the world, Thiess supports and celebrates our people. We recognise talent and reward transparency. We champion diversity and embrace change.

Join us. Hone your skills and develop new ones. Take on big challenges and grow, through mentorship, collaboration and empowerment.

Thiess is the place to make things happen

Why Thiess?

Thiess is built on a proud history of delivering excellence in mining for over 90 years. With a team of 15,000+ across multiple continents, we blend world-class talent and cutting-edge technology to shape a sustainable mining future.

What’s the Opportunity?

As a key member of our forward-thinking team, you’ll report to the Industrial Relations Manager, working in our freshly revamped South Bank head office. You won’t just be navigating legislation—you’ll be steering proactive, strategic employee relations initiatives that truly make a difference across Thiess’ national operations.

As a specialist providing advice to the business on a range of industrial relations matters, you will play a pivotal role in empowering leaders, enhancing culture, and ensuring we remain compliant, resilient, and people-focused.

What You’ll Do

- Drive enterprise bargaining and union engagement activities
- Guide and support Thiess sites with expert industrial relations advice
- Build capability across our teams through tailored in-house training
- Lead and manage workplace investigations with confidence
- Contribute to group-wide employee relations strategies and compliance
- Provide guidance and advocacy for the business when responding to matters within Australian employment jurisdictions

About You

You’re not just experienced—you’re strategic, intuitive, and solutions-driven. With a legal background and a strong track record in IR/ER, you thrive in high-pressure environments and know how to balance compliance with compassion.

The ideal candidate will bring proven experience in employee and industrial relations, underpinned by tertiary qualifications in law. They will have demonstrated expertise in leading and supporting enterprise bargaining negotiations, including the development of effective bargaining strategies, preparation of documentation, and meaningful stakeholder engagement to deliver successful outcomes. Experience representing employers before the Fair Work Commission is essential, particularly in matters involving enterprise agreements, workplace disputes, and broader employment law issues. A strong understanding of compliance requirements and relevant legislation is critical to success in this role.

In addition to technical expertise, the candidate must possess sharp investigative skills and the confidence to manage complex and sensitive workplace matters. They will have a solid track record in managing relationships and negotiations with trade unions, resolving industrial issues, and fostering collaborative, professional interactions under applicable industrial instruments. Comfort with union engagement and enterprise bargaining is essential. Furthermore, the successful applicant will naturally demonstrate the ability to train, coach, and uplift colleagues, contributing to a positive and high-performing team culture.

What we offer

- Supportive, inclusive culture that values innovation and continuous improvement
- Career development and technical training opportunities
- Collaborative, values-led culture with a global reach
- Access to leading-edge technology and systems
- Competitive salary and employee benefits package

About us

Thiess works with clients in Australia, Asia and the Americas in the dynamic field of open-cut and underground mining.

The pioneering spirit of our founders – the legendary Thiess brothers – is our legacy and inspires our vision to harness the power of people and technology to drive sustainable change.

At Thiess, you will have the opportunity to play a part in the global energy transition. We are growing our commodities portfolio to include metals and minerals critical to the energy transition and developing services to enable sustainable mining.

We’re creating a culture of curiosity, knowledge-sharing, and continuous learning – supporting our people to contribute to Thiess’ success and continued growth in sustainable mining.

We’ll support you to hone your skills and develop new ones, take on challenges and grow, through mentorship, collaboration and empowerment. We offer our people ongoing technical training and development opportunities so they can reach their full potential. We also invest in the workforce of the future, with a range of programs for people starting their careers.

We recognise the value of an inclusive and diverse workplace through our vision of everyone matters always. We’re focused on creating an inclusive environment to enable our people to bring their best self to work because they feel safe, included and empowered.

Should you require assistance applying for this opportunity, please contact us at hiring@thiess.com

How to Apply

This role is an opportunity to take the next step in your career. With our culture of recognition, development, and a stimulating and satisfying work environment, there is no better time to join Thiess.

Thiess follows a Pre-Employment Process for all successful applicants, which includes two employment references, a National Police Check and a medical assessment. These checks are essential to your application, and your recruiter will support you through the process.

Please click the “apply” button to apply for this role.

Bring Strategy. Build Capability. Be the Bridge. Are you ready to take the next bold step in your industrial relations career? Step into a role that blends challenge, impact, and career growth—all set against the backdrop of Brisbane’s vibrant South Bank. At Thiess, we’re looking for a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to help shape the future of employee relations across our dynamic operations.

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