Principal People Advisor Australia

Brilliant people trusted to do brilliant things.

Mott MacDonald is a vibrant and forward-thinking engineering, management, and development consultancy.Working together as a global team we plan, design, deliver and maintain the transport, energy, water, buildings, and wider infrastructure that is integral to people’s daily lives. We value excellence in every dimension of our business and continuously seek opportunities to improve what we do and how we do it.

We employ brilliant people who combine their diverse skills and experiences to achieve brilliant things. Whether you want to specialise or broaden your experience, you/'ll be supported by global specialists eager to share their expertise. With numerous opportunities to learn and grow, the possibilities are as diverse as our people. Working as a connected global team, we deliver impactful projects that shape the future.

We’re looking for a strategic and collaborative Principal People Advisor to join our people advisory team in Australia. This national role is pivotal in shaping the employee experience, supporting leadership, and driving high performance across our Australian offices. As a trusted advisor, you’ll work closely with business leaders and People teams to deliver expert guidance on employee relations, workforce planning, and people initiatives that align with our global and local priorities. This is a 13-month fixed-term contract based in Sydney. We also welcome applications from candidates located in Melbourne, Adelaide, or Brisbane. In this role, you will:

- Provide expert advice to leaders and managers on employee relations, performance, remuneration, and compliance matters.
- Partner with People Functions (Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, Global Mobility) to deliver a seamless employee experience.
- Lead initiatives that enhance onboarding, mobility, wellbeing, and inclusion across the employee lifecycle.
- Oversee key HR activities including graduate recruitment, L&D delivery, and people manager development.
- Analyse and contribute to Unit trends and metrics for the development of solutions, programs and policies and their execution including the development and maintenance of a dashboard to track key People metrics.
- Partner with the business for national workforce planning initiatives to align talent capability with future business needs.
- Monitor diversity program execution and track outcomes to support continuous improvement and measurable impact.

About You

- Extensive HR advisory experience in complex or large organisations, with a strong understanding of employee relations, performance management, remuneration, and compliance.
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and partner effectively with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
- Strategic thinking and analytical capability, including experience using workforce data and metrics to inform decisions and drive continuous improvement.
- Proven ability to lead and deliver people initiatives, including onboarding, mobility, wellbeing, inclusion, and workforce planning.
- Collaborative leadership style, with experience coordinating across HR functions and contributing to business planning and operational excellence.

Mott MacDonald celebrates diversity and inclusion, offering a supportive work environment that values work-life balance, diversity, inclusion, and equity. We welcome diverse applicants, including First Nations People, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people of all genders, neurodiversity, cultural backgrounds, age groups, and those with intersectional identities.

Our benefits package is designed to enhance your experience which includes:

- Opportunities for excellence every day
- An inclusive, supportive environment where your voice matters
- Agile working environment, supporting our people to work flexibly
- Life, personal accident, and salary continuance insurance
- Employee resource groups including the Inclusive Network for Women, Corporate Social Responsibility and more
- Annual Health Checks and ongoing professional development

You’ve got this

We endorse a diverse and inclusive workplace, and look to provide suitable opportunities for employees including the opportunity for part time and job shared roles where possible. If you are interested in this role and looking for a part time permanent opportunity, please apply

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