Workplace Relations Practice Lead

**Join us and let’s make a bigger difference together.**

Established in 1840, we’re Australia’s first member-owned wellbeing company. Today we have over $1 billion in revenue and provide smart solutions and services to more than 700,000 Australians. We employ over 7000 people and our purpose is to **Help People to Thrive**.

It’s an exciting time to be joining Australian Unity - we have grown significantly over recent years and are transforming to capitalise on further growth opportunities to help our customers and employees thrive. We operate with commercial principles and with a strong social purpose to create community value. Australian Unity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

**Our Opportunity**:
We currently have a fixed term full time opportunity (until end of June 2025) for a Workplace Relations Practice Lead (Compliance & Regulation). This is a unique role in the P&C team in which you will combine your legal knowledge, legal research capability and industrial relations experience with your knowledge of typical large corporate processes and in particular, the pay system environment (including time and attendance, payroll and HRIS), to play a lead role in Australian Unity effectively and proactively managing compliance.

Reporting into the Head of Workplace Relations, you will design and implement appropriate risk assurance strategies to ensure instances of non-compliance are pro-actively identified. You will ensure all potential/identified non-compliance risks are referred to appropriate governance forums. You will be analysing legislative and modern award reform proposals and preparing Australian Unity for the implementation of such change as well as actively participating with industry bodies and employer associations to advocate for Australian Unity objectives.

The Workplace Relations team currently owns the processes for ensuring we are compliant with modern awards for our salaried roles, including an annual reconciliation of salaries against modern award entitlements. You will make proposals about improving and automating these processes and you will oversee the implementation of the modern award coverage assessments and salary calculations by the Workplace Relations Operations team. As part of a step change in managing modern award compliance, you will lead the obligations stream work as part of a broader project to configure a range of modern awards into our UKG award interpreter.

The scope of the role covers the Fair Work Act /Regulations, enterprise agreements, modern awards. It also includes state-based employment law such as long service leave, jury service, public holidays, discrimination. It doesn’t extend to super, workers compensation or safety.

**About You**:
To be successful in the role you will be an Australian Legal Practitioner (with a current practising certificate) and have the following capabilities/experience:

- Deep post admission experience in employment law
- Strong analytical and legal research skills
- Considerable experience in relation to pay compliance work
- Strong influencing skills and ability to gain cooperation from a range of different teams
- Strong communication skills, particularly regarding presenting legal information in accessible way to systems people, senior executives and board members
- Strong data analytical skill and strong Excel capability

**What’s on Offer**:
You will enjoy a range of great employee benefits and rewards including:

- Competitive salary
- Enjoy additional yearly Well-Being and Community leave days
- 14-week paid parental leave, with equal benefit for both parents PLUS our Bump to Baby
- Employee Referral Program
- Employee Assistance Program - support and assistance for you and your partner at those times in life when you need it most
- Maxxia Rewards - a great range of discounts and benefits at selected retail outlets, department stores, attractions, travel, cinemas, restaurants.
- Discounts across the Australian Unity business including Private Health Insurance, General Insurance + more
- Available access to LinkedIn Learning courses through our great Learning platform