Workplace Relations Manager

**Workplace Relations Manager**
- ** Support the business on navigating complex Industrial Relations issues to deliver change**:

- ** Competitive remuneration + incentive structure**:
**About us**

Pacific National (PN) is the largest private provider of diversified rail freight services in Australia. We haul a variety of freight including coal, intermodal containers, steel, and a range of bulk commodities and materials that keep the region’s economy, businesses and households running. We are a company built on solid foundations and we are incredibly proud of the essential role we continue to play supporting Australia’s supply chain. At Pacific National, we take great pride in delivering our best every day and have a relentless focus on customer service and place **safety above all else**.

We operate nationally with approximately 3,500 staff in over 90+ sites across Australia. We respect and care for the communities in which we operate and continue to evolve our community engagement and strengthen relationships through partnerships and investment. We are focused on reducing the carbon emissions of our business, while also enabling the reduction of carbon emissions in the broader supply chain to support the National targets.

**About the role**

The Workplace Relations Manager role is responsible for managing the industrial matters arising at Pacific National including leading enterprise bargaining, resolving industrial disputes, benchmarking research, and providing industrial advice in relation to transformation projects.

Key accountabilities will include:

- Lead bargaining in relation to Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBA) for the business
- Assist the business in resolving industrial disputes.
- Build the workplace relations skills and expertise across the People & Culture team and the business, including capabilities in resolving disputes and bargaining.
- Manage and influence union relationships with officials and delegates
- Support the IR component of transformation projects and tenders, including providing a clear plan to the business on how to navigate IR issues in delivering change.
- Provides operational and legally compliant IR advice to operational and senior leaders on compliance with industrial instruments and laws, specifically regarding change management.
- Provides accurate and timely advice to business stakeholders on all IR matters including risk rating and risk mitigation strategies and assists the business with implementation.
- Manage and maintain EA comparison, benchmarking, and market data
- Assist with preparation of board papers, reports and templates relating to Workplace Relations matters
- Identify trends and proactively support business leaders to react and solve, with focus on ensuring mitigation of people risk.

**About you**

You will be an experienced and motivated Workplace Relations Professional and have experience in either HR or IR but with a strong industrial relations lens. You will need the ability to work autonomously and collaboratively across different parts of the organisation. You will need excellent stakeholder management and excellent verbal/written communication skills to be able to build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

To be successful in this role you will need:

- Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Workplace Relations, Law, or a related discipline
- Prior experience in the logistics, construction or heavy industries is desirable.
- Flexible approach to the achievement of tasks and ability to maintain confidentiality with respect to sensitive tasks and issues
- Effective problem solving, negotiation conflict resolution and influencing skills
- Understanding of human resource practices, processes, and disciplines
- Able to influence external and internal stakeholders
- Acts with discretion and demonstrates the highest levels of integrity and confidentiality
- Builds effective and trusting business relationships
- Able to influence internal and external stakeholders
- Strong negotiation skills
- Strong conflict resolution skills
- Commitment to safety and safe working environment
- Effectively liaises with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to undertake work related travel

**The benefits**

At Pacific National we value diversity, inclusion, and the contribution of each team member. Our values underpin our commitment to create an inclusive culture where everyone is accepted and valued for who they are, enabling everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.

When you join the Pacific National team, you’ll be encouraged to take ownership of your career and we’ll be there to support you with a range of exciting initiatives including:

- Industry leading programs focussed on your growth and career development
- Paid parental leave up to 12 weeks for primary carers at full pay after 12 months service
- Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
- A focus on your mental health and wellbeing thr