Manager, People and Culture

• Opportunity to work at the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR), the only national foundation specifically focussed on ensuring the social and economic strength of Australia's remote, rural and regional communities.
• The chance to shape FRRR's people and culture, enabling a national organisation to build an engaged, agile workforce that delivers lasting impact for rural, regional and remote communities.
• Full time (1.0) position - with flexible working arrangements available (eg. 0.8 part-time)
• Victoria - due to regular travel requirements of the role, we require the individual to be located within commuting distance to Bendigo. The successful applicant will be required to be at the FRRR Bendigo office at a minimum of once per fortnight.
• $119,000 - $124,000 (FTE) per annum excluding superannuation.

Role summary

The Manager, People & Culture is a strategic and influential role within FRRR's Corporate Services team, serving as a trusted advisor to leaders and a champion of our organisational culture. This role is responsible for leading initiatives that foster an engaged, remote, and agile workforce, including professional development, employee engagement, performance management, and capability-building programs.

Reporting to the COO/CFO, the Manager, People & Culture brings significant experience in delivering people and culture transformations in medium-sized organisations. They will lead the implementation of key strategic people initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational values, regulatory compliance, and risk management, while supporting leaders and employees through change.

The role oversees the end-to-end employee lifecycle, ensuring policies, procedures, and systems are fit for purpose, and provides guidance to administrative staff. The Manager also delivers well-informed analysis and advice on operational and people-related matters to enable effective decision-making and strengthen organisational performance.

Who you are (selection criteria)

• You hold tertiary qualifications in Human Resource Management, Business, or a related field, or bring extensive equivalent experience, ideally with exposure to the not-for-profit, philanthropic, or community development sectors.
• You are a strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to people and culture, who is passionate about enabling impact and innovation through flexible and fit-for-purpose HR.
• You possess excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, able to build high trust, credibility, and rapport across all levels of the organisation.
• You have demonstrated experience delivering people and culture services in a remote and dispersed workforce setting, with a deep appreciation for place-based and flexible approaches.
• You possess strong technology capability in HR solutions, and are familiar with modern systems and AI tools that support agility, efficiency, and smarter decision-making.
• You are an excellent communicator with strong stakeholder engagement skills, able to influence senior leaders, facilitate change initiatives, and lead effective training.
• You have experience in industrial relations, including contracting options and interpreting the SCHADS Award.
• You hold strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in project reporting, risk management, and using evidence to inform decisions.
• You are committed to innovation and continuous improvement, embedding new ways of working that enable agility, resilience, and long-term impact.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities

• Lead with a remote-first approach to ensure employees are enabled, connected, and engaged regardless of location.
• Translate the strategic people plan into initiatives that enhance organisational culture, strengthen workforce capability, and build long-term resilience.
• Plan, resource, and deliver People & Culture projects in alignment with FRRR priorities.
• Identify and implement opportunities for continuous improvement and innovative practices.
• Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures that meet legal and regulatory requirements and that reflect the organisation's culture.
• Contribute to the development of business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
  

Please see the Manager, People and Culture position description for more.

Who we are

FRRR (Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal) supports remote, rural, and regional communities across Australia to be vibrant, resilient, and sustainable. We work alongside communities to catalyse locally led solutions, especially in areas facing systemic challenges.

We are strategically focussed on supporting impact across five cross-cutting themes:

• Next generation transition
• Outback and very remote communities
• Climate solutions
• Disaster Resilience
• First Nations self-determination

Our core values centre around collaboration and constant improvement. We have created a dynamic, flexible, and supportive work environment. FRRR is an Equal Opportunity employer.

Our Strategic Plan

FRRR has launched its 2026–2028 Strategic Plan: A Catalytic FRRR for the Next Generation of Rural and Remote Australia. At the heart of this new and ambitious strategy, is the recognition that rural and remote communities are vital to Australia's identity, wellbeing and future, yet the systems that shape access to funding, services, infrastructure and decision-making are largely designed for metropolitan and regional centres. This creates persistent barriers to inclusion, investment and voice.

Despite these challenges, rural and remote communities continue to demonstrate resilience, creativity and care. FRRR exists to bridge this systemic gap. We connect resources, build enduring local skills and knowledge, and reshape how rural and remote Australia is seen, valued and supported. We listen to aspirations, attract and direct targeted investment, facilitate capacity and community-building infrastructure, and advocate for stronger dialogue between communities, government and metro Australia.

Our approach is grounded in community-led development, collaboration and a deep understanding of complexity and system change. This works because we:

• work in a place-based way that embraces the diversity of communities;
• partner with First Nations people and communities;
• support young people and the next generation; and 
• we engage strategically with the challenges of climate change and disaster resilience.

These themes underpin our five strategic pillars:

• Strengthen support where FRRR makes the biggest difference
• Influence change for better rural futures
• Smarter use of funding and capital to drive change
• Leverage systems and technology to improve our impact
• Make rural insight and FRRR's impact visible and powerful

Delivering on this strategy requires a team that will not only support the plan but elevate it; bringing energy, expertise and experience to ensure FRRR achieves catalytic, enduring impact for the next generation of rural and remote Australia.

What we offer

• Flexible hours and the option to work hybrid or fully remote, supporting balance and wellbeing.
• Ongoing professional development, including an annual staff conference hosted in regional Australia to connect, learn, and grow together.
• A culture of growth and innovation, where new ideas are welcomed, and your contribution makes a tangible difference.
• The opportunity to work alongside a highly skilled, values-driven, and committed team.
• The chance to be part of a nationally reputable organisation making real, lasting impact in rural, regional, and remote communities.
• Access to confidential support and counselling through our Employee Assistance Program.
• For those working from our Bendigo CBD office, we're located just two minutes from the train station, with end-of-trip amenities for your convenience.
• Above all, the opportunity to be part of something bigger – shaping the future of rural and remote Australia.

Additional adjustments

We are committed to providing an inclusive experience to all candidates. If you have a disability, condition, illness or access requirements, please let us know how we can best support you throughout your recruitment experience. 

We recognise that each individual's needs are different. Some examples of adjustments we can provide include (but are not limited to):

• Alternative formats or ways to submit your application (verbal or video)
• Flexible communication methods
• Additional time to complete tasks, assessments or pre-interview work
• Support from a support person or advocate during interviews
• Modifications to the interview structure, environment or timing

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, please contact us via email  

Our candidate experience

We aim to be transparent and kind to all of our candidates. We value your time, and as such want to share how we do things so you know what to expect with no nasty surprises. For more information on our end-to-end candidate experience, please visit the SHE HR Consulting website.

How to apply

To express your interest, submit an online application through our application portal and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application. 

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and we may close our job advertisement without notice, so don't delay your application.

FRRR is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of reference checks as part of pre-employment screening, and a Working With Children Check (or state equivalent).

As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don't worry—having a criminal record doesn't automatically disqualify you.

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