Associate Director, Employment

2 days ago

Wollongong NSW, Australia University of Wollongong Full time $120,000 - $180,000 per year

At UOW, our vision is to create a workplace where people thrive — a community driven by purpose, trust, and shared values. As we continue to evolve and strengthen our culture, we're seeking a senior leader who will shape the future of employment and industrial relations at the University.

About the role

As the Associate Director, Employment & Industrial Relations, you'll lead the University's approach to employment and industrial relations, balancing compliance, risk, and pragmatic people-centred solutions that support UOW's strategic and cultural goals.

This pivotal role will lead the design and implementation of UOW's Employment and Industrial Relations Strategy, provide enterprise leadership on all employment matters, and drive constructive, values-based engagement with our unions and staff representatives. You'll play a key role in enterprise bargaining, policy alignment, dispute resolution, and leadership capability building — ensuring our people practices are fair, consistent, and future-focused.

About you

You're an experienced senior practitioner who thrives in complex environments and is known for your calm influence and sound judgement. You combine a deep understanding of employment and industrial law with the ability to apply it pragmatically — balancing legal, operational, and cultural considerations.

You bring:

  • Substantial experience leading employment relations strategy, enterprise bargaining, and complex workplace matters.
  • Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
  • Proven ability to engage constructively with unions and senior stakeholders to achieve sustainable outcomes.
  • Demonstrated leadership of high-performing ER/IR or workplace relations teams.
  • Strategic insight and courage to simplify complexity, influence executive decisions, and support transformation.
  • Commitment to values-based leadership, equity, inclusion, and psychological safety.
    Relevant tertiary qualifications, with a Master's degree preferred. (A legal qualification is desirable but not essential.)

How to apply:

Applicants are requested to submit a resume and cover letter. The cover letter should be no more than 3 pages, summarising your skills and experience as they relate to the selection criteria located in the position description.

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Alison Miller, Talent Acquisition Advisor on

Closing date : Sunday 23 November 2025, 11:59PM

Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Only candidates with valid work rights in Australia are eligible to apply.

The University of Wollongong is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer, and a recognised leader in gender equality, we encourage and welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and people including: culturally and linguistically diverse, women, disability, LGBTIQ+, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians.

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