Human Resources Business Partner

Representing our client MNAQ, we're hiring an experienced HR Business Partner to lead employee relations and industrial relations in a complex, regulated setting.

Position Title:
Human Resources Business Partner

Reports To:
HR and Communications Director

Location:
Melbourne, Australia

Position Type:
Full Time

Role Purpose:

The HRBP will partner with the P&C team and business leaders to deliver strategic and operational HR support, ensuring workforce stability, compliance, and cultural alignment across MNAQ's Victorian laboratory, technical, and operational sites. The role will have a strong emphasis on Employee Relations (ER), Industrial Relations (IR), and operational HR delivery, supporting a highly regulated, multi-site, and unionised environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Workforce Administration & Compliance

• Manage employee life cycle administration: new hires, transfers, terminations, and contract changes.
• Oversee staff turnover monitoring, providing analysis and retention recommendations.
• Coordinate visa and immigration processes for international hires in line with Australian Government requirements.
• Ensure compliance with Fair Work Act, National Employment Standards (NES), Modern Awards, and Enterprise Agreements.

2. Leave, Remuneration & Benefits

• Resolve payroll-related queries and provide required payroll inputs to Payroll Services.
• Manage remuneration and benefits administration, including superannuation, insurance, and leave entitlements.
• Prepare and maintain employment agreements, addendum letters, and contract variations.
• Ensure remuneration and benefits practices are compliant with legislative requirements and company policies.

3. HR Systems & Data

• Manage HRIS and HR tools, ensuring data accuracy and process optimisation.
• Maintain employee records in compliance with privacy and record-keeping obligations.
• Prepare and analyse HR reports on workforce trends, turnover, absenteeism, and compliance metrics.

4. Recruitment, Onboarding & Workforce Planning

• Lead recruitment for positions in collaboration with hiring managers.
• Coordinate onboarding programs to ensure new employees are fully inducted.
• Support lab transfers and redeployment planning across sites.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of the workforce plans to meet operational demands.

5. Learning, Development & Performance

• Partner with P&C team and leaders to design development and training plans for individuals and teams.
• Implement performance review processes, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.

6. Employee Relations (ER) & Industrial Relations (IR)

• Conducting investigations into misconduct, grievances, and workplace disputes.
• Assist with the management of union relationships and act as a key point of contact for local workplace representatives.
• Support Enterprise Agreement negotiations and manage industrial disputes.
• Provide advice on IR strategies and legislative changes impacting the business.

7. Health, Safety & Wellbeing

• Partner with HSE team to ensure compliance with WHS legislation and internal safety policies.
• Support safety training, risk assessments, and incident investigations.
• Promote health and wellbeing initiatives to maintain workforce engagement.
• Partner with RTW coordinators regarding work-cover matters.

8. Daily Relationship Management

• Maintain a visible HR presence on site, engaging with staff at all levels.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to leaders and employees on HR matters.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders in decision-making.

Key Relationships:

• Internal: HR Team, Senior Leadership Team, Line Managers, Payroll, Finance, Legal
• External: Unions, Fair Work Commission, Government Agencies (Immigration, WHS), Employment Lawyers, Recruitment Agencies, Schools and University Industry events.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications:

Essential:

• Degree in HR, IR, Law, or related field
• 10+ years HR experience, with significant ER/IR exposure in a unionised, multi-site environment
• Strong understanding of Australian labour law, Modern Awards, and Fair Work compliance
• Demonstrated success in HR systems and workforce reporting
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Exceptional planning and organisational skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Analytical approach to problem solving.
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to effectively work within a team and independently when required including collaborating with staff and stakeholders at all levels of the business.

Desirable:

• Postgraduate qualification in HR, IR, or Law
• Experience in laboratory, food testing, or regulated technical industries
• Track record in integration or post-merger HR delivery