Human Resources Manager

At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why many are incredibly longstanding. And we enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 100 years.

We are where you need us to be. We are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. Our international footprint is extensive and committed.

We are at our best tackling complexity and navigating change. We work alongside you on demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, ESG, infrastructure and resources. And we're focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world, including technology and digitalisation.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition - which is to help you achieve yours.

Your goals. Our ambition.

The Opportunity

We are seeking two experienced HR Managers to join our national business partnering team based in Sydney.

• HR Manager, Legal Practice Groups
• HR Manager, Business Services

These opportunities will suit a HR professional who has well developed business partnering skills and excels in a high-performance organisation where there is a clear commitment to client service both internally and externally. You will report into a Senior HR Manager and supervise and develop junior members of the business partnering team.

What you'll do

• Partner with key stakeholders to drive strategic people initiatives aligned with the firm's vision, focusing on talent, capability development, and enhancing the employee experience.
• Coach leaders to build high performing, engaged teams, with a strong focus on talent development, retention, and long-term success.
• Deliver cyclical HR processes with precision and excellence, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Collaborate with Resource Managers to optimise team resourcing, balancing workloads and enabling mobility across groups and offices.
• Empower and mentor junior team members, fostering growth through active knowledge sharing and support.
• Champion a culture of respect by managing people matters with empathy and integrity.
• Interpret and apply people policies with clarity, ensuring alignment with business goals and values.
• Support recruitment efforts, offering strategic advice and hands-on involvement where needed.
• Work closely with HR Centres of Expertise to deliver a seamless and consistent employee experience.
• Proactively manage WHS matters, including psychosocial risks, workload management, and wellbeing initiatives.

What you'll bring

• Tertiary qualifications in HR or equivalent.
• A minimum of 7 years' experience in a HR business partnering role, ideally within a law firm, large corporate or professional services environment.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience leading cyclical processes in a complex, matrix organisation.
• Hands on management of ER issues (i.e.investigations and performance management).
• A collaborative approach, and the ability to advise, coach and support senior stakeholders, balancing legislative as well as commercial considerations for the firm.
• A can-do attitude and an ease with building relationships with HR colleagues across the centres of excellence (HR business partnering, HR operations, Resourcing, Recruitment and L&OD).
• A strong client service focus, and commitment to upholding ethics and confidentiality.

The Team

Our competitive advantage is our people and our culture. Our HR team works closely with the leaders of the business to recruit exceptional people, nurture their development and guide their career.

As a member of the HR team, you could be working as a business partner assigned to a particular practice group, or in one of our specialist areas, including graduate or lateral recruitment, global mobility or reward. No matter what your position, you'll play a core role in shaping the future of the firm.

What you can expect from us

• We're a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client-centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution-focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions.
• We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you.
• We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals.
• We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you'll have it and we'll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control.
• Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia's market leading law firm.

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

Team

Human Resources

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

Sydney

Contract type

Permanent Contract

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.