Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: $127,000 - $142,000
Grade: VPS 6
Occupation: Human resources
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 53780
Senior Workplace Relations Specialist
People & Culture | Northern Health | Full Time Ongoing
We're seeking an experienced and highly capable Senior Workplace Relations Specialist to lead the management of our most complex and high-risk employee and industrial relations matters.
Northern Health is the major provider of acute, maternity, sub-acute, mental health, specialist, community and home-based services in Melbourne’s rapidly growing outer north.
Services are provided through our six main campuses:
Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Bundoora Centre, Craigieburn and Mernda Community Hospitals and Kilmore District Hospital. In addition, Mental Health Services are provided at Epping, Broadmeadows, Jacana, Preston, Mill Park, Mernda and Coburg.
At Northern Health, we're building a healthier future for Melbourne's growing northern community. As one of Victoria's largest public health services, we support a diverse workforce across multiple hospital, community and mental health settings.
About the Role:
This is not a traditional advisory role.
As a senior workplace relations practitioner, you will take ownership of the pathway for complex matters from assessment through to resolution. You will work closely with executives, directors, operational leaders, unions, Legal and People & Culture professionals to navigate challenging employee and industrial relations issues and deliver practical, defensible and operationally workable outcomes.
The role leads the work associated with misconduct, performance, behavioural concerns, grievances, workplace investigations, industrial disputes, employment risk and matters before the Fair Work Commission and other external tribunals, review bodies and regulatory authorities.
You will not simply identify risks or provide technical advice. You will develop the strategy, coordinate stakeholders, establish decision points, provide recommendations and guide matters through to implementation while ensuring procedural fairness, sound governance and appropriate escalation of risk.
What You'll Be Doing:
What We're Looking For:
Technical IR/ER Expertise
Substantial senior-level expertise in employee relations, industrial relations or employment law, supported by advanced knowledge of industrial instruments, employment legislation, workplace investigations and procedural fairness.
Depth of Experience
Demonstrated experience leading complex and high-risk employee and industrial relations matters. We are interested in the complexity, scope, autonomy and risk profile of matters managed, not simply years of service.
Stakeholder Management and Influence
Exceptional ability to build trusted relationships, establish credibility and coordinate stakeholders with competing interests and perspectives. Proven capacity to influence without formal authority and maintain alignment through difficult and sensitive matters.
Hands-On Delivery
A strong track record of personally undertaking the technical and practical work required to progress complex matters, including analysis, strategy development, documentation, stakeholder engagement and implementation.
Analytical Intelligence
Ability to quickly absorb incomplete or conflicting information, identify critical issues and distinguish legal, industrial, operational, safety, cultural and reputational risks.
Pathway Design and Problem Solving
Demonstrated ability to convert complexity into a practical and achievable path forward, including options, recommendations, dependencies, decision points and implementation actions.
Judgement, Governance and Courage
Exercises sound judgement in ambiguity, provides frank and balanced advice, understands governance frameworks and appropriately escalates material risks and decisions.
Communication and Advisory Capability
Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce concise, balanced and defensible advice, correspondence, investigation material, briefings and recommendations.
Operating Style
You are curious, pragmatic, calm under pressure and resilient. You enjoy working in complex environments, getting into the detail, coordinating stakeholders and seeing matters through to completion.
Qualifications:
Why Join Northern Health?
You'll have the opportunity to influence significant workplace and industrial relations outcomes within one of Victoria's largest and most complex public health services. Working alongside experienced leaders and specialists, you will help shape organisational practice, build leadership capability and contribute to a culture that is Safe, Kind and Together.
Success in This Role Looks Like:
If you're an experienced workplace relations professional who thrives on complexity, enjoys solving difficult problems and wants to make a meaningful impact in a large and evolving health service, we'd love to hear from you.
Next Steps . . .
If this opportunity sounds like the next step in your career, then we would love to hear from you. Please click on the 'Apply' button and follow the prompts.
For further details, please refer to the Position Description.
Applications close Thursday 5 November 2026.
Shortlisting will commence immediately for this vacancy. If an appropriate candidate is sourced, the advertising may close early, thus we advise you to apply right away.