• People and Culture | UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus, Sippy Downs
• Level 10, $148,551 p.a., plus up to 17% employer superannuation
• Full-time, ongoing opportunity with relocation assistance available for interstate candidates

The Opportunity

At UniSC, we're creating a better tomorrow through learning, knowledge and community impact.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Workplace Relations and Business Partnering, the Senior Manager position has been created to strengthen both leadership capacity and specialist workplace relations capability across the portfolio. You'll provide day-to-day leadership and operational oversight across the Workplace Relations and Business Partnering teams, while acting as a senior escalation point and trusted specialist on complex employee and industrial relations matters.

You'll bring the depth of expertise to confidently navigate enterprise agreements, employment legislation, industrial disputes, enterprise bargaining, complex misconduct and performance matters, grievances, investigations, organisational change and matters involving gender-based violence, sexual harassment and other harmful behaviours. You'll be comfortable weighing competing legal, industrial, employee and organisational considerations, working with unions, investigators and legal counsel, and representing the university's interests where matters progress to external forums.

This is also a highly visible leadership role. You'll be on the ground with leaders, building the credibility and trusted relationships that enable difficult workforce matters to be surfaced early and managed effectively. You'll combine specialist expertise with pragmatism, knowing when a matter requires a formal industrial or procedural response and when trust, early intervention and constructive engagement can deliver a better outcome.

This is a role for a leader who is comfortable rolling up their sleeves. You'll remain close to operational delivery and personally lead or step into complex and high-risk matters when required, rather than operating at arm's length. At the same time, you'll create the conditions for your team to take ownership, grow their capability and resolve matters effectively at the right level.

For an experienced workplace and industrial relations leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong people leadership, sound judgement and a practical approach to problem-solving, this is an opportunity to have significant influence across UniSC.

You will

• Lead, coach and develop a team of workplace relations and business partnering professionals, creating a high-performing, accountable and client-focused culture.
• Provide hands-on leadership of complex and sensitive employee and workplace relations matters, stepping in directly where senior expertise, judgement or escalation is required.
• Lead and advise on sensitive conduct matters, including gender-based violence, sexual harassment and other harmful behaviours, ensuring responses are trauma-informed, procedurally fair and appropriately risk-managed.
• Negotiate and influence outcomes on complex people matters, balancing legislative, industrial, employee and organisational considerations.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders, providing strategic and risk-informed advice to navigate workforce challenges and support effective decision-making.
• Maintain strong operational oversight across Workplace Relations and Business Partnering, ensuring priorities, workloads and complex matters are actively managed through to resolution.
• Contribute to enterprise bargaining and lead key workforce and organisational projects that strengthen capability and service delivery.
• Advocate for the University's interests, working with investigators and legal counsel and representing UniSC at tribunals, commissions and other external forums as required.

About you

You’re an experienced and pragmatic people leader who gets genuine satisfaction from building capable teams while staying close to the work. You know how to set expectations, prioritise competing demands, coach experienced professionals and create an environment where people are accountable, supported and confident making difficult decisions.

You're equally comfortable stepping into the detail. Whether supporting a team member through a difficult case, working alongside a senior leader on a sensitive workforce issue, or personally taking the lead on a complex or high-risk matter, you're willing to roll up your sleeves and help get to an outcome.

You'll bring significant experience navigating complex workplace relations environments, including sensitive conduct matters and gender-based violence, sexual harassment or related harmful behaviours. You combine empathy and trauma-informed practice with procedural fairness, sound judgement and a clear understanding of organisational risk.

Calm under pressure, you bring clarity to complexity and look for practical ways forward. You're a collaborative, resilient and considered leader who builds confidence and capability in others while remaining accountable for delivering outcomes.

You will possess:

• A relevant qualification in human resource management, employment law, industrial relations or a related discipline, supported by a commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Extensive senior experience leading highly skilled Workplace Relations and/or People and Culture teams within a large and complex organisation.
• A demonstrated track record of leading, developing and managing high-performing professional teams, including setting priorities, managing workloads and performance, building capability and maintaining effective service delivery in a complex and high-volume environment.
• Extensive specialist expertise in workplace and industrial relations, including enterprise agreements, awards, employment legislation, industrial disputes, enterprise bargaining and representing or supporting an employer in tribunals, commissions or other industrial proceedings.
• Demonstrated experience leading and resolving complex, sensitive and high-risk workplace matters, including misconduct, unsatisfactory performance, grievances and investigations, with sound judgement across competing legal, industrial and organisational risks.
• Demonstrated experience managing or advising on complex matters involving gender-based violence, sexual harassment and related harmful behaviours, with an understanding of trauma-informed practice, procedural fairness and relevant legislative obligations.
• Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, advocacy and influencing skills, with the credibility to build trusted relationships with Executive, senior leaders, unions and employee representatives.
• The ability to work primarily from UniSC's Sippy Downs campus on the Sunshine Coast for four days per week. Relocation assistance is available for successful candidates relocating from interstate.

Don't meet every requirement? At UniSC, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our position description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

UniSC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, women in STEM, First Nations Peoples, and individuals of diverse cultures, genders, abilities, and experiences. We value achievement relative to opportunity and encourage your commentary on your achievements in this context. For additional support during the application process, please contact us at unisc-careers@usc.edu.au or call +61 7 5430 2830.

How to apply

All applications must be lodged through our website. To apply please visit our website at: Careers at UniSC

Applications for this position close Monday 14 September 2026.  

Position Description:  494754_Senior Manager, Workplace Relations and Business Partnering.pdf

Your completed application must include a resume and a statement of suitability (not to exceed two pages), which will be reviewed in alignment to the specified selection criteria as outlined within the position description.

Further information regarding how to prepare your application is available on our website: Join our team

We would love the opportunity to get to know you better, but we know it works both ways. To get to know a little more about us, visit us at: Welcome to UniSC and LinkedIn Life

UniSC values a diverse and talented workforce and invites applications from candidates who already have legal work rights in Australia.

UniSC does not accept unsolicited applications. For agency inquiries, contact unisc-careers@usc.edu.au

Have questions or want to know more? For a confidential discussion, please contact:

Deborah Walker
Director, People and Culture
Email: dwalker3@usc.edu.au

Discover UniSC

We’re all about doing work that matters, connecting with great people, and being part of an incredible journey. While we’re not the largest university, we are one of the fastest growing in Australia, now with over 2,000 staff across five campuses in South East Queensland and an expanding presence in major capital cities, and we’re making a big impact every day through ground-breaking research, a strong commitment to sustainability, high-performance sport, and award-winning alumni.

We are committed to delivering high-quality research and teaching that address major global and regional challenges, with established and emerging strengths in sustainability, environmental systems, biodiversity, aquaculture, preventative health and regional resilience. Our research excellence is internationally recognised through strong performance in global benchmarking, including leading rankings in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings for “Zero Hunger,” “Climate Action” and “Life on Land.” UniSC is also recognised for its teaching excellence, with a strong emphasis on student success, innovative and engaging learning experiences, and strong graduate outcomes that equip learners to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. As the only university operating within three UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, UniSC is uniquely positioned to leverage its natural environment to advance impactful research, teaching and partnerships that support sustainable futures, with sustainability embedded across all aspects of our teaching, research and operations.

We foster a collaborative and supportive environment that encourages continuous professional development and provides the tools and resources to grow your career. We value the contributions of every team member and the role they play in our culture and success. We’re not afraid to do things differently, and we’re looking for people who share our values and want to be part of a team working together to make a meaningful difference to local and global challenges.

Our Culture & Benefits:

• Our collaborative, passionate and welcoming culture is what really sets us apart.
• Modern teaching & research facilities.
• Professional development and career pathway opportunities.
• We are a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative.
• Flexible work arrangements & generous leave options.
• Salary packing options + 17% Super.
• EAP, fitness passport & discounted private health.