Industrial Relations Director

Workplace Relations Director – Sydney

Location: Sydney, Australia

Industry: ASX listed, blue chip organisation

Search managed by a specialist HR executive search firm, Civitas Talent

About the Organisation

This is an opportunity to join a globally recognised brand that operates at scale, employing thousands of people across Australia, New Zealand, and international markets. The company is a leader in its industry, known for its innovation, strong customer focus, and people-first culture.

As the business continues to grow, governance, risk, compliance, and employee relations have become critical priorities. With increased regulatory scrutiny, evolving workplace laws, and a rise in complex employee escalations, the organisation is looking for a senior ER & IR leader to drive proactive strategy, resolve high-risk matters, and ensure best-in-class workplace relations practices.

The Role: Workplace Relations Director

Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this role will be responsible for setting and executing the workplace relations strategy across a complex, multi-site organisation. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in governance, risk, compliance, and employee relations, with the ability to lead both strategy and operational execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the workplace relations strategy across a large, multi-site workforce
• Oversee complex employee relations cases, escalations, and workplace disputes
• Ensure compliance with Australian workplace laws and modern awards
• Partner with senior HR and business leaders to drive best-practice governance and risk frameworks
• Manage relationships with regulators, unions, legal teams, and external stakeholders
• Provide strategic oversight on HR compliance audits, investigations, and risk management
• Lead and develop a high-performing Workplace Relations & Compliance team

The Ideal Candidate

To be successful in this role, you will need to bring a combination of strategic HR, legal acumen, and hands-on ER expertise.

• Proven experience in a senior Employee Relations, Workplace Relations, or Industrial Relations role within a complex organisation (Retail, FMCG, Services, or Enterprise business ideally)
• Strong understanding of Australian workplace laws, modern awards, enterprise agreements, and Fair Work legislation
• Experience managing high-profile disputes, escalations, and investigations in a unionised or multi-site environment
• Ability to design and implement governance, risk, and compliance frameworks that align with business goals
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence executive leadership, legal teams, and HR functions
• A commercial mindset, with experience balancing risk and business outcomes

Why Join?

• Executive-level role with direct impact on organisational strategy
• Attractive package in an ASX listed brand
• Hybrid working flexibility
• Be part of a company investing heavily in HR, governance, and compliance excellence

This is a confidential executive search, and all applications will be handled with discretion.

For a confidential discussion, please reach out to our specialist HR executive search consultant, Shane O'Neill on 0420736144 or email shane@civitastalent.com

We are expecting a high volume of applications for this position and will endeavour to review each and every application in detail.