Head of People and Culture

About us

At Transdev John Holland Buses (TJHB), we don't just move people, we connect communities.

TJHB is a joint venture between Transdev Australasia and John Holland, combining the expertise of one of the world's leading mobility operators with one of Australia's most respected infrastructure and transport companies. Together, we operate some of Sydney's busiest bus services, delivering approximately 67 million customer journeys annually across the CBD and Eastern Suburbs.

As our workforce evolves and our industry continues to transform, we're looking for an experienced and influential People & Culture leader to help shape the future of our organisation.

Your impact

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Head of People & Culture is a critical member of the leadership team, responsible for creating the conditions for a high-performing, engaged, and sustainable workforce.

This role combines strategic leadership with operational delivery across Industrial Relations, Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Workforce Planning, Leadership Development, Performance Management, Employee Experience, and Organisational Change.

You will play a pivotal role in partnering with leaders across the business to drive performance, manage industrial complexity, strengthen workforce capability, and deliver people initiatives that support operational excellence and business growth.

What you'll do

Industrial & Employee Relations leadership

• Lead all Industrial Relations activities across the business, including enterprise bargaining, workforce consultation, and union engagement.
• Develop and execute IR strategies that balance organisational performance, employee engagement, and risk management.
• Provide expert advice on employment legislation, enterprise agreements, awards, investigations, disciplinary matters, and workplace disputes.
• Represent the business in employment-related tribunals, conciliations, conferences, and hearings.

People & Culture strategy

• Develop and implement people strategies that support organisational objectives and workforce performance.
• Drive talent management, succession planning, leadership development, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Support leaders through organisational change, restructures, and workforce planning activities.
• Lead reward and recognition programs that strengthen culture and performance.

Talent Acquisition & workforce capability

• Oversee recruitment strategy and talent acquisition activities across the business.
• Support diversity and inclusion initiatives within recruitment and workforce planning.
• Build internal career pathways and succession pipelines for future leaders.

Governance & reporting

• Deliver workforce reporting to internal stakeholders, Transport for NSW, and Transdev Australasia.
• Lead annual reporting including WGEA and other people-related compliance requirements.
• Analyse workforce metrics and labour trends to identify opportunities for improvement and cost optimisation.

What you bring

Experience & qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Employment Relations, Industrial Relations, Law, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years' experience in senior People & Culture, Employee Relations, and Industrial Relations leadership roles.
• Proven success operating within large, complex, multi-site organisations.
• Extensive experience leading enterprise bargaining negotiations and industrial relations strategy.
• Deep knowledge of Australian employment legislation, enterprise agreements, awards, and industrial frameworks.
• Experience managing union relationships and navigating complex stakeholder environments.

Skills & attributes

• Influential leadership style with strong commercial acumen.
• Exceptional negotiation and stakeholder management capability.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate business priorities into people outcomes.
• High levels of resilience, judgement, and decision-making ability.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use workforce data to inform decision-making.
• Passion for building high-performing, engaged, and inclusive workplace cultures.

Why join TJHB?

🚌 Shape a major public transport operation: Influence workforce strategy across one of Sydney's largest metropolitan bus regions.

👔 Executive influence: Work directly with the Managing Director and Senior Leadership Team.

🤝 Industrial leadership: Lead enterprise bargaining, workforce strategy, and industrial relations in a highly unionised environment.

🚀 Career opportunity: Join a partnership backed by two industry-leading organisations with local and global career pathways.

🌱 Build the future workforce: Drive capability, culture, inclusion, and organisational performance.

Diversity, equity & inclusion

We believe diverse perspectives create stronger teams, foster innovation, and help us better serve our customers and communities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including women, First Nations Peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our achievements. In 2026, Transdev was recognised as a Top 101 Employer for Women for the second consecutive year, achieved Silver Employer status in the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), and maintained our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), demonstrating our commitment to gender equity, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

If you require adjustments throughout the recruitment process, we're here to support you.

Ready to shape the future of P&C at TJHB?

If you're an experienced People & Culture leader who thrives on partnering with executives, navigating industrial complexity, and building high-performing workplaces, we'd love to hear from you.

Submit your application, including your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role.

Join our team of Journey Makers and help shape the future of transport in Sydney.