Senior People Advisor - National Rail Operations

About the role

Laing O'Rourke, a $6 billion privately owned global engineering and manufacturing-led construction leader, is seeking a Senior People Advisor for its National Rail Operations specialist business unit in NSW. The role sits within a people-centric, privately owned tier 1 constructor and an international engineering enterprise.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with operational and corporate leaders to deliver practical, commercially focused people solutions that support business objectives and workforce performance.
• Advise across the employee lifecycle: workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, talent development, succession planning and employee transitions.
• Coach leaders in people management, employee engagement, performance development and workplace decision-making.
• Manage employee and industrial relations matters such as performance concerns, misconduct, grievances, investigations, disciplinary processes and dispute resolution, ensuring fair, consistent and legally compliant outcomes.
• Identify and mitigate people-related risks and ensure compliance with employment legislation, enterprise agreements, company policies and governance requirements.
• Support organisational change, workforce planning, organisational design, headcount planning and consultation processes.
• Analyse workforce, remuneration and people data to inform business decisions and continuous improvement.
• Work with Resourcing, Learning and Development, HR Services and Payroll, and support employee engagement, retention and workforce development initiatives.
• Contribute to the People Business Plan and strategic people projects.

Required profile

• Tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in a senior HR advisory or business partnering role, ideally in rail, construction, engineering, mining, manufacturing or other operationally intensive environments.
• Regular travel between operational locations at Seven Hills (Sydney), Maitland and Newcastle is essential.
• Experience supporting enterprise-agreement covered workforces and unionised environments is highly regarded.

Required skills

• Sound working knowledge of Australian employment legislation, employee relations principles and contemporary HR practices.
• Communication, stakeholder management, analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to handle sensitive issues with confidentiality, professionalism and sound judgement.

What we offer

• In-house training and on-the-job development.
• Six months' paid parental leave at full pay for all employees.
• Purchased leave options and volunteering leave.
• Discounts and savings across hundreds of Australian retailers.