Senior Employee Relations Specialist | Mon to Fri 38 hours | Balcatta Support Centre

Sodexo is a people business, employing over 400,000 people worldwide and thousands in Australia. Our hospitality all-rounders play a key role in keeping our sites functioning and well-maintained for village residents' safety, comfort, and well-being. Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater because we believe our everyday actions have a big impact.

About the role

As a Senior Employee Relations Specialist within our national employee relations team, you will be a trusted advisor to leaders across the business, helping them navigate complex workplace challenges and deliver practical, compliant and commercially focused workplace solutions. You will partner with leaders to influence workplace outcomes and support strategic people initiatives across Sodexo’s diverse national operations.

You will lead the resolution of complex and sensitive workplace relations matters, providing expert guidance on workplace investigations, disciplinary matters, performance management, grievances and industrial disputes, and workforce change initiatives.   

We are seeking an experienced ER professional who combines strong technical expertise with sound judgement and pragmatic solutions-focused approach. You will be confident providing practical guidance through complex workplace issues while balancing legal compliance, operational requirements and commercial outcomes.

What you’ll do

• Provide expert employee and industrial relations advice to leaders across diverse operational environments.
• Lead the resolution of complex employee and industrial relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary processes, grievances and performance management cases.
• Represent and advocate for the business in proceedings before industrial tribunals and regulatory bodies.
• Support enterprise agreement bargaining activities and provide interpretation of industrial instruments. 
• Partner with leaders to proactively identify and manage employee relations risk and support positive workplace outcomes.
• Respond to industrial disputes, union matters, organisational change and workforce transition activities.
• Coach and build leader capability in managing workplace issues and employee relations risk.
• Identify emerging workplace trends and risks, providing practical recommendations that support business objectives.
• Drive consistent, compliant and commercially sound employee relations practices across the organisation.

Knowledge & skills

• Strong understanding of the Fair Work Act and Australian workplace relations framework.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying industrial instruments, including modern awards and enterprise agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex workplace investigations and employee relations casework.
• Excellent evidence analysis, case strategy and written advocacy capability.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, influencing and relationship management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a complex operational environment.
• Experience representing or supporting matters before the Fair Work Commission or other industrial tribunals will be highly regarded.

• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Employee Relations, Industrial Relations or a related discipline.

• Competitive pay and job security in an essential services industry
• Access to 100+ retail discounts and multiple salary packaging options
• Great teamwork and a solid group of people around you!
• Opportunities for training and career progression within Sodexo