About us

Our purpose at Officeworks is to help make bigger things happen, for our customers, our team, and our community.

We’re a fast paced, growing, innovative and inspiring Australian brand employing over 8,000 team members, with a national footprint of more than 165 retail stores and a dedicated team supporting the Business to Business market. Our people are our biggest asset and we wouldn’t be where we are today without the collective skill, dedication and talent of our team members who embody the Officeworks spirit every day – whether that’s in store, support office or in a CFC.  We are passionate about supporting the communities in which we live and work, and want our team members to take ownership and accountability to help make bigger things happen every day.

About the role

The , Employee Relations Speciliast is a highly influential role which provides specialist Employee Relations & Industrial Relations advice and guidance to senior leaders and managers across the organisation and solutions to Officeworks in collaboration with our People & Capability team.  This includes formulating recommendations for appropriate employee relations strategies and practices to deliver operational and commercial objectives whilst ensuring alignment with Officeworks’ organisational culture. 

Key areas of the role include:

• Develop and implement Workplace Relations strategies to support the Business Strategy, including supporting operational change initiatives and developing effective relationships with relevant external parties.
• Ensure the People Team are provided with the required support to assist with the resolution of employee relations issues and cases, including investigation of complaints and representation before industrial/EO tribunals as required.
• Make recommendations for appropriate management of Industrial Disputes (or situations where disputation is a possible outcome) that consider and protect company assets and minimise business disruption.
• Being able to quickly build trust and credibility in a high touch customer service environment, however not afraid to challenge the status quo or have difficult conversations. 
• Partner with key stakeholders (Business and People Team) to manage the Enterprise Agreement negotiation cycle as applicable (Store Operations, Customer Fulfilment Centres) including any potential Greenfields Agreements.
• Assist the Injury Management team and stores with ER issues arising out of workers compensation and personal injury issues.
• Ensure that all policies, procedures, and processes within the division are fully compliant with the Trade Practices Laws. Ensure that all employees within the division are aware of the Trade Practices Laws compliance requirements and conduct their activities accordingly.

About you

The successful candidate will possess tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Legal or Industrial Relations and have ideally completed post graduate studies in ER or workplace investigations.

Further you will have:

• Significant relevant experience in employment/labour law through either an ER/IR role or Senior HR role with exposure to ER matters, or you might be legally trained and looking to take on a corporate role for a change of pace.
• Deep technical expertise in Employment Law including all relevant State and Commonwealth employment related legislation, Awards and Enterprise Agreements.
• High level of commercial acumen and knowledge of corporate structures as they related to employee relations issues 
• Strong skills and experience in providing strategic advice on workforce strategy, employment, enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes, industrial action, general protections and all types of Fair Work Commission proceedings (advocacy skills are desirable but not essential)
• Ability to draft and interpret policies and contractual provisions and manage ambiguity.
• Strong relationship and influencing skills including at senior/executive level along with external legal / professional services providers.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and customers 
• Strong knowledge in Awards, Legislation and National Employment Standards

Our culture

At Officeworks, we focus on creating an empowering and fun culture where people enjoy coming to work. We value our team's uniqueness and reward our team members by offering some great #officeworksperks including:

• An inclusive and supportive team environment
• A key focus on wellbeing
• Potential flexible working arrangements to help you best manage your priorities
• Generous discounts at Officeworks, along with team member discounts at Kmart and Target
• Ongoing training and development with real opportunities to progress your career

At Officeworks, we operate best when our team is representative of the communities we serve and proudly commit to providing a safe and supportive work environment for all team members. We actively encourage applications from all candidates, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the LGBTI community and people with disabilities.

Residency note: Application eligibility requires Australian/NZ citizenship or an unrestricted Visa to live and work in Australia.