Head of Workplace Relations , Health and Safety

About the Organisation

We're partnering with a well-regarded public health organisation to recruit a Head of Workplace Relations, Health & Safety.

Reporting to the Executive Director, People & Corporate Services, this executive leadership role offers the opportunity to shape workforce strategy, lead enterprise-wide workplace relations and safety initiatives, and influence organisational outcomes at the highest level. You'll work closely with senior leaders, unions and key stakeholders to build a safe, fair and high-performing workplace culture.

This is a rare opportunity to join a growing and purpose-driven organisation delivering critical services across Victoria, while making a meaningful impact on workforce capability, safety and organisational performance.

Position Purpose

As the Head of Workplace Relations, Health & Safety, you will provide strategic leadership across workplace relations, employee relations, industrial relations, health and safety, injury management and workforce risk.

Leading a multidisciplinary team, you will drive organisational capability, strengthen governance and compliance frameworks, and provide expert advice to Executive and Board stakeholders on complex workforce and safety matters.

Key Details

• Fixed-term contract up to 5 years

• Based in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs

• Hybrid working arrangements available

• Salary packaging benefits

• Free on-site parking

• Lead an established multidisciplinary team

The Opportunity

This is more than a traditional Workplace Relations or Health & Safety role. You'll have the opportunity to influence organisation-wide strategy, drive meaningful change and support a growing workforce within a highly specialised and complex environment.

• Lead workplace relations, employee relations and industrial relations strategy

• Drive enterprise agreement implementation and interpretation

• Manage complex employee and industrial relations matters

• Build and maintain productive union relationships

• Lead health, safety and injury management functions

• Strengthen psychosocial health and safety capability

• Enhance governance, compliance and risk management frameworks

• Develop workforce reporting and analytics capability

• Provide strategic advice to Executive and Board stakeholders

• Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams across Workplace Relations, People & Culture and Health & Safety

What Success Looks Like

In your first 12 months, you will:

• Successfully implement a newly ratified Enterprise Agreement

• Strengthen workplace relations and safety capability across the organisation

• Enhance psychosocial health and safety frameworks

• Build strong relationships with unions and key stakeholders

• Drive a more proactive and preventative approach to workforce risk management

• Support workforce growth and organisational expansion initiatives

About You – What You'll Bring

You are a strategic and influential leader with significant experience across workplace relations, industrial relations and health & safety within large, complex and highly regulated environments.

• Senior leadership experience in Workplace Relations, ER/IR and Health & Safety

• Strong enterprise bargaining and union engagement experience

• Expertise managing complex employee relations matters and investigations

• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams

• Strong knowledge of employment and workplace health and safety legislation

• Experience providing advice to Executives and Boards

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills

• Strong governance, risk and reporting capability

Experience within healthcare, public sector, aged care, corrections, education or similarly regulated environments will be highly regarded.

Potential for Growth

This role offers significant opportunity to influence organisational direction and leave a lasting impact.

• Shape enterprise-wide workforce strategy

• Drive workplace relations and safety transformation

• Lead organisational change initiatives

• Support significant workforce growth programs

• Build executive leadership capability

• Position yourself for future senior leadership opportunities

Why This Role Will Suit You

This role will suit a leader who thrives on complexity, enjoys building capability and wants to make a meaningful contribution within a purpose-driven environment.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• Executive-level influence and visibility

• A broad and diverse leadership portfolio

• An established and capable team

• A collaborative executive leadership group

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements

• The opportunity to create lasting organisational impact

How to Apply

If you're interested in exploring this opportunity, please submit your application via the Apply button.

For a confidential discussion or if you have any questions about the role, please contact Ann Richards-Goh at ***email_hidden***.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Hudson Hudson is committed to helping you find a workplace where you feel respected, supported, and free to thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences—because when different voices come together, amazing things happen.

Casual Loading

Please note for all Australian based contract and temporary roles only, the pay rate is inclusive of mandatory 25% casual loading. This excludes permanent and fixed term roles.