Special Counsel Workforce Relations

Make a meaningful difference with us:

We want people who are great as individuals and even better in a team.

Were on the lookout for an experienced and strategic Workforce Relations Special Counsel whos ready to roll up their sleeves and operate as the key authority on complex high-risk and strategic workforce relations matters across the organisation.

Operating within our Workforce Strategy function this senior legal leadership role provides authoritative employment and industrial relations advice shapes organisational industrial strategy and leads the management of the most complex and sensitive workforce relations matters.

As a trusted advisor to the General Manager Workforce Strategy Senior Executives and People and Culture leaders you will play a critical role in safeguarding organisational outcomes managing legal and industrial risk and supporting long-term workforce sustainability. You will also provide professional leadership and oversight to Workforce Relations Counsel and Associate roles.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary escalation point for the most complex high-risk and high-impact employee and industrial relations matters including those with significant legal reputational psychosocial or commercial implications.

• Lead legal strategy for critical workforce relations cases including unfair dismissal general protections discrimination adverse action and complex industrial disputes.

• Represent the organisation in conciliation mediation and hearings before the Fair Work Commission and other relevant jurisdictions for sensitive or precedent-setting matters.

• Determine when matters require external legal counsel and manage briefing strategy and oversight to ensure quality and value.

• Provide authoritative enterprise-level legal advice on employment and industrial relations legislation Modern Awards enterprise agreements employment contracts and workforce-related regulatory obligations.

• Advise on complex workforce change initiatives restructures and large-scale transformation programs.

• Identify emerging legal and industrial risks and proactively develop mitigation strategies in partnership with People and Culture and senior leaders.

• Provide professional leadership and technical oversight of the workforce relations legal practice including mentoring peer review and capability uplift.

• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and represent the organisation externally with regulators tribunals unions and professional bodies at a senior level.

• Lead continuous improvement in workforce relations legal processes governance frameworks and reporting.

What you will bring:

• Admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia with a current practising certificate.

• Extensive post-admission experience in employment and industrial relations law including management of complex high-risk matters.

• Demonstrated experience representing organisations in tribunals and commissions on complex or sensitive matters.

• Proven experience providing strategic legal advice to senior executives and influencing organisational outcomes.

• Strong capability in mentoring and developing legal or employee relations professionals.

• Experience within large complex or highly regulated environments highly regarded.

• Experience working in or advising public not-for-profit or health and community services sectors desirable.

• High proficiency across Microsoft Office suite.

• Strong judgement discretion and professionalism in sensitive matters.

• Commitment to the mission and values of the not-for-profit sector.

Why you will love it here:

Working with us means stepping into a role thats as broad as it is meaningful. You will gain exposure to:

• A large complex organisation supporting more than 400000 people across Queensland and the Northern Territory.

• Multiple service streams including health aged care disability and community services.

• Strategic workforce transformation initiatives that directly support frontline care delivery.

• Opportunities to influence enterprise-level industrial strategy and organisational risk management.

And the perks Weve got plenty:

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.

• Access to salary packaging meal and entertainment benefits - up to $15900 per year tax free as well as up to $2650 of your pre-tax income to pay for meal and entertainment benefits. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via the following link: SalaryPackagingExplained.

• A recognition and rewards platform providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers including everyday expenses holidays health insurance a wellbeing program and employee assistance program.

• Career development opportunities to challenge yourself grow and make a meaningful difference.

• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave available after 6 months service in addition to the government scheme.

• Diversity and inclusive leave offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year Diwali Ramadan NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events.

Were committed to creating safe inclusive and welcoming environments for allespecially children young people and the elderly. Our services are built on trust care and a deep sense of responsibility.

Ready to bring your whole self to work and make a real difference

Apply now and join a team where your work truly matters.

What makes a difference for you

The opportunity to be part of the second-largest Queensland employer who has been leading by example for more than 100 years. Joining our team youll be welcomed as part of the UnitingCare family. Were a proud not-for-profit with more than 16500 staff and 9000 volunteers across our brands of BlueCare Lifeline ARRCS The Wesley Hospital Buderim Private Hospital St Stephens Hospital and St Andrews War Memorial Hospital.

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance

• Access to salary packaging meal and entertainment benefits- up to $15900 per year tax free as well as up to $2650 of your pre-tax income to pay for meal and entertainment benefits. To learn more about this benefit watch the video via theSalaryPackagingExplained link

• A recognition and rewards platform providing employee discounts at hundreds of retailers including everyday expenses holidays health insurance annual awards celebration wellbeing and employee assistance programs

• 12 weeks paid parental leave and 2 weeks paid partner leave available after 6 months service in addition to the government scheme

• Diversity and inclusive leave offering paid gender affirmation leave and cultural leave options (paid and unpaid) for those who may celebrate Lunar New Year Diwali Ramadan NAIDOC weeks and other significant cultural events

• Career development opportunitiesto challenge yourself grow and make a meaningful difference

• A positive and inclusive team based on respect shared standards strong values and a commitment to serving others

Child safe Child friendly

UnitingCare is committed to being a Child Safe Child Friendly organisation and will:

• provide welcoming safe and nurturing services for children

• implement measures to prevent child abuse and neglect within our services

• appropriately and immediately address child abuse and neglect if it does occur
  
  

Diversity & Inclusion

Our approach is simple everybody iswelcome here. At UnitingCare diversity is at the core of our who we are our mission and our are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees no matter their sex race culture sexual orientation disability or gender our commitment to reconciliation and building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples UnitingCare strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for this position.

Safe workplace

We work hard to make our services welcoming and safe for every person. We are united in keeping children young people and the elderly safe from harm within our services workplaces and the communities we support. We are committed to speaking up loudly for their safety.