People & Culture Director
Permanent | Full-time | Hybrid | Perth, WA. Reports to CEO.
About Perth Festival
Perth Festival is your summer invitation to otherworldly experiences, Australia's longest-running arts festival, celebrating 70 years of world-class performance, music, film, visual arts and literary events on the shores of the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River). Grounded on Noongar Boodjar and founded by The University of Western Australia, we champion First Nations traditions, commission major new works and connect Perth's communities with the world's finest artists every summer.
About the Role
We're looking for a People & Culture Director who genuinely thrives at both ends of the spectrum, someone equally comfortable presenting a workforce strategy to the Board and personally drafting an employment contract or stepping in to resolve a complex ER matter hands‑on.
Reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on Perth Festival's Executive Leadership Team, you'll provide strategic leadership of our people and culture function. But here's what makes this role different from a typical executive P&C brief: we're a lean, purpose-driven arts organisation. There is no large team behind you to handle the detail. You bring the vision and you do the work, from policy and compliance through to culture, capability and leadership development.
With two direct reports and a broad organisational remit, you'll need to shift gears comfortably between strategic thinking and practical execution. If you're energised by variety, motivated by genuine impact and drawn to the idea of shaping the people experience at one of Australia's most exciting cultural institutions, this is a career-defining opportunity.
What You'll Do
At the strategic level:
* Lead the development and implementation of Perth Festival's People & Culture strategy
* Advise the CEO, Executive Leadership Team and Board on workforce planning, organisational design and people risk
* Lead succession planning, leadership development and organisational capability initiatives
* Drive diversity, equity, inclusion and First Nations cultural safety programs
* Provide strategic oversight of Perth Festival's WHS framework and governance
* Contribute as an active member of the Executive Leadership Team
At the operational level:
* Personally manage complex employee relations matters, investigations and workplace issues
* Oversee and where necessary directly deliver employment contracts, policies and workforce documentation
* Ensure compliance with employment legislation, industrial instruments and regulatory requirements
* Manage payroll liaison, HRIS integrity and workforce reporting
* Lead and support your team through peak recruitment and onboarding periods
* Prepare Board and Executive reporting on people metrics, compliance and culture
Who You Are
* Tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business, Psychology or related discipline
* Extensive senior P&C or HR leadership experience in a complex organisation
* Proven ability to operate at executive level and deliver hands‑on HR practice you don't pass the detail to someone else
* Deep knowledge of employment legislation, industrial relations and WHS governance
* Experience managing complex ER matters, investigations and change management
* Strong stakeholder and influencing skills from frontline employees to Board members
* Comfortable with ambiguity and energised by the pace and variety of a seasonal arts organisation
Why This Role
Perth Festival is a genuinely special place to work. Our team is small, talented and deeply committed to the work we do. As People & Culture Director, you'll have real influence over the culture, capability and experience of an organisation doing extraordinary things, and you'll see the direct results of your work in every team you support.
Arts and not-for-profit sector experience is valued but not essential. What matters most is that you understand the realities of a lean, purpose-driven organisation and bring both the strategic credibility and the practical capability to match.
Ready to lead people and culture at Perth Festival? Apply via SEEK.
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