Full time 2-year fixed term opportunity
Base Salary $156,277 + 17% superannuation
About the opportunity
The new Workplace Operations team works closely with professional and academic colleagues to ensure the University meets its operational compliance obligations in relation to casual academics. The team drives continuous improvement, embeds consistent best‑practice processes and frameworks, and oversees operational compliance across all faculties and business areas‑ensuring cohesive, rigorous standards and that casual academic staff are paid accurately in line with University policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
As Workplace Operations Engagement Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping compliant, best practice workforce operations across the University. Leading a high performing specialist team, you’ll partner with academic and professional leaders to embed fair, transparent and effective employment practices‑particularly for casual academic staff. Leveraging your expertise in enterprise agreements, policy and legislation, you’ll drive process improvement, deliver insightful workforce data, and influence positive change at scale. This is a senior, highly visible role for a proactive leader who enjoys building trusted relationships, solving complex problems, and making a meaningful impact across a large, dynamic organisation.
Key responsibilities
* Lead workforce compliance initiatives, ensuring accurate and timely engagement and payment of staff
* Provide expert advice on enterprise agreements, legislation and University policies
* Build strong partnerships with academic and professional stakeholders to embed compliant practices
* Lead and develop a specialist team to deliver high‑quality operational and advisory services
* Drive continuous improvement of workforce processes, governance and controls
* Deliver workforce insights, reporting and data to support planning, risk management and decision‑making
About you
* An experienced leader with a strong background in workforce operations, compliance or HR in a complex, regulated environment
* Demonstrated expertise in enterprise agreements, employment legislation and policy interpretation
* A confident and influential communicator who builds trusted relationships with senior stakeholders
* Proven people manager with the ability to lead, coach and develop high performing teams
* Highly analytical, with experience using data and reporting to identify risk, inform decisions and drive improvement
* Proactive and solutions focused, with a commitment to service excellence, governance and continuous improvement
Sponsorship / work rights for Australia
You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.
Pre‑employment checks
Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre‑employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.
EEO statement
At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.
How to apply
Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page. For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply. For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Toby Berryman, Recruitment Operations by email to toby.berryman@sydney.edu.au.
Desired Skills and Experience
Workforce Compliance, Stakeholder Engagement, Enterprise Agreement Interpretation, HR Policy & Governance, People Leadership & Team Development, Process & Continuous Improvement, Data Analysis & Workforce Reporting, Project & Program Management, Risk & Issue Management
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