Who We Are

In Melbourne, water is essential to our way of life.

As caretakers for Melbourne’s water cycle, we care for water, life and land throughout Melbourne: both its people and its biodiversity.

Each time you drink from the tap, flush a toilet or kayak down the Yarra, we’re there. Primed and ready, quietly delivering some of the world’s cleanest water for over five million residents and wildlife that call Melbourne home, just as we have for over 130 years.

If you value making it count, diving in with curiosity, and doing what’s right, you're in the right place.

About The Role

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Workforce Relations, we have a fixed‑term opportunity until 14 July 2027 for an experienced and highly capable Workforce Relations Lead to join Melbourne Water’s Workplace Relations team.

This is a senior ER/IR and workforce relations role, responsible for leading complex and sensitive matters across the organisation. You will be supported by a team managing general HR enquiries, as well as specialist organisational design capability, enabling you to focus on high‑risk, high‑impact workforce relations, investigations, and strategic advisory work.

Based at our Docklands Head Office, this role requires a minimum 50% onsite presence, with regular travel to operational sites to meet face‑to‑face with leaders, employees, unions, and external stakeholders to resolve matters effectively.

You will provide trusted, pragmatic, and commercially‑astute advice across industrial relations, employee relations, remuneration, and workforce change, operating as a subject‑matter expert within a complex, unionised environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver a high‑quality, end‑to‑end workforce relations service aligned with Melbourne Water’s Workplace Relations strategy and obligations under Enterprise Agreements, Awards, and relevant legislation
• Lead and manage complex ER/IR casework, including misconduct, bullying and harassment investigations, grievances, performance matters, restructures, and change-related consultation
• Represent Melbourne Water before the Fair Work Commission, including conciliations, hearings, and arbitrations, and manage external counsel where required
• Provide expert advice on Fair Work Act requirements, industrial instruments, and HR legislation, ensuring legally sound and commercially balanced outcomes
• Lead and support enterprise bargaining and negotiation processes, including implementation of EA outcomes and change management
• Build and maintain effective union relationships, managing disputes, facilitating reconciliation, and engaging in good‑faith negotiations consistent with organisational objectives
• Lead Remuneration activities, including job evaluation, annual remuneration review processes, and annual gender equity reviews
• Coach and support senior leaders and managers in handling sensitive people matters, investigations, and workforce risk
• Ensure consistency, fairness, and defensibility in decision‑making across the organisation

About You

You are a senior, credible ER/IR professional with the confidence and experience to operate in complex and unionised environments. You bring sound judgement, resilience, and the ability to balance legal risk with practical business outcomes.

You will have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Law, Industrial Relations, or a related discipline
• Proven experience leading investigations, managing disputes, and advising on high‑risk and sensitive matters
• Demonstrated capability representing organisations before the Fair Work Commission
• Experience dealing with unions, mediators, and external legal providers, including reconciliation and dispute resolution
• A confident, professional leadership mindset with the maturity to influence complex and high‑stakes decisions
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
• The energy, resilience, and drive to manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes in a fast‑paced environment
• Ability to lead change and partner effectively with leaders at all levels of the organisation

For more information, please review the attached position description: Workplace Relations Lead.pdf

Why Join Us

At Melbourne Water, we care about water and all life that springs from it.

Our people are fuelled by passion, and with safety at the forefront, we have an unwavering sense of purpose, and are on a mission to protect every Melburnian’s way of life, one drop at a time.

We walk the talk when it comes to flexible working – but that’s not all. Our culture of purpose, safety, results, and learning permeates everything we do. We're dedicated to doing what's right, and this commitment extends to the meaningful work we do in a supportive and inclusive culture that encourages you to make the most of your talents.

Our long-standing commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQ+ individuals, neurodivergent individuals, people living with disability, mature age and young jobseekers from all cultures can apply with confidence knowing they are safe, affirmed, and celebrated.

If you’re curious, action-orientated, outcomes-focused, and care deeply for public resources, community, and the environment, we'd love to receive an application and learn if you could be a great fit.

How To Apply

Click the 'Apply Now' button below and complete our online application form.

Closing date: Monday 18th May at 11:55pm AEST