People and Culture Lead

We are thrilled to introduce a rare and newly created People & Culture Lead opportunity available within our Water business unit. 

This is a unique opportunity suited to a committed and robust individual who thrives working in a dynamic environment supporting an industrial client group who directly contribute to critical infrastructure for the people of Sydney. 

The People and Culture Lead is the senior trusted partner on one of Downer’s large joint venture contracts, the right person will partner with the Executive Leadership Team and provide specialist direction on a range of complex people issues and organisational development initiatives, aligned to business and customer priorities.

In this role you will have the opportunity to work closely with the People & Culture Manager for our high performing Water business, providing strategic advice and guidance throughout BAU activities and the delivery, execution and implementation of P&C related initiatives. Adept at building strong relationships across all levels of an organisation, you will lead a small P&C team to deliver people, culture and capability initiatives.

This position will be Chatswood based, but the footprint of our workforce spans the Norther Region of Sydney and our P&C Lead will also support our leaders and workforce where the work happens.  

Our Ideal Candidate

You enjoy engaging with a variety of teams and individuals, leveraging exceptional collaboration skills and allowing for the transfer of information and expertise, enabling strong relationships with the business you support, as well as a varied stakeholder group. 

Your proactive nature ensures you can seek out information where required to ensure the seamless delivery of approved policies and programs, resulting in business compliance to relevant standards and legislation. You thrive in an environment where you can coach and mentor others with a focus on customer first outcomes.

What You Will Bring 

• Bachelor of Human Resources, or Industrial Relations would be ideal. 
• Demonstrated and successful ‘hands on’ experience in a senior P&C role, ideally gained in Utilities, Construction/Maintenance with exposure to a blue collar self-performing workforce. 
• Experience in supporting a unionised workforce and subsequent discussions with the union directly. 
• Sound knowledge and understanding of current ER and IR legislation best-practice.
• Broad HR generalist experience including change and communications management, labour strategy and the execution of the people strategy.
• Passionate about people coupled with a risk mitigation mindset. 

What We Can Offer You

• Reporting to the People & Culture Manager for Water, Australia and New Zealand, this role will provide the unique opportunity to collaborate with someone that has significant experience within Downer and the wider industry providing you access to support and mentoring, along with a large, best in class people and culture team.
• The opportunity to work within a cohesive HR function, aligned to the strategic business outcomes of an ASX listed, global organisation.
• A supportive work environment where career opportunities will present themselves through hard work and our evolving landscape.
• Discounted financial products and salary sacrificing options.
• Mentoring, leadership and female development programs.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with a strong focus on building positive mental health.
• Competitive remuneration & access to wider Downer perks. 

You want your work to matter and so do we.  With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

 We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals.  Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this role, we’d still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.