Overview
The ER/WHS Lead provides expert advice and support on employee relations matters, fostering a fair, safe, compliant, and productive workplace. This role maintains a primary focus on end-to-end employee relations case management, including conduct, psychosocial safety and workplace grievances. In addition, the role incorporates management of matters where employee illness, injury or personal circumstances impact capacity to perform the inherent requirements of the role. This ensures that employee relations and workforce risk considerations are managed in an integrated, practical and legally compliant manner.
Key Accountabilities and main responsibilities
Strategic Focus
- Contribute to the design, review, and continuous improvement of employee relations policies and processes to support a fair and compliant workplace aligned with organisational goals.
- Analyse trends (e.g. absenteeism, grievances, conduct and psychosocial health and safety matters) and provide data-driven insights to the broader People teams to proactively address potential workplace issues and leadership capability.
Operational Management
- End to end case management including grievances, misconduct and disciplinary actions, ensuring timely and consistent resolution.
- Manage cases involving illness or injury impacting capacity to perform inherent role requirements.
- Support People Partners and managers in managing performance where health, illness or injury related issues are raised.
- Lead workplace investigations including evidence collection, interviews and findings.
- Manage complex matters involving overlapping ER and psychosocial safety considerations.
- Safely transition cases to the Health Safety and Wellbeing team where a workers compensation claim has been submitted.
- Obtain and assess medical information (focused on functional capacity).
- Support return to work and ongoing employment management for non-work-related injuries or illness.
- Provide expert guidance on ER matters, such as workplace behaviour, policy interpretation, and disciplinary actions, ensuring alignment with employment law, WHS legislation and codes of practice and organisational policies.
People Leadership
- Build and maintain strong relationships with People Partners, Health Safety and Wellbeing Manager, managers, and other stakeholders to support a consistent and coordinated approach to employee relations, psychosocial safety and workforce risk matters.
- Develop and deliver training programs on ER topics, such as conflict resolution, performance management, legal compliance, and managing matters where employee health, psychosocial safety claims or personal circumstances impact capacity for work.
- Provide practical guidance to the broader People team and managers to build confidence in managing complex and sensitive situations, including those involving overlapping performance, conduct and wellbeing considerations.
- Foster a collaborative team environment, promoting open communication consistency in decision-making, and continuous learning across employee relations and workforce risk practices.
Governance & Risk
- Interpret and apply employment law, workplace health and safety legislation, industrial instruments, and internal policies, ensuring the organisation’s compliance and minimising legal risks.
- Identify, assess, and advise on potential employee relations risks, providing recommendations to manage or mitigate these risks effectively.
- Maintain accurate and up to date documentation of to support governance and continuous improvement.
The above list of key accountabilities is not an exhaustive list and may change from time-to-time based on business needs.
Experience & Personal Attributes
- Ability to interpret and apply Enterprise Agreements and applicable legislation to provide solution-focused and pragmatic advice to employees
- Strong knowledge of employment law, WHS legislation and relevant codes of practice, industrial relations frameworks, and HR best practices.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and guide managers and employees.
- High level of emotional intelligence, discretion, and the ability to manage sensitive situations.
- Ability to balance employee wellbeing with operational requirements.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
- Proficient in HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
MUFG Pension & Market Services is a global, digitally enabled business that empowers a brighter future by connecting millions of people with their assets – safely, securely and responsibly.
Through our two businesses MUFG Retirement Solutions and MUFG Corporate Markets, we partner with a diversified portfolio of global clients to provide robust, efficient and scalable services, purpose-built solutions and modern technology platforms that deliver world class outcomes and experiences.
A member of MUFG, a global financial group, we help manage regulatory complexity, improve data management and connect people with their assets, through exceptional user experience that leverages the expertise of our people combined with scalable technology, digital connectivity and data insights.
