This growing Australian food manufacturing business is entering an exciting phase of operational and commercial evolution. With a strong focus on quality, safety and continuous improvement, the organisation is now seeking an experienced Head of People & Culture to partner closely with the CEO and senior leadership team and help shape the next stage of growth.

Reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on the SLT, this role is both It will suit a commercially minded people leader who enjoys being close to the operation, building leadership capability on the floor, and translating people strategy into practical outcomes.

The opportunity

This is a broad, end‑to‑end people leadership role spanning manufacturing and corporate teams. You will be responsible for leading people and culture initiatives that ensure the business has the right workforce capability, structure and support to deliver its operational and commercial objectives.

Working closely with operational leaders, you’ll provide practical HR leadership across workforce planning, employee relations, leadership development and compliance, while helping to embed a strong, high‑performance culture grounded in safety, accountability and quality.

Key Responsibilities HR Leadership & Business Partnership

• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to deliver people initiatives aligned to commercial and operational priorities
• Provide practical, solutions‑focused HR advice to leaders across the business
• Lead structured change management initiatives to support growth, capital projects and operational transformation
• Prepare and analyse HR metrics and workforce data to inform decision‑making and continuous improvement
  
  

Talent acquisition, workforce planning & capability

• Build frontline leadership capability across production teams to strengthen accountability, communication and performance
• Manage end‑to‑end recruitment across all levels of the organisation
• Support succession planning and capability development for key operational and leadership roles
• Oversee onboarding processes to support early engagement and retention
  
  

Learning, development & performance

• Coordinate training across manufacturing capability, food safety, WHS, compliance and leadership
• Embed and support an effective performance management framework
• Coach leaders in providing clear feedback and managing performance issues
• Identify skills gaps and implement targeted development initiatives
  
  

HR operations, compliance & productivity

• Ensure compliance with Australian employment legislation, Modern Awards, WHS laws and food manufacturing standards
• Maintain accurate employee records, contracts, policies and procedures
• Support annual remuneration reviews and benchmarking
• Drive workforce productivity initiatives including labour cost optimisation, absenteeism reduction and roster effectiveness
  
  

Employee relations, culture & engagement

• Manage employee relations matters including investigations, grievances and disciplinary processes
• Provide coaching and guidance to supervisors and managers on people issues
• Define and embed a high‑performance culture aligned to safety, quality and continuous improvement
• Build strong working relationships across the business and liaise with unions where applicable
  
  

Safety, wellbeing & workforce experience

• Partner with WHS and Operations teams to reinforce safe work practices and a strong safety culture
• Support return‑to‑work and injury management processes
• Contribute to wellbeing initiatives that promote engagement, resilience and retention
• Ensure HR practices reflect ethical employment and operational excellence
  
  

About you

You are an experienced operational HR leader who is comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery. You build trust easily with leaders and frontline teams and bring a calm, practical approach to complex people matters.

You Will Bring

• Strong onsite HR experience, ideally within manufacturing, food production or logistics
• Solid working knowledge of Australian employment legislation and industrial relations
• Proven experience managing employee relations matters
• A practical, solutions‑focused mindset
• The ability to influence and build credibility with leaders at all levels
• Strong organisational and analytical capability
• Resilience and adaptability in a fast‑paced production environment
  
  

Why consider this role? This is a genuine opportunity to step into a trusted leadership role with real influence. You’ll work closely with an engaged CEO, be part of key business decisions, and have the scope to shape culture, capability and leadership across a growing organisation, making a tangible, visible impact every day.

Your application will be sent to Clare Johnston