• Support leaders delivering justice to people and communities experiencing disadvantage
• Senior HR partnering role focused on judgement, influence and accountability
• Purpose-led public service environment with flexible ways of working

About us

Legal Aid NSW supports people who are navigating hardship and complex legal problems. The work is meaningful, but it is also demanding. Decisions matter. Our work sits at the convergence of justice, disadvantage and human need.

People who work here engage with complexity, ambiguity and challenge in service of others. The work is challenging, intellectually, ethically and emotionally but it is also deeply meaningful.

This Senior People Partner role exists to support the people who do that work. Not by removing the challenge, but by helping leaders and teams navigate the challenge.

About the role

This is a full-time Ongoing Senior People Partner role at Clerk Grade 11/12, with a starting salary of   $149,739.00 plus superannuation, negotiable within the grade depending on experience and capability. The role is based in Sydney CBD close to Central Station, with flexible ways of working supported. 

Under new HR leadership, Legal Aid NSW is strengthening how it supports leaders and employees across the organisation. The Human Resource function is evolving to bolster its strategic people partnering capability and service that is grounded in trust, clarity, sound judgement and leadership accountability. This role plays a critical part in that shift.

You will work closely with the Director of Human Resources and senior leaders to help ensure that:

• Leaders are confident and accountable in how they manage people
• Complex people decisions are handled with fairness and humanity
• People systems support ethical, sustainable service delivery
• We deliver on Legal Aid’s strategic plan

What this role is like day to day

As a Senior People Partner, you are the senior strategic advisor to a portfolio of business divisions.

You will operate with a high degree of autonomy and trust, partnering with Executive Directors and senior leaders to navigate complex workforce challenges in a large, geographically dispersed and values-driven organisation.

You will not be shielded from complexity. You will be trusted to engage with it.

It is a senior partnering role focused on influence, judgement and capability uplift, where your value lies in how you think, advise and coach leaders matter more than your ability to quote policy.

What you’ll be trusted to do:

• Partner with executives and senior managers as a strategic workforce advisor, supporting inclusive, fair and accountable leadership practices
• Coach leaders to manage performance, conduct and change with confidence and care, with a strong focus on respectful, inclusive and culturally safe workplaces
• Lead complex people matters, applying sound judgement and risk awareness while balancing legal, ethical and cultural considerations
• Shape workforce planning and organisational priorities across your portfolio, including capability, succession and workforce diversity considerations
• Coordinate HR functional expertise into integrated, practical solutions that strengthen culture, inclusion and sustainable ways of working
• Contribute to HR transformation initiatives that improve clarity, systems, experience and the quality of people leadership across the organisation

You will operate with autonomy, but not in isolation. Collaboration, escalation and shared judgement are part of the work.

About you

You’ll succeed in this role if you understand that good people practice in public service environments requires more than technical expertise.

You are likely someone who:

• Has significant experience (10+ years) as a senior HR Business Partner or People Partner
• Is comfortable working with senior leaders and influencing without authority
• Can remain calm, thoughtful and constructive under pressure
• Understands the emotional and ethical dimensions of people decisions
• Prefers coaching and enabling leaders over taking decisions away from them
  
  

Experience in complex, unionised or high-risk environments will be strongly regarded.

Human Resources at Legal Aid NSW

Human Resources exists to support the people who are helping others overcome adversity every day

We partner with leaders to build clarity, fairness and accountability in environments where the work is demanding, and the consequences are real. We value sound judgement over bureaucracy, coaching over control, and practical solutions that help leaders lead well, especially when the path is not obvious

This is HR work that requires courage, empathy and pragmatism and it is work that matters.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. 

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities.

For application support (including accessing information or require the application in an alternate format) or recruitment adjustments please contact the Talent Acquisition Team at [email protected] or 02 9134 9347.

To learn more about Recruitment and Workplace Adjustments please visit Adjustments for individual needs | I Work for NSW.

Other benefits of working with us

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
• We are an accredited Flex Ready and Carers and Employers certified employer and are recognised as leaders in flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life
• Find out more at Working at Legal Aid NSW 

The essential requirements for this role

You must:

• Be willing to do a Criminal Record Check
• Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)
• Possess Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Industrial Relations or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Be willing to travel to regional and metropolitan offices as required.

How to apply

You must submit your application online. Applications received late or by email, will not be accepted. Please make sure your application is complete, and that you have answered all questions before submitting.

Your application must include:

• Your resume (no more than 5 pages)
• Cover letter (no more than 2 pages).

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.

Do you need help to apply?

If you have questions about the role, you can reach out to Marcus Mellick, Project Manager, at [email protected] or 02 9134 9317

If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact Legal Aid NSW Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.

The Role Description sets out the responsibilities and Focus Capabilities of the role.

The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.

Applying for a role is a great NSW Government resource for helping you prepare your application.

Closing Date: Wednesday, 4th of February 2026 at 11:59pm