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Senior Specialist – Employee & IR
full-timeMelbourne

Summary

Location

Melbourne

Type

full-time

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About this role

DP World is seeking an experienced Senior Specialist – Employee & Industrial Relations to join our People team on a fixed-term basis until September 2027, supporting the business through a period of significant transformation, growth and optimisation.

 

This role is a key member of the ER/IR team, providing high-quality, pragmatic advice across complex employee and industrial relations matters in a highly unionised, operational environment.

 

You’ll partner closely with senior leaders, HR and operational teams to deliver consistent, commercially sound and legally compliant ER/IR outcomes, while contributing to broader enterprise bargaining, compliance and continuous improvement initiatives.

 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead & oversee end-to-end enterprise agreement negotiations, ensuring compliance and alignment with business objectives.

  • Manage industrial relations matters, including litigation, disputes, industrial action, and engagement with external bodies.

  • Provide strategic ER advice, guidance and support to senior leaders, especially during organisational change and business transformation.

  • Work closely with operational and technical teams on a range of critical industrial relations issues, including complex consultation on multiple projects.

  • Oversee complex employee relations issues, including policy development, investigations, and disciplinary processes.

  • Develop and embed ER/IR frameworks that reflect legislative updates and support a positive workplace culture.

  • Lead and mentor a team of ER/IR professionals across the Oceania region to deliver consistent strategic outcomes.

Employee & Industrial Relations

  • Provide high-level ER advice across the full spectrum of employee relations, including performance and conduct matters, investigations, disciplinary processes, terminations and disputes.
  • Support senior leaders and HR in managing industrial disputes, including analysis, risk assessment and recommended courses of action.
  • Advise on industrial action, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and internal governance.
  • Ensure adherence to enterprise agreements and industrial instruments across business units.
  • Support complex consultation processes relating to workplace change.
  • Conduct or support investigations into bullying, harassment, discrimination and other sensitive workplace matters.

Enterprise Bargaining & Industrial Strategy

  • Support enterprise agreement negotiations, including preparation, drafting of key documentation and employee communications.
  • Assist site and functional leaders with implementation of negotiated outcomes.
  • Provide planning, coordination and administrative support during bargaining and industrial campaigns.
  • Monitor, track and report on industrial action and bargaining activity.

Compliance, Governance & Continuous Improvement

  • Monitor legislative developments, case law and the external IR environment, and translate impacts into practical advice for the business.
  • Contribute to the development, review and uplift of ER/IR policies, frameworks, tools and resources.
  • Support capability uplift across HR and the business through coaching, guidance and informal training.
  • Assist with reporting and insights on ER/IR trends, risks and emerging issues.

Key Qualifications, Skills and Experience required:

  • A qualification in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Employment Law or a related discipline (legal qualifications are highly regarded).
  • Strong working knowledge of the Fair Work Act 2009 and related employment legislation.
  • 5+ years’ experience providing ER/IR advice in complex, unionised and operational environments (blue-collar experience highly regarded).
  • Demonstrated experience managing industrial disputes and supporting enterprise bargaining.
  • Experience representing or supporting matters before the Fair Work Commission (including unfair dismissal and general protections claims).
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex legal issues into clear, practical advice.
  • Strong stakeholder management and influencing capability across all levels of the business.
  • The ability to balance legal risk with commercial and operational realities.

About DP World

DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 125,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

 In Asia Pacific, DP World employs over 15,000 people across 22 geographies. We operate 17 ports and terminals, complemented by a comprehensive suite of end-to-end supply chain solutions - to connect the region to the rest of the world.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW

#LI-SK3

 

Other facts

Tech stack
Employee Relations,Industrial Relations,Negotiation,Compliance,Consultation,Policy Development,Dispute Management,Risk Assessment,Stakeholder Management,Communication,Leadership,Coaching,Training,Legislation Knowledge,Organizational Change,Continuous Improvement

About DP World

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally.

With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 119,000 employees from 164 nationalities, spanning 83 countries on six continents and 560+ business units, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future.

We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses -- Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.

What's more, we're reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW
TO CHANGE WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE

Team size: 10,001+ employees
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain and Storage

What you'll do

  • The Senior Specialist will lead enterprise agreement negotiations and manage industrial relations matters, providing strategic advice during organizational changes. They will also oversee employee relations issues and develop ER/IR frameworks to support a positive workplace culture.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Senior Specialist – Employee & IR do at DP World?

As a Senior Specialist – Employee & IR at DP World, you will: the Senior Specialist will lead enterprise agreement negotiations and manage industrial relations matters, providing strategic advice during organizational changes. They will also oversee employee relations issues and develop ER/IR frameworks to support a positive workplace culture..

Why join DP World as a Senior Specialist – Employee & IR?

DP World is a leading Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain and Storage company.

Is the Senior Specialist – Employee & IR position at DP World remote?

The Senior Specialist – Employee & IR position at DP World is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.

How do I apply for the Senior Specialist – Employee & IR position at DP World?

You can apply for the Senior Specialist – Employee & IR position at DP World directly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process. You can also learn more about DP World on their website.