Are you an experienced and commercially minded HR leader who enjoys building strong teams, guiding leaders through complex people matters and creating a people function that can grow with the business?
If so, join us.
About us
Aldermane is an award-winning project advisory firm that seeks to ensure the security and prosperity of Australia through the delivery of cutting-edge Defence projects and major Government programs.
We work directly with our clients to resolve major contracting, strategic and security issues so that the Australian Defence Force remains operational and ready to protect people just like you.
We are a young and vibrant team of lawyers, consultants and project advisory specialists who want to deliver our services differently.
About the role
The HR Manager is a senior, hands-on role with an integrated remit spanning talent acquisition, performance management and personnel management.
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will be responsible for managing the full employee lifecycle and will act as a trusted source of practical, timely and commercially informed people advice to management.
You will work with a high degree of independence, supporting our Service Line Leads to meet their recruitment and retention targets while building the systems, processes and governance required for a skilled HR function that can scale with the firm.
The role requires someone who can establish trusted relationships across the business while bringing consistency, accountability and sound judgement to people decisions.
About you
You will be personable, approachable and confident in your professional interactions.
You will be comfortable working directly with senior leaders and employees, handling sensitive matters with discretion and providing clear advice where issues are complex, contested or time-critical.
You will bring substantial experience in a senior HR generalist, HR manager, people and culture or employee relations role.
You will have demonstrated capability across recruitment, employee relations,



performance management, professional development, workplace investigations, organisational policy and the management of employee risks and issues.
A strong working knowledge of Australian workplace relations laws, modern awards, employment contracts, workplace policies and procedural fairness is essential.
Experience in a professional services, legal, consulting, Defence or Government environment would be highly regarded, together with relevant tertiary qualifications in human resources, employment relations, law, business or a related discipline.
Mandatory requirement — please read
Given the nature of our work, applicants must hold, or be willing and able to obtain, an AGSVA-issued security clearance at the Baseline level or higher.
Key responsibilities
The HR Manager will report to the Managing Director and will:
Develop and progressively build the firm's HR function, including its systems, policies, procedures, templates, reporting and governance arrangements;
Manage end-to-end talent acquisition, including role design, job advertising, candidate sourcing, screening, interviews and assessments, reference checks, offers and employment documentation;
Partner with Service Line Leads to support workforce planning and achieve agreed recruitment, capability and retention targets;
Manage onboarding and induction processes to ensure new employees understand their roles, performance expectations, the firm's values and applicable workplace requirements;
Administer probation, performance review, promotion, remuneration and professional development processes;
Support leaders to establish clear performance expectations,



provide appropriate feedback and address performance concerns promptly, consistently and fairly;
Develop and coordinate professional development, capability uplift, succession planning and career progression initiatives aligned with the firm's career and performance frameworks;
Provide practical and commercially informed advice to management on employee relations, performance, conduct, workplace behaviour and personnel matters;
Manage sensitive employee matters, including grievances, complaints, conduct concerns, workplace investigations and disciplinary processes, in a consistent, well-documented and procedurally fair manner;
Identify, assess, escalate and manage employee-related risks and issues, including legal, operational, cultural, security, wellbeing and reputational considerations;
Ensure compliance with applicable workplace laws, industrial instruments, employment contracts, workplace policies, record-keeping obligations and internal delegations;
Provide regular briefings, workforce reporting, risk updates and recommendations to the Managing Director and relevant members of management;
Maintain accurate and confidential personnel records, employee data, employment contracts, position descriptions, organisational charts and HR information systems; and
Manage employee offboarding processes, including resignations, terminations, exit interviews, knowledge transfer, cessation of access and recovery of company property.
This is an opportunity to establish and lead an HR capability within a growing firm, with the support of management.
The successful candidate will be expected to operate autonomously, exercise sound judgement and develop the function in step with the size, complexity and strategic needs of the business.
Apply now
If you want to take the next step in your career, please click "Apply now".
For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Rory Alexander on ************** or by email at ******.

📌 Hr Manager (Canberra)
🏢 Aldermane
📍 Canberra