People & Culture Partnering and Operations Team Leader

- Lead a high-performing team within People & Culture and drive operational HR excellence across Council.
- Full-time opportunity with work-from-home flexibility, rostered days off (RDOs), and access to Fitness Passport.
- Salary from $133,541.83 – $155,197.26 per annum plus 12% Superannuation

Make a Difference Where You Work At Willoughby City Council, we are shaping one of Sydney's most vibrant and livable communities. As the People & Culture Partnering and Operations Team Leader, you will play a key leadership role in delivering high-quality People & Culture services, supporting leaders across the organisation and driving initiatives that enhance employee experience and organisational performance.

Reporting to the Manager, People & Culture, you will lead the day-to-day coordination of operational HR partnering services, supervise and coach People & Culture Business Partners, and ensure consistent, practical and customer-focused advice is provided across the organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR leader who enjoys partnering with stakeholders, driving continuous improvement and managing a broad range of workforce matters in a complex and dynamic environment.

Why Join Us?

- Strategic Leadership Opportunity: Lead our HR Business partners to influence workforce
- outcomes across the organisation.
- Collaborative Workplace: Work closely with leaders and specialist teams including Talent Acquisition, WHS, Learning and Development, Payroll and Industrial Relations.
- Professional Growth: Contribute to organisation-wide initiatives including employee engagement, workforce planning, HR service improvements and culture programs.

About the Role: As the People & Culture Partnering and Operations Team Leader , you will:

- Lead and coordinate the day-to-day delivery of People & Culture partnering and operational HR services across Council.
- Supervise, coach and support People & Culture Business Partners to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery.
- Partner with managers on workforce planning, organisational structures, staffing proposals, role design, employee relations and workplace change matters.
- Provide expert advice on performance management, conduct,



employee relations and workforce issues while escalating complex matters appropriately.
- Lead the development and maintenance of HR policies, procedures, templates, guidance materials and manager resources.
- Oversee HR systems, workforce data, reporting, dashboards and workforce metrics to support organisational decision-making.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across HR processes, systems, workflows and service delivery.
- Lead People & Culture projects and programs including employee engagement initiatives, staff benefits and HR communications.
- Monitor service performance, stakeholder feedback and workforce trends to identify risks and opportunities for improvement.
- Ensure HR records, employee information and documentation are managed in accordance with privacy, confidentiality and records management requirements.
- Collaborate closely with specialist functions including Talent Acquisition, WHS, Payroll/HRIS, Learning and Development and Industrial Relations.

What You’ll Bring:

- Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business, or related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Significant generalist HR experience within a complex organisation, preferably within local government, public sector or another unionized environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading, coaching and developing HR Business Partners, HR Advisors or a similar operational HR team.
- Strong working knowledge of employment legislation, industrial instruments, procedural fairness and contemporary HR practices.
- Demonstrated experience providing advice on workforce planning, organisational design, workplace change, performance and conduct matters.
- Proven experience managing organisational restructures and redundancies.
- Strong Industrial Relations (IR) experience, including interpretation and application of Awards, Enterprise Agreements and workplace legislation.
- Experience developing and implementing HR policies, procedures,



guidance materials and employee communications.
- Strong capability in HR systems, workforce reporting, data analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Excellent written communication skills with the ability to prepare reports, briefings, guidance materials and workforce communications.
- Strong stakeholder management, judgement and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage sensitive matters professionally.
- High level proficiency across Microsoft Office, HRIS platforms and digital systems relevant to HR service delivery
- Experience improving HR processes, workflows, automation and knowledge management systems.

Desirable:

- Postgraduate qualifications in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business or a related discipline.

How to apply: Visit https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-with-us/Careers to apply or learn more including all about the range of benefits on offer at Willoughby.

For more information, contact: Monica Lonergan, Manager People & Culture, at [email protected] or on +61 2 9777 1031.

Applications should address all the key responsibilities outlined in the Position Description. The Position Description (PD) is located in the Job Attachments section of the job listing.

Successful candidates may be required to undertake pre-employment screening including police and qualification checks

Applications close: Sunday, 26 July 2026 at 11:30pm

Please note recruitment activity may commence before the closing date.

Applications should be submitted in PDF format.

At Willoughby City Council, inclusion, diversity and belonging are core to how we work and how we recruit. We are committed to building a workplace that reflects the diversity of our community– one where everyone feels respected, valued and supported to contribute fully. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, abilities and identities – including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, LGBTIQA+ communities, veterans, and people of all ages.

If you require adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to let us know. We are committed to ensuring an accessible, inclusive and barrier-free experience for every candidate.

📌 People & Culture Partnering and Operations Team Leader (Sydney)
🏢 Willoughby City Council
📍 Sydney