About Them
Our client plays a critical role in Australia's transport and trade infrastructure, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of commercial operations across a highly regulated environment. With a strong focus on safety, operational excellence and community service, they are currently seeking an experienced Senior People & Culture Business Partner to support leaders through a period of workforce transformation and organisational growth.

About the Role
This role partners closely with operational and corporate leaders to deliver both strategic and operational people solutions across the employee lifecycle. Supporting a diverse portfolio, you'll act as a trusted advisor on workforce planning, employee and industrial relations, leadership capability, talent acquisition and organisational effectiveness, helping leaders navigate complex workforce challenges while building high-performing teams and a positive workplace culture. You'll also support leaders in creating safe and sustainable work environments through the practical application of psychosocial risk management principles and broader wellbeing initiatives.

Key responsibilities include:

- Partnering with leaders on workforce planning, talent, succession and people strategy
- Partnering with leaders to identify and manage psychosocial risks, supporting safe, healthy and compliant workplaces
- Managing complex employee and industrial relations matters, including investigations and case management
- Supporting organisational change, workforce initiatives and leadership capability programs




- Building productive relationships with unions, employee representatives and key stakeholders
- Leading end-to-end recruitment activities and contributing to broader culture and engagement initiatives
- Analysing workforce trends and providing practical insights to support decision-making

About You
This role will suit an experienced HR Business Partner who enjoys working close to the business and partnering with leaders through complex workforce challenges. You'll bring strong employee and industrial relations capability, experience supporting organisational change and a demonstrated ability to build credibility with stakeholders at all levels. Comfortable operating in environments where priorities shift and competing demands are the norm, you're known for providing practical, balanced advice and finding solutions that work for both the business and its people. You'll also be comfortable advising leaders on contemporary people challenges, including psychosocial risk, employee wellbeing and creating psychologically safe, high-performing teams. Experience within a unionised, operational or highly regulated workplace will be highly regarded, along with exposure to workforce planning, talent and broader people initiatives.

How to Apply
For more information or a confidential discussion, please contact Lorainne Winterstein on 02 •••• •512 or ••••@thenextstep.com.au, quoting reference 4082380.
Alternatively, click Apply Now to submit your application.

📌 Senior People & Culture Business Partner (Newcastle)
🏢 The Next Step
📍 Newcastle