People Experience Business Partner - Zoos Victoria

Zoos Victoria operates four landmark zoos, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park, Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Victoria's zoos are made up of passionate, energetic and driven employees committed to fighting wildlife extinction. Every person, from the extensive range of disciplines, plays an important role in helping the organisation realise its vision to become a world leading zoo-based conservation organisation.

The Opportunity

You'll join Zoos Victoria at an important point of organisational change as the People Experience team transitions from a property-based model to a new centralised portfolio structure. This is a broad, hands-on HR Business Partner role supporting a diverse portfolio across Assets & Presentations, Conservation & Science and Finance. That means your stakeholders could range from highly operational and frontline teams across maintenance, horticulture and other site-based functions, through to professional, corporate and academic environments. The role will suit an HRBP who enjoys variety, is comfortable working close to the business and can adapt their partnering style to different stakeholder groups.

What You'll Be Doing

You’ll provide practical, trusted HR advice across the full employee lifecycle, including:

- Partnering with operational,frontline and corporate leaders across your portfolio
- Managing employee relations and industrial relations matters
- Working confidently within a unionised environment, particularly with the United Workers Union
- Coaching and building the capability of frontline managers as the organisation moves to a new operating model
- Supporting managers through performance, grievances and complex people matters
- Providing advice on employment legislation, EBAs, awards and relevant industrial instruments
- Supporting workforce planning, organisational change and cultural initiatives
- Providing broader generalist HR support across recruitment, HR processes and day-to-day people matters
- Navigating HR systems and supporting the business through the transition to Dayforce
- Contributing to broader People Experience projects and the implementation of the new operating model

The Opportunity

Zoos Victoria operates four landmark zoos, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park, Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Victoria's zoos are made up of passionate, energetic and driven employees committed to fighting wildlife extinction. Every person, from the extensive range of disciplines,



plays an important role in helping the organisation realise its vision to become a world leading zoo-based conservation organisation.

What You'll Be Doing

You’ll provide practical, trusted HR advice across the full employee lifecycle, including:

- Partnering with operational,frontline and corporate leaders across your portfolio
- Managing employee relations and industrial relations matters
- Working confidently within a unionised environment, particularly with the United Workers Union
- Coaching and building the capability of frontline managers as the organisation moves to a new operating model
- Supporting managers through performance, grievances and complex people matters
- Providing advice on employment legislation, EBAs, awards and relevant industrial instruments
- Supporting workforce planning, organisational change and cultural initiatives
- Providing broader generalist HR support across recruitment, HR processes and day-to-day people matters
- Navigating HR systems and supporting the business through the transition to Dayforce
- Contributing to broader People Experience projects and the implementation of the current operating model

About You

We’re looking for a well-rounded HR Business Partner who can operate confidently across both operational and professional environments. You’ll bring:

- Strong generalist HR Business Partner experience
- Sound ER/IR capability and confidence dealing with complex employee matters
- Experience working with frontline and/or operational workforces
- Experience in a unionised environment
- Strong stakeholder management and manager coaching skills
- The ability to build credibility with people at all levels and work independently
- Confidence adapting your approach between operational, corporate and professional stakeholder groups
- Strong judgement, problem-solving ability and resilience
- Good HR systems capability and the ability to learn new technology quickly
- Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources or another relevant discipline
- A current driver’s licence

You don’t need to have worked specifically in a trades environment however, we’re interested in people who have genuine experience partnering with frontline, operational and unionised workforces. Experience in government,



local government or similarly complex environments could translate particularly well.

Working at Zoos Victoria

This role operates across a genuinely unique environment. The general working model is approximately three days onsite and two days working from home, with flexibility available from commencement. Your onsite days will include time at the Parkville/Melbourne Zoo office, as well as across other Zoos Victoria properties including Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. The role generally operates around 9.00am-5.00pm, with flexibility around start and finish times provided business requirements are met.

Why Zoos Victoria?

This is an opportunity to join an organisation where the purpose is incredibly clear - the work you do directly supports an organisation focused on conservation and fighting extinction. You’ll also get exposure to a breadth of HR work that is difficult to find in a single role: operational and frontline partnering, union and ER/IR matters, professional and academic stakeholders, organisational change and HR transformation. You’ll join an experienced and collaborative People Experience team that values trust, autonomy and supporting each other through complex work. Salary sacrifice arrangements are also available, including options relating to superannuation and vehicles.

The Details

- Salary: $110,000 - $117,000 + super
- Employment: Fixed term via Zoos Victoria payroll
- Duration: ASAP to 30 June 2027
- Location: Parkville, with regular attendance across Werribee and Healesville
- Working arrangement: Approximately 3 days onsite / 2 days WFH
- A Police Check and Working with Children Check will be required.

Ready for something a little different?

If you’re an experienced HR Business Partner who likes being close to the business, can stay calm when things get complex and enjoys helping managers navigate change, we’d love to hear from you. And yes - working at Zoos Victoria really is as interesting as it sounds.

At Zoos Victoria we value diversity, celebrate difference and work to be inclusive in everything we do. We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, people with disability and people from the LGBTIQA+ community. In addition, Zoos Victoria will provide reasonable adjustments for individuals with disability, illness or injury. If you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process,please advise via **********@zoo.org.au or visit https://www.zoo.org.au/about-us/careers/inclusion-and-diversity/ for more information.

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📌 People Experience Business Partner - Zoos Victoria (Melbourne)
🏢 Zoos Victoria
📍 Melbourne