Senior Workplace Relations Counsel Full time (part-time considered)

Catholic Employment Relations – Sydney CBD NSW

Sydney CBD | Full time (part-time considered) | Hybrid Working Available

About Us

Catholic Employment Relations (CER) is a trusted partner to Catholic employers across Australia, providing expert employment relations, human resources, industrial relations and legal support through a distinctly Catholic lens.

We work alongside Catholic schools, Religious Institutes, health and social service providers, and other Catholic agencies to build in-house capability and navigate complex workplace issues with confidence. From day-to-day employment matters to enterprise bargaining, workplace investigations, litigation and governance, CER delivers practical, end-to-end support that aligns with Catholic values and mission.

As a not-for-profit legal practice and wholly owned subsidiary of Catholic Schools NSW, we are committed to excellence in client service, collaboration, and supporting the mission of Catholic organisations.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Workplace Relations Counsel to join our growing team.

This is a senior advisory role for a workplace relations professional who thrives on solving complex challenges, building trusted client relationships, and providing commercially sound, practical advice. Working closely with senior leaders, executives, boards and decision-makers, you will deliver strategic employment and industrial relations support across a diverse portfolio of Catholic organisations.

You will act as a trusted advisor, balancing legal obligations, organisational objectives,



operational realities and stakeholder expectations to help clients make informed and effective workplace decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Employment & Industrial Relations Advice

- Provide expert advice on complex employment and industrial relations matters, including:
- Performance management
- Misconduct and disciplinary processes
- Terminations and redundancies
- General protections claims
- Unfair dismissal matters
- Interpretation and compliance with awards and enterprise agreements
- Deliver practical, commercially focused solutions that support organisational objectives while managing legal risk.

Litigation, Dispute Resolution & Risk Management

- Manage employment-related disputes and litigation before courts, tribunals and regulatory bodies.
- Develop risk mitigation strategies and dispute resolution pathways.
- Provide strategic advice on settlement negotiations and legal risk management.
- Identify opportunities for early intervention to minimise organisational disruption and exposure.

Enterprise Bargaining & Industrial Strategy

- Lead and advise on enterprise bargaining negotiations and industrial strategies.
- Support clients in developing bargaining positions aligned with workforce and operational objectives.
- Provide advice on industrial disputes,



legislative compliance and industrial relations trends.

Workplace Investigations

- Lead complex and sensitive workplace investigations involving:
- Misconduct
- Bullying
- Harassment
- Discrimination
- Systemic workplace concerns
- Ensure procedural fairness and legally defensible outcomes.

Governance, Compliance & Policy Leadership

- Develop and review workplace policies, governance frameworks and compliance programs.
- Monitor legislative developments and emerging workplace risks.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives and best-practice workplace governance.

Specialist Legal Advisory

Advise on:

- Employment contracts
- Executive employment arrangements
- Privacy obligations
- Workplace health and safety matters
- Workplace policies and governance frameworks
- Prepare complex legal opinions, submissions, correspondence and advisory materials.

Thought Leadership & Training

- Develop client updates, articles, guidance materials and training programs.
- Present at workshops, seminars and sector events.
- Contribute to CER's reputation as a leading workplace relations advisory practice.

Client Relationship Management

- Build strong and enduring relationships with clients and stakeholders.
- Deliver responsive, strategic and high-quality advice tailored to each client's needs and risk appetite.

Leadership & Collaboration

- Mentor and support colleagues across the business.
- Contribute to a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
- Support innovation, continuous improvement and cross-functional projects.

About You

You are a trusted workplace

📌 Senior Workplace Relations Counsel Full-Time (Sydney)
🏢 Catholic Employment Relations
📍 Sydney