Head of People

Head of People

• Lead transformation in a complex, national organisation
• Strategic HR leadership with strong IR/ER focus
• 5-month contract opportunity with an immediate start available

 Join Pacific National – Australia’s largest private rail freight operator

Every day we transport millions of tonnes of critical freight around the country for our customers. We haul coal, intermodal containers, steel, and bulk commodities that keep Australia moving.

 An opportunity has presented itself for a Head of People to join our team in North Sydney on a 5-month full-time contract.

 What You’ll Do

 A highly visible leadership role partnering with the Chief People & Culture Officer to deliver people strategy, lead a national team, and drive performance and cultural outcomes across the business.

 Reporting to the Chief People & Culture Officer, you will:

• Lead and coach a multidisciplinary People team across IR/ER and Business Partnering
• Provide strategic industrial relations leadership, managing complex ER matters and stakeholder relationships
• Partner with senior leaders to deliver workforce transformation, change, and capability uplift
• Act as the key escalation point for critical workplace relations issues
• Drive a high-performance culture, improving accountability, engagement, and productivity

What You’ll Bring

• Proven senior HR leadership experience in a large, complex, operational environment
• Deep expertise in industrial relations, including navigating complex EBA landscapes
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to align people strategy to business outcomes
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills at executive level
• A pragmatic, hands-on leadership style with the ability to deliver through change

Why join us?

At Pacific National we value the contribution of each team member. Our values underpin our commitment to create an inclusive culture where everyone is accepted.

Some of the benefits we offer are:

• Paid parental leave
• Novated Leasing
• Fitness Passport
• Purchase leave program
• Access to EAP program through Sonder

We live by our Values: Make it Simple, Share More, Kindness, Gratitude, Curiosity, and Own It – helping us build strong connections and do our best work every day.

Ready to deliver what matters?

Click ‘Apply Now’ and start your journey with Pacific National.

Learn more at https://www.pacificnational.com.au/careers

Pacific National acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, live and rail.