Executive General Manager, People & Culture

Shape the people strategy for Australia's first high speed rail network.

About the High Speed Rail Authority

The Australian Government is planning a future high speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast of Australia.  

 The High Speed Rail Authority (the Authority) is an independent corporate Commonwealth entity governed by an independent board, established to lead the development and delivery of high speed rail.  

High Speed Rail – Line 1 connects Newcastle to Sydney in around one hour on a dedicated high speed railway.  From the Central Coast it will take around 30 minutes to get to Newcastle or to Sydney.  With funding now committed to progress Line 1, HSRA are forming an executive team to develop and deliver this generational program.   

High speed rail will contribute to key Australian Government priorities, including increased economic productivity, new housing options, regional economic and tourism development and contributing to net zero.  

About the role

The primary purpose of this role is to create and implement the people strategy and manage all aspects of the employee lifecycle, ensuring the Authority is equipped with the right capability to deliver the HSR project.

The role will foster a healthy, productive organisational culture aligned to the values and strategic intent of the Authority. It will also lead the proposed organisational growth, maturity, and associated change management process to allow the organisation to effectively grow from around 40 staff to around 130 staff by 2027.

What you'll lead

• Drive the design and implementation of a comprehensive Human Resources strategy that aligns with the requirements of a Commonwealth entity and supports the Authority's goals, focusing on workforce optimisation and engagement.

• Oversee day-to-day Human Resources operations, including benefits administration.

• Lead the design of programs to enhance corporate safety and employee wellbeing.

• Lead HSRA planning and development, engaging stakeholders and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Oversee talent acquisition and the development of a robust talent pipeline to address long-term staffing needs and succession planning.

• Direct the delivery of the Authority's learning and development initiatives, including specialist technical and organisation-wide core skill-building.

• Develop and integrate strong organisational culture and values, and oversee policies and practices that maintain and enhance diversity and equality.

About you

We are seeking a senior People & Culture executive with the expertise to lead the people strategy and organisational growth of the Authority. Specifically, you bring:

• The ability to lead the design of a comprehensive people strategy, with deep expertise in workforce optimisation and engagement.

• The capability to build and sustain positive employee relations, including navigating conflict, complexity and sensitivity.

• Experience designing organisation-wide learning and development initiatives, and engaging effectively with stakeholders across functions to ensure consistent, cohesive implementation of skill-building.

• The ability to spearhead the review and establishment of the Authority's culture and values, and to shape the development and maintenance of policies and practices that enhance diversity and equality.

• The ability to shape and drive efficient recruitment processes, identify qualified candidates, and engage with potential senior talent.

• The ability to lead strategic initiatives that enhance organisational resilience and ensure business continuity, including the design and execution of plans for organisational development.

• Experience working in an infrastructure delivery environment will be considered an advantage.

Eligibility

Employment with the Authority is subject to the conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999. To be eligible, you must: 

• Be an Australian citizen & hold a degree or equivalent working experience. 

• Hold or be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance & satisfy a National Police check (mandatory pre-employment screening). 

Next Steps

Applications close on Thursday 28th May at 5pm AEST.

To apply, please submit your CV together with a suitability statement to our recruitment partners, Robert Walters, via email to HSRAExecutive@robertwalters.com.au

A full position description is available to download on www.robertwalters.com.au/hsra.html or via request at HSRAExecutive@robertwalters.com.au