Senior HR Business Partner

Overview

Senior HR Business Partner Critical portfolio 250 FTE. High-impact role in a complex, highly regulated environment with enterprise-wide influence in theInfrastructure sector. Drive strategic workforce planning, cultural evolution, and risk mitigation. Location: Sydney CBD with hybrid working available. Confidential process - shortlisted candidates may be asked to sign an NDA.

Our client is seeking a confident, strategic, and influential HR leader to join a high-performing business at the forefront of critical infrastructure projects. This is not a transactional role; it requires deep expertise across the employee lifecycle, with a focus on strategic workforce planning, organisational design, ER/IR risk management, and futureproofing the business through talent pipelines and cultural transformation.

This position suits someone with strong commercial and regulatory acumen, experience in high-value project environments, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics while embedding best practice across the enterprise.

You will work closely with executive and project leadership teams on a growing portfolio expected to scale in headcount. Success in this role requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, the ability to read the environment, pre-empt issues, and bring people on the journey in a high-pressure, delivery-focused setting.

Responsibilities

• Strategic HR Leadership: Act as a senior advisor and critical partner to business and project leaders; lead the development and implementation of integrated people strategies aligned to business growth and transformation priorities; partner with Centres of Excellence to drive consistency and alignment across the operating model; embed workforce planning as a strategic discipline from ramp-up and resourcing to cost forecasting, risk mitigation, and future workforce dispersion.

Talent, Capability & Risk

• Build and execute robust bench strength, talent pipelines and succession plans that meet current and future technical demands; champion strategic approaches to performance, capability development, and leadership growth; understand and proactively manage ER/IR risks with a focus on business continuity, regulatory compliance and cultural integrity; coach and influence senior stakeholders on systemic and sustainable people practices.

Workforce Planning & Project Alignment

• Deeply understand project lifecycles, technical workforce needs, and ramp-up/down rhythms; partner with project leaders to develop real-time workforce planning and cost forecasting tools; monitor workforce engagement, burnout risks and leadership gaps; proactively engage with Directors to ensure team resilience and readiness; drive strategic decision-making through people analytics and insights.

Culture, Engagement & Change

• Champion a positive, inclusive, high-performance culture; design and execute cultural initiatives and engagement strategies tailored to a project-heavy environment; lead large-scale change management initiatives and guide teams through complexity and transformation; run engagement surveys, interpret results, and implement actions that create lasting impact.

About You

• Degree qualified in HR, Business, Psychology or related field (postgrad/MBA desirable).
• 7-10+ years' senior HR experience, including significant time in strategic HRBP or HR leadership roles.
• Proven experience working in complex, regulated and infrastructure environments.
• Deep understanding of project lifecycles, workforce phasing, and talent implications.
• Strong ER/IR expertise with a commercial and risk lens.
• A natural influencer and coach, with high EQ and ability to lead through ambiguity.
• Demonstrated experience in leading cultural transformation and capability building.
• Strong analytical skills, with ability to translate data into strategic insight and action.

What's On Offer

• Influence and shape the people agenda in a high-growth portfolio.
• Work alongside senior leaders committed to transformation and excellence.
• A collaborative, values-led environment with hybrid working flexibility.
• Opportunity to lead in one of Australia's most critical sectors.
• Sydney CBD location.

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