People and Culture Partner

Job Description

• Full-time, 12 month fixed term contract position at HEW Level 8.
• Hawkesbury campus with flexible working arrangements.
• Salary: $120,754 – $134,051 per annum, plus 17% Super and Leave Loading.

Bring your HR expertise and practical approach to supporting leaders and delivering workforce improvements across the University’s faculties and institutes.

 

The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced People and Culture Partner who builds strong relationships, exercises sound judgement and gets things done.

This additional role will provide capacity across the team supporting the University’s Provost portfolio, which includes faculties and institutes delivering teaching and research. You will support leaders of academic and professional staff, working closely with the Lead People and Culture Partner and three Partners who hold the primary faculty relationships.

Working alongside each Partner, you will take responsibility for agreed people matters and project activities, drawing on their faculty knowledge and keeping advice and engagement coordinated.

You will contribute HR expertise to workforce and operating model design, role clarity, process improvements, and practical approaches and tools for academic leadership workload. This means gathering and analysing information, developing options and materials, consulting stakeholders, testing approaches and helping implement approved changes. Over the 12 months, you will help shape improvements and see them put into practice.

You’ll join a close-knit, friendly team that works hard, shares ideas and readily steps in to help one another. We take pride in doing good work and following through, and we enjoy a good laugh along the way. We also recognise when it’s time to pause, take a break and reset.

What Success Looks Like:

• Trusted relationships and practical advice. Leaders and colleagues value your understanding of their priorities, clear recommendations and constructive challenge.
• Sound judgement on people matters. You manage complex issues, apply enterprise agreements and policies consistently, and involve specialist colleagues at the right time.
• Stronger people leadership. Your advice and coaching help leaders address issues early and manage performance, development and change effectively.
• Useful workforce solutions. You turn evidence and stakeholder feedback into practical proposals, tools and improvements.
• Ownership and delivery. You manage agreed work independently, work through the detail and carry actions through to implementation.
• Effective teamwork. You work alongside the faculty Partners, share knowledge and deliver coordinated support that strengthens their relationships with leaders.

Please refer to the Position Description for full details.

About You
You enjoy project work and taking a hands-on approach. You’re comfortable working through the detail, developing an initial approach, consulting the people involved and refining it as you learn.

You bring structure to work that is still taking shape, adapt when priorities or evidence change, and keep things moving. You work closely with colleagues and leaders to turn ideas into practical solutions.

You bring confidence, sound judgement and a sense of humour. You can have difficult conversations, challenge constructively and stay composed when views differ or decisions are contested. You listen carefully, treat people with respect and stand behind well-founded advice, while remaining open to another perspective.

You will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Business or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Substantial HR partnering experience in a complex organisation, including advising leaders and managing sensitive people and performance matters.
• Experience interpreting and applying enterprise agreements, policies and procedures, with sound judgement about when to seek specialist advice.
• Practical experience contributing to workforce design, organisational design or operating model improvements.
• Demonstrated experience personally developing and implementing HR solutions, such as workforce tools, role frameworks, process improvements or change implementation materials.
• The ability to analyse workforce information, consult stakeholders and turn findings into clear recommendations and action.
• The ability to manage competing prior

Benefits
We invest in the people who make our mission possible. Alongside a rewarding career, we offer a range of benefits designed to support your financial, personal and family wellbeing.

• Financial benefits: Access to staff-only products and offers with selected banking partners, salary sacrifice options for onsite parking, and novated motor vehicle leasing.
• Health and wellbeing support: Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP), complimentary annual flu vaccination, eligibility for Fitness Passport membership, and access to discounted private health cover.
• Onsite childcare: Long day care and early learning services operate at our Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Parramatta, and Penrith campuses. Staff may be eligible for discounted fees and salary packaging, with places subject to centre capacity.

Application Details

• Position Enquiries: Direct to Ben Kerr, Lead People and Culture Partner via [email protected]. Please include the job reference code REF1993Q
• Closing Date: 11:59pm, Thursday 5th November 2026
• Working Rights: You must provide evidence of full-time working rights in Australia at application.
• How to Apply: Please note that only applications submitted via the University’s online recruitment system will be considered. As part of your online application, you will be asked to respond to screening questions addressing the key qualifications, experiences and skills required for this position.

Belonging at Western
We are committed to substantive equality as outlined in our Equal Opportunity Policy. We actively encourage applications from Indigenous Australians, candidates of all gender identities and expressions, people of all abilities, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

For Reasonable Adjustments during the application process, please contact [email protected].

About Western
This is your opportunity to be part of something bigger. By joining Western Sydney University, you become a valued member of our community. As our region changes, so too does our university. Western is boldly different, energetic, global, diverse, dynamic, and youthful.

Our mission is to deliver student success, impactful research, and stronger communities. As part of our team, you will have a stake in shaping the future of education, broadening horizons, and changing lives. Making a difference starts at Western.

For the latest please visit our website and LinkedIn.

Qualifications

Additional Information