Lead People & Culture Business Partner

• 6 Month Maximum Term Contract (Parental Leave Cover)
• Hours per week: 35 hours
• Location: Melbourne
• Hybrid working arrangement with minimum 2 days office attendance
• Applications close date: 10 July 2026

About Us 

At Oxfam Australia, we believe all lives are equal and no-one should live in poverty. We are a member of Oxfam International, a global confederation working with partners and local communities in 76 countries.

Would you like to join this global movement of people working together to eliminate the inequalities that keep people in poverty?

Due to an extension of parental leave, we have an exciting 6-month short term opportunity for an experienced HR generalist to step into the role of the Lead People & Culture Business Partner.

The Role 

Reporting to the Executive Lead People & Culture, you will play a role in shaping organisational capability and culture. You will provide strategic leadership and expert People & Culture advice, partnering with leaders to drive organisational capability, workforce effectiveness and foster a high-performing, values-driven workplace.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading, coaching and developing the People & Culture Business Partnering team, fostering accountability, capability, continuous improvement and high-quality service delivery.
• Driving strategic People & Culture initiatives, supporting workforce planning and organisational effectiveness, and acting as a delegate to the Executive Lead People & Culture as required.
• Acting as a strategic People & Culture Business Partner, providing expert advice and partnering with leaders to drive workforce capability, organisational effectiveness and employee engagement.
• Supporting leaders through change, complex people matters and risk mitigation while delivering contemporary HR solutions across the employee lifecycle.
• Driving organisational development initiatives that strengthen leadership capability, foster an inclusive, high-performing culture, and use workforce insights to support continuous improvement.
• Ensuring compliance with employment legislation, organisational policies and governance requirements while managing workforce risk, complex employee matters and safeguarding obligations.
• Oversee operational planning, resource management, budgeting, reporting and continuous improvement to ensure efficient, high-quality People & Culture service delivery.

For any enquiries relating to this role, please contact [email protected]

Essential:

• Extensive experience as a strategic Human Resources/People & Culture Business Partner, providing expert advice across the employee lifecycle.
• Demonstrated experience partnering with senior leaders to deliver workforce planning, organisational development, employee relations and change initiatives.
• Proven leadership experience in coaching, developing and leading high-performing People & Culture teams while driving continuous improvement.
• Strong knowledge of Australian employment legislation, industrial relations, WHS and contemporary HR practices, with experience developing and implementing people policies and frameworks.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across all organisational levels.
• Experience using workforce data, metrics and insights to inform strategic decision-making and organisational outcomes

A little about you (Key selection criteria):  

1. Strategic Business Partnering & Leadership
Demonstrated ability to provide high quality, accurate and considered strategic and hands-on advice to senior leaders HR matters.

2. Employee Relations

Extensive experience managing complex employee relations (including grievance resolution and case management) while developing the capability of Business Partners

3. Governance, Risk & Contemporary HR Practice
Strong working understanding of employment legislation, industrial relations, governance and compliance, with experience developing policies, managing organisational risk and ensuring best practice People & Culture outcomes.

4. Relationship Management & Communication
Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships, navigate complex issues and drive positive organisational outcomes.

How to Apply 

Complete the online application form, then, as three separate documents, upload:

1. A cover letter that tells us why you want to join Oxfam Australia, and how your professional history and lived experience make you the right candidate.
2. Your CV.
3. Your response to the key selection criteria outlined in the advertisement.

Here is the link to the Position Description

What we can offer you 

• Superior leave benefits and access to a generous not-for-profit salary packaging program (up to $18,450 of your salary tax-free).

• The opportunity to use your talents and expertise to make a positive impact around the world.

• We value flexibility and seek to support our people in ways that meet their work/life commitments and support their wellbeing.

• Cultural leave

• Superannuation matching

Diversity, equity and inclusion are core to who we are. We actively seek to create a workplace that reflects the communities we are a part of, where everyone feels safe, respected and able to thrive.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ communities.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process inclusive – please let us know if you need adjustments at any stage.

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Our culture is shaped by our values, which reinforce what we care about and how we do things, not just what we do. Our core values of Equality, Empowerment, Solidarity, Inclusiveness, Accountability and Courage drive everything we do at Oxfam.

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Therefore, our people are required to comply with the One Oxfam Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policies and sign the Oxfam Australia Child Safeguarding and One Oxfam Employee Codes of Conduct.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We care deeply about creating a safe and inclusive workplace where our people feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunities and encourage applicants with personal experience of the forms of injustice we seek to address to apply for opportunities at Oxfam Australia. 

Australian work rights 

Applicants will be required to show proof of their right to work in Australia the subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, which include Police Checks and Misconduct Disclosure Scheme outcomes, before commencement. Pre-employment checks are not used by Oxfam Australia to prevent any applicant from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits. 

Oxfam Australia will not recruit international candidates who do not hold visas permitting them to work in Australia. Oxfam Australia does not provide visa sponsorship. 

Additional information 

For ongoing roles and fixed term roles, candidates will be required to have Australian work rights for the duration of their employment with Oxfam Australia.

At Oxfam Australia, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture where everyone’s rights are recognised and respected. Guided by feminist principles and core values, we embrace different perspectives and work to eliminate systemic inequities that perpetuate discrimination. We centre and amplify the voices of people with lived experience and work in solidarity to build a future where no one is left behind. 

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is reflected in our actions, Oxfam Australia: 

• Supports employee-led committees 

• Promotes consultative ways of working and decision making 

• Maintains a comprehensive enterprise agreement that prioritises employee well-being, as demonstrated through multiple leave types 

• Provides ongoing awareness and training on unconscious bias, inclusion, and respectful workplace practices, ensuring alignment with Oxfam’s values 

• Ensures a fair and accessible recruitment process

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