Lead, Influence & Shape Culture Across Our Schools

Are you ready to take your HR leadership to the next level? Townsville Catholic Education (TCE) is seeking a passionate and experienced Senior People and Safety Business Partner – Performance and Talent to join our team. Starting 23 July 2025, this Full-Time, permanent opportunity is your chance to make a real difference across a diverse regional education network while working in a values-driven, supportive environment.

In this key role, you’ll lead the Business Partner team who manages employee relations, performance, and workplace conduct matters. You’ll guide a team of committed HR professionals, provide high-level advice on complex matters and build the capability of school and office leaders through coaching and collaboration.

The position monitors and evaluates issues from complaints and grievances, working closely with school and office stakeholders as needed. This role may involve reviewing and analysing potentially traumatic material. It is important that you consider if the advertised role is the right fit for you as exposure to this type of content may be an unavoidable part of the role. While TCE provides training, resources and support to help minimise vicarious trauma, applicants need to be resilient in nature and able to draw on individual self-care strategies and support networks to manage their wellbeing.

Our Organisation

Townsville Catholic Education supports a diverse region extending from Townsville to the Burdekin and Whitsunday regions in the South, North to Ingham and Halifax, South-West to Winton, and West to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island.

Townsville Catholic Education provides a supportive, flexible working environment where care for the individual is an important part of our ethos. We employ motivated people who want to work together to produce excellent outcomes for our students. Our staff are recognised as being central to achieving our mission.

Townsville Catholic Education has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people and/or adults-at-risk. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has a zero tolerance to abuse of children or adults-at-risk.

Key Accountabilities

Lead employee and industrial relations operations across TCE.

Manage complex ER/IR cases and workplace investigations.

Support and coach HR teams for consistent case handling.

Advise on legal, union, and enterprise agreement matters.

Develop and improve ER/IR policies and frameworks.

Build leadership capability through coaching and training.

Use data to identify trends and guide decisions.

Foster a fair, compliant, and respectful workplace.

About you

You bring proven expertise in employee and industrial relations, with strong leadership and coaching skills.

You are confident managing complex cases and navigating legal and union matters.

Your strategic mindset supports workforce planning and policy development, while your resilience and commitment to wellbeing inspire a positive workplace culture.

Mandatory Criteria

Current Working with Children Suitability Card - The successful candidate will require a paid Blue Card before commencement as per the No Card, No Start policy developed by Queensland Government.

Tertiary qualifications in HR/IR/ER/Law or other similar disciplines. Before the appointment, credentialing documentation must be provided and verified.

Current Driver’s Licence.

Ability to travel from time to time within the Catholic Diocese of Townsville and to undertake occasional ad-hoc domestic travel as required.

Ability to perform the physical requirements of the role in a safe manner.

Desirable Criteria

5+ years’ experience working in HR/IR/ER will be highly regarded.

MS Suite and Google – intermediate to a high level of expertise.

What we offer

Competitive salary

4 weeks annual leave plus 17.5% leave loading

Salary packaging options

Superannuation up to 12.75% employer contribution

Access to long service leave after 7 years

14 weeks paid parental leave

Deferred Salary Scheme

Corporate health insurance

Professional development and wellbeing programs

Want to Know More?

For more details, view the full Position Description or contact TCEO Human Resources at [email protected] for a confidental discussion.

Ready to Apply?

Click on the link to apply via the Careers page.