Industrial (Labour) Relations Manager

Industrial Relations Manager

Adelaide or Brisbane based

About us 

Worley is a global company of energy, chemicals and resources experts headquartered in Australia. We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value across the life of their assets. We specialize in consulting, engineering, procurement and construction across the project lifecycle, with services extending through to operations and decommissioning. Leveraging extensive experience and AI-enabled delivery, we support customers in navigating complexity as they meet today's needs and transition to more sustainable solutions. 

We’re looking for an experienced Industrial Relations Manager to lead the development and delivery of the industrial relations strategy for a major mining project in Australia. Working closely with the Project Leadership Team, our customer, construction management and trade contractors, you will help establish a stable, productive and compliant industrial relations environment. This is a highly influential role with responsibility for contractor industrial relations, workforce strategy, labour productivity, stakeholder engagement, risk management, compliance, audit and assurance.

The position will be primarily office based, with regular travel to site and close engagement with the EPCM Site Management team and the customer.

 What you’ll do: 

• Develop, implement and maintain the Project Industrial Relations Strategy, supporting plans, procedures and minimum requirements.
• Provide strategic and operational industrial relations advice to the Project Director, Project Leadership Team, Construction Management and customer.
• Promote a stable, productive and cooperative industrial environment through consistency, early intervention, mutual trust and open communication.
• Lead EPCM industrial relations activities across construction contractors and subcontractors.
• Implement industrial relations requirements and evaluation criteria across contractor prequalification, tendering and selection.
• Participate in tender clarification and assessment processes, identifying industrial, workforce, productivity and commercial risks.
• Review contractor Employee Relations Management Plans and monitor compliance with approved strategies, contractual requirements and project commitments.
• Oversee contractor industrial relations performance, including wages and conditions, industrial instruments, workforce conduct, grievances, investigations, disciplinary matters, terminations and industrial disputes.
• Support the development and implementation of project labour, workforce sourcing and mobilisation strategies.
• Monitor labour market conditions, workforce availability, wage movements, competitor activity, skills shortages and mobilisation constraints.
• Identify labour productivity risks and support workforce engagement and productivity improvement initiatives.
• Maintain the industrial relations risk register and develop preventative controls, treatment plans and mitigation strategies.
• Monitor potential industrial activity, workforce claims, disputes, right-of-entry activity and other external developments that may affect project delivery.
• Develop and coordinate contractor industrial relations audit and assurance activities.
• Facilitate contractor coordination meetings, governance forums, reporting and escalation of material industrial relations matters.

What you’ll bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in industrial relations, human resources, law, business or a related discipline, or substantial equivalent industry experience.
• Extensive industrial relations experience within major construction, resources, energy, infrastructure or capital project environments.
• Experience supporting site-based projects, including camp-based or fly-in, fly-out operating environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Australian employment and industrial relations legislation, industrial instruments and contemporary industrial practices.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing industrial relations strategies across complex project environments.
• Experience coordinating industrial relations activities across multiple construction contractors and subcontractors.
• Strong capability in contractor prequalification, tender assessment, mobilisation and ongoing industrial relations assurance.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across customers, project leadership, trade contractors, site management and support functions.
• The ability to identify emerging industrial risks and develop practical, commercially considered controls and mitigation strategies.

Why you should apply

• Join a major project where industrial relations will have a direct influence on safe, stable and productive delivery.
• Work closely with senior project, customer, construction and contractor stakeholders.
• Lead the industrial relations strategy across a complex contractor workforce.
• Contribute to workforce planning, contractor governance, productivity and project risk management.
• Build your career with a global professional services company operating across the energy, chemicals and resources sectors.

Moving forward together

We want our people to be energized and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values-inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection and innovation. We're building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. Creating a space where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

And we're not just talking about it; we're doing it. We're reskilling our people, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition of our workforce to become experts in today's low carbon energy infrastructure and technology. Whatever your ambition, there's a path for you here.

And there's no barrier to your potential career success. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.