About the role
This is a high-impact opportunity to step into a Hybrid Employee Relations Counsel/Senior Employee Relations Specialist in Employment Law role where you’ll play a key part in shaping how people matters are managed across the organisation.
Operating at both a strategic and hands-on level, you’ll partner closely with leaders to navigate complex employee relations issues, providing commercially focused, pragmatic advice that balances risk with positive employee outcomes. A key part of your portfolio will centre on disputes and commission matters, where you’ll represent and guide the business through employment and industrial tribunals, ensuring matters are handled with confidence, care, and credibility.
You’ll also be deeply involved in supporting our ER Advisors, acting as a trusted escalation point, providing coaching on complex cases, and helping build capability across the broader People & Culture team.
Beyond the day-to-day, you’ll contribute to enterprise agreement activity, change initiatives, and projects that require strong employee relations expertise. You’ll work closely with unions, regulators, and external legal partners, helping to create a stable and forward-looking industrial environment.
What really sets this role apart is the level of stakeholder engagement and influence. You won’t just provide advice; you’ll bring people along on the journey. Whether you’re working with senior leaders, partnering with P&C, or supporting employees through sensitive matters, your ability to engage, influence and build trust will be critical in driving balanced, sustainable outcomes.
About you
You’re a confident and commercially minded Employee Relations specialist and/or Employee Relations Counsel with a strong foundation in employment law. You’re comfortable stepping into complex and sensitive matters, particularly disputes and commission work, and you know how to manage these situations with professionalism, sound judgement and a calm, solutions-focused approach.
You bring experience as a qualified legal practitioner, along with a solid background in employee relations, either in-house or within private practice. You have a strong understanding of the Australian industrial landscape and enjoy applying your expertise in a way that’s practical, balanced and business-focused.
A key strength of yours is stakeholder engagement. You know how to take people on the journey, whether that’s guiding leaders through challenging decisions, supporting ER Advisors, or working with external parties such as unions and regulators. You communicate clearly, build credibility quickly, and have a natural ability to influence at all levels.
You’re also someone who enjoys contributing beyond your immediate remit, whether that’s supporting enterprise agreement activity, getting involved in change initiatives, or helping embed best practice approaches across the business.
Above all, you bring a balanced perspective, strong judgement, and a genuine passion for creating fair, inclusive and commercially sound employee relations outcomes.
About us
BOQ Group is a truly unique group of challenger brands with a purpose – to provide a genuine alternative to Australian financial services for customers and employees.
Our family of brands (Bank of Queensland (BOQ), ME Bank, Virgin Money Australia, BOQ Specialist), each come with their own defined customer audience and brand personality, but share one goal – to build social capital through banking. That’s creating trust with customers, exploring staff potential and believing that tiny gestures and big ideas can change the world for communities.
BOQ Group’s inclusive vision is to foster a workspace that values and leverages difference and creates new possibilities, a place where our people feel confident to bring their best selves to work every day. We embrace difference and believe that our workforce should reflect the customers and communities that we serve.
In 2023, we successfully implemented an innovative Reconciliation Plan, driving positive change and promoting inclusivity across BOQ Group.
Our perks
At BOQ Group, we are passionate about creating an exceptional work environment that nurtures both your professional and personal growth.
Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to enhance your well-being, provide financial security, and foster a sense of community and inclusion. Here are just some of the fantastic perks you can enjoy as part of our team:
Flexible working arrangement - Balance your work and personal life with ease.
Discounted financial products - Enjoy exclusive rates on our financial services across the Group.
Salary sacrificing options - Maximise your take-home pay with our salary packaging options.
Paid parental leave with no minimum requirements - Spend quality time with your new family member without any worries.
Purchase additional annual leave - Need more time off? You can buy extra leave days.
Discounted private health insurance plan - Take care of your health with our special rates.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Access confidential support for personal and professional challenges for you and your family
Access to employee network groups - Connect with peers through our First Nations Reconciliation, LGBTQIA+, Multicultural, Gender, Early Careers, and accessibility groups.
Pride in Diversity membership: We are proud members of Pride in Diversity and actively participate in the Australian Workplace Equality Index.
We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. Join us and be part of a company that truly cares about its people and community!
How to apply
To apply for this role, follow the links.
BOQ Group is committed to diversity and an inclusive workforce. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People are encouraged to apply.
We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, gender and expressions, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities. When you apply, you are welcome to tell us the pronouns you use and please let us know any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.
If you are successful for a role with BOQ Group, it is a condition of employment that background screening is completed to ensure that the Bank complies with its obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act. These checks may include, but are not limited to identity, verification, reference checks, criminal background checks, immigration checks, verification of academic qualifications, bankruptcy checks.
Please no agency applications.
