- Canberra
- Applications close 12 June 2026
- The salary range for this role is $102,072 - $111,701
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources and our broader portfolio are integral to the Australian Government’s economic agenda. Our purpose is to help the government build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. We do this by:
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Growing innovative & competitive businesses, industries and regions
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Investing in science and technology
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Strengthening the resources sector.
The APS and the department offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create positive impact in people’s lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.
If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia’s future.
Please see the APSC’s APS Employee Value Proposition for more information on the benefits and value of employment within the APS.
The Employee Relations (ER) team provides specialist employee and industrial relations advice and develops effective strategies, processes and interventions to meet the department’s requirements under the Enterprise Agreement and ensure compliance with Commonwealth legislation.
The ER team is responsible for overseeing, managing and maintaining the department’s HR policies, HR delegations and relevant instruments, salary sacrifice arrangements and relocation processes. The ER team is also responsible for managing the department’s relationship with unions, provides support and guidance to the business in relation to change management and consultation requirements and provides secretariat support services for the National Consultative Committee.
The key areas of knowledge, skill and ability for this position are:
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the ability to work with others to build and sustain an effective, positive, and collaborative team.
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strong knowledge of employee relations legislation, policies and procedures, and a record of effectively assisting in the management, investigation, and resolution of employment matters.
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effective problem solving and critical thinking skills to exercise sound judgment in consideration of immediate and long-term issues.
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well-developed written and oral communication skills, including the ability to successfully engage with key stakeholders.
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the ability to build and nurture relationships based on trust and credibility with internal and external stakeholders.
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the ability to demonstrate professionalism, impartiality, and integrity in dealing with others and managing sensitive information.
The Senior ER Adviser plays a key role in assisting in the delivery of a range of employee and industrial relations services and initiatives across the department. The Senior ER Adviser provides employee relations advice to stakeholders and assists with projects to support continued best practice policy and processes.
The Senior ER Adviser will:
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support implementation of the Enterprise Agreement and be responsible for ensuring that relevant HR policies, guidelines and factsheets are fit for purpose, regularly reviewed, and made available to employees.
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provide specialist advice on employee relations policy and legislation to guide managers and employees and assist in the resolution of complex employee relations matters.
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assist in the conduct of straight forward workplace investigations and employee grievances, providing general advice to stakeholders in alignment with policies and processes.
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support various ER projects to ensure legislation, policies, programs, systems, services and service delivery models are tailored for end user experience.
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monitor APS-wide changes of relevance to employee relations policies and practices.
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assist with the preparation of complex and/or sensitive correspondence, briefs and documentation.
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develop and manage relationships with stakeholders across and outside the portfolio.
To be eligible for employment in the APS and the department, candidates must be Australian Citizens.
Positions require a Baseline security clearance and successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.
A merit pool may be established and used to fill future vacancies within 18 months from the date the vacancy was first advertised in the Gazette.
The department does currently offer flexible work opportunities for many roles. This vacancy is Canberra based, but flexible work arrangements may be considered for suitable candidates. Please reach out to the contact officer to discuss this further.
Your application must not contain any classified or sensitive information. This includes in your application responses, CV and any other documents. The selection panel may not consider applications containing classified information.
Please provide a pitch explaining how your skills, knowledge and experience will be relevant to this role and why you are the best candidate for the position. Your pitch can contain no more than 500 words and should align to the key duties listed above.
You may use AI tools to support your application. However, all content must be accurate, authentic, and reflect your own capability in line with APS merit principles. For further guidance, please refer to the APSC’s Principles for candidate use of AI in recruitment.
Please complete your application online and provide your current CV with your application. (CVs must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format).
Accessible application documentation is available in other formats on request. Please contact [email protected] or (02) 6276 1235 if you require assistance with your application.
Please refer to our Applying for a position information for additional information on how to apply.
For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact Sean Lewis on [email protected] or via email on [email protected]
