Employee Relations Business Partner

Description:

We are Veriu Group (pronounced 'Very You')!

Our brands come from humble beginnings and a passion for connecting travellers to the local authenticity of a location. We aim to bring people together in new ways, to create lifelong travel memories that can’t be found in a guidebook, and to help people discover the true experience of a place.

Through our brands Punthill Apartment Hotels and Veriu Hotels & Suites, we operate 25 hotels across Australia and have over 35 years of brand history. Our ambitious plan to operate 80 hotels by 2030 becomes closer this year with numerous new hotel openings across the country, and this means we’re well on our way to achieving our mission of becoming the largest Australian-owned apartment hotel operator.

Our people are incredible because they're empowered to be themselves. We're not about hierarchy or rigid structure. Instead, we create an environment where people can make decisions, feel supported and access unlimited opportunities for growth. Our values of Relationship-Focused, Integrity, Personal Growth & Ownership Mindset guide our actions and decisions, and are what our diverse culture is all about.

If you’re looking for a meaningful role that can make a serious impact, within a culture that allows you to be truly you – you’ve found us and we can’t wait to hear from you!

To learn more about us, visit our website! https://veriu.com.au/about-us/ or https://punthill.com.au/about-us/

Welcome to our People & Culture Team!

Based at our St Kilda Road corporate office, we’re a tight-knit team that challenges ourselves to be the best we can be every day. We’re supportive, collaborative, and fun, but also high-performing—ensuring our impact drives Veriu Group’s strategic goals.

This newly created role has been introduced ahead of our next wave of hotel openings and is designed to bring significant technical expertise to our team. As the People Relations Business Partner, you’ll play a pivotal role in providing strategic and operational employee relations and WHS advice to our leadership team, corporate managers, and hotel managers. Your contributions will directly shape our culture, ensuring we create a fair, safe, and high-performing workplace where both our people and our business thrive.

This role is about influence, leadership, and solutions, and your expertise will help foster an engaged, high-performance workplace where team members feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed—while ensuring we meet our compliance obligations and long-term business goals.

Key Accountabilities of the Role

• Provide expert guidance on grievances, workplace investigations, performance management, disciplinary processes, and dispute resolution, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes.
• Keep the business up to date with employment law changes by advising on policy updates, award interpretation, and contract amendments, ensuring Veriu Group’s policies reflect best practices.
• Oversee the execution, compliance, and continuous improvement of Veriu Group’s WHS framework, embedding a proactive safety culture.
• Manage workers compensation claims, non-work-related injuries, and return-to-work programs, ensuring the right support for team members while balancing business needs.
• Educate and coach leaders on employment law, workplace policies, and best practices, building their confidence in managing people effectively.
• Conduct workplace investigations into misconduct, unsatisfactory performance, and WHS incidents, implementing strategies to prevent future risks.
• Partner with leaders to support business change, restructuring, and workforce planning, ensuring smooth transitions and compliance.
• Foster a high-performance, values-driven culture by influencing leadership approaches, strengthening workplace relationships, and driving positive team engagement.

Benefits of Working with Us!

There is so much we love about being part of the Veriu Group PAC team:

• Continued career development opportunities
• Genuine ownership and decision-making powers so you can truly make a difference
• National work-travel opportunities (occasional travel to our local and interstate hotels)
• Comprehensive onboarding
• Incredibly supportive team peers
• Genuine job security
• High performing culture that values relationships & individuality
• Generous referral bonuses when you refer your friends to work with us (up to $1000)
• Discounts on accommodation across our network
• Discounts on private health insurance
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program
• + more

About You

We work in an environment where no day is the same, so we’re looking for someone who is adaptable, fast-paced, enjoys variety and who operate with an ownership mindset.

You'll bring with you:

• Approved Australian working rights (Australian Citizenship, Permanent Residency or a Visa with approved working rights).
• Demonstrated experience in a strategic ER/WHS role (min 3-5 years experience).
• Strong understanding of Australian Employee Relations, WHS and Workers Compensation laws and statutory requirements.
• Proven track record in return-to-work program management and compliance with workers' compensation requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong working relationships and influence others.
• Strong and engaging communication skills to influence stakeholders, including the Board, Directors, Managers and team members (written & verbal) .
• High standards of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to use a high level of initiative and emotional intelligence.