Human Resource Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE

The role of the People + Culture Manager is critical to our success. Our people are our most important asset and you’ll be the one to ensure we have a happy and productive workplace where everyone works to achieve our mission and objectives. 

You will be developing innovative strategies aligned with business goals, collaborating with management and shaping a positive culture. Leading talent recruitment, you will be refining processes, and fostering internal growth.

You will thrive in a collaborative team environment and be a master in successfully managing projects with multiple stakeholders. There is the flexibility of working from home with the requirement to attend scheduled meetings and collaboration sessions at our Geelong Head Office as agreed upon with Senior Management.

ABOUT YOU

You are passionate about developing a positive and empowering team culture.  You have excellent listening, negotiation and communication skills, a great work ethic and accountability.

You can shift from long-term thinking to the day-to -day,  happy to get your hands dirty in the basics, but also keen to contribute to the bigger picture.

You are up for a challenge. We’re expanding fast and we need people who thrive in a fast paced, growth environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership: 

• Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy. 
• Collaborate with managers to improve the performance of their people, lifting their capability and empowering them to drive the performance of their teams.

Talent Growth + Acquisition:

• Execute innovative recruitment acquisition strategies and build a positive employer brand.
• Foster internal growth through talent development and succession planning.
• Ensure best practices, innovative methods and processes related to recruitment, selection and onboarding.

Employee Relations:

• Resolve all people relations; Address conflicts, manage grievances, and promote effective communication.
• Contribute to policy development and implementation in relation to industrial and employee relations matters

Performance & Talent Management:

• Drive excellence by building performance processes, providing feedback, and contributing to a performance-driven culture.
• Ensure market-driven benchmarking and a transparent annual review process.
• Identify and develop relevant KPIs that will measure the performance and success of each area of the business 

Culture & Change Management:

• Drive initiatives that embed Upstate values-based culture into practice.
• Provide specialist advice, coaching and development to management to achieve a productive and engaged workplace culture.
• Ensure our workforce is diverse, engaged and empowered.
• Review and strengthen Upstate’s Financial and non-financial benefit offerings.

HR Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with employment laws and award coverage, align policies & conduct audits.
• Ensure accurate records and collaborate for policy development.
• Understanding and interpreting Award Coverage (Fitness and Clerks Award) to ensure compliance. 

Workforce Planning and Development:

• Cultivate growth! Design and implement learning programs to enhance employee skills and career growth.
• Ensure that the organisation’s learning needs are identified and are addressed and developed through the development and implementation of a staff training plan
• Ensure all Learning and Development is linked to organisational needs and aligned to performance reviews and business planning processes. 

Work Health & Safety:

• Support and participate in improving the Work, Health and Safety system ensuring compliance with legislation requirements. 
• Ensure Upstate has policies and actions to achieve a safe working environment to ensure the well-being and safety of people.

What you need to succeed:

• Proven working experience as HR Manager or other HR Executive role
• Ability to understand and bring into practice HR compliance and Australian employment law
• You are proactive, hard-working, detail-oriented, with a general  for learning and professional growth
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and perform under pressure
• Comfortable being a self-starter in a growth-driven environment
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and teams

Note: May require travel between all studio locations

ABOUT UPSTATE

What is Upstate?

A group of Pilates, yoga, reformer and boxing studios currently across Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat. In 2024 we are focused on expanding nationally over the next few years with a huge vision. We want to be the best part of someone’s day. We create spaces that make people feel happy, builds community, and inspires people to live the best life possible. We believe health and fitness should be as fun as it is challenging, and that’s what we create!

 Our plan.

The Upstate team is focused on exciting growth across the next 12 months, opening new studios across the country, and expanding our brand. It is an exciting time for the team to come on board to help shape the future of the vision, through their input and expertise.

What’s on offer!

• Classes always - If you love to get sweaty and have fun then you’ll feel right at home here. Classes are part of the deal in any role, and we give you time and space to help us create the best sessions every day.
• Flexible conditions - We don’t conform to the 9-5 (does anyone anymore?!), our business runs from a 5.30am pilates class, to 8pm Yin Yoga, so our people need to be flexible and adaptable. In return we give that flexibility back. If it’s working remote, or working part time, we are open to all conversations. The world of work has always been flexible for instructors, so it’s the same approach as we develop our core support team.
• Development and growth – We are on a journey to grow, and we’re focused on our people helping us get there. We don’t know everything now, but we focus on investing in our people, their skills and their pathways into roles that they aspire to be in.
• Staff discounts across Upstate Studios, Upstate Sport and Cotton On and associated brands. 

So what type of people do we need?

Upstate has a vision to help people create a positive state of mind. Our people are customers first, have a positive mindset, community connected, team players and push the boundaries. We look for attitude over skill (but we’ll take both of course), problem solvers who can help us find a way forward, even if they haven’t seen it before.