Manager People Strategy

• Senior leadership opportunity within People & Culture
• Shape the people strategy, culture and employee experience at Hobsons Bay
• Permanent, full-time position
• Senior Executive Officer (SEO) Contract – 5-year tenure
• Salary package circa $215,000, commensurate with experience
  
  

We’re here. We’re community. We’re Hobsons Bay.

At Hobsons Bay City Council, we’re building a workplace that reflects our community and our values, and we have big ambitions for what the employee experience at Council can be.

We want Hobsons Bay to be a place where people thrive, celebrate and belong. A workplace with high expectations and genuine care for our people and the community we serve, where great work is recognised, and different perspectives are welcomed. We’re committed to developing our people to be their best.

We’ve made real progress, but there’s more to do.

And that’s where you come in.

The opportunity

We’re looking for a Manager People Strategy who wants to help shape what comes next.

Reporting to the Chief People Officer and as a member of Hobson’s Bay City Council’s Senior Leadership Team, you’ll lead the People Strategy function and a multidisciplinary portfolio spanning organisational development, workforce planning, talent, culture, change, people systems, and strategic projects.

This is a role with real scope to influence.

You’ll work across Council to understand what our people need, turn organisational priorities into practical people strategies and help create the conditions where employees and leaders can do their best work.

We’re looking for someone who can bring the strategy, but also the humanity. Someone who understands that culture isn’t something written in a document. It’s created through the everyday experience of our people.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the development and delivery of Council’s workforce and people strategies
• Shape organisation-wide approaches to culture, capability, leadership and employee experience
• Lead strategic workforce planning, talent management and organisational development initiatives
• Use workforce insights and analytics to identify opportunities and inform better decisions
• Lead the development of contemporary people systems and practices that make it easier for our people to do great work
• Partner with leaders across Council to enable organisational change and build capability
• Oversee strategic projects that strengthen how we attract, develop, engage and retain our people
• Create opportunities to recognise success, celebrate our people and strengthen connection and belonging across Council
• Lead, coach and develop the People Strategy team, creating clarity, trust and space for great ideas
  
  

What You’ll Bring

We care just as much about how you lead as what you know.

You’ll Be Someone Who

• Has significant experience leading contemporary people, culture or organisational development functions
• Can move comfortably between big-picture strategy and practical delivery
• Understands what creates a strong employee experience and knows how to turn that understanding into action
• Has a track record of shaping culture and building organisational capability, not just running HR programs
• Uses evidence, workforce data and employee insights to challenge assumptions and make better decisions
• Builds trusted relationships and influence at senior and executive levels
• Bring people with you through change, including when the path isn’t straightforward
• Leads with authenticity, curiosity and care
• Creates an environment where people are included, feel safe to contribute ideas, challenge thinking and be themselves
• Knows serious work doesn’t always require us to take ourselves too seriously
• Brings energy, personality and positivity, and genuinely wants people to enjoy being part of the organisation
  
  

You’ll also bring relevant tertiary qualifications in human resources, organisational development, business or a related discipline, together with substantial relevant experience.

Why Hobsons Bay?

Because this is a chance to do more than inherit a People Strategy.

It’s an opportunity to help shape our next chapter.

You’ll have the backing and scope to challenge how things have traditionally been done, try new approaches and influence what working at Hobsons Bay feels like.

We want to build a workplace where high performance and humanity sit comfortably alongside each other. Where people have clarity and accountability, but also connection. Where we recognise great work, celebrate our successes and create moments of joy along the way.

If that sounds like the kind of workplace you’d like to help create, we’d love to hear from you and not just what you’ve done, but how you’ve gone about it.

Along with your current CV, please provide a maximum two-page cover letter sharing two examples of people strategy, culture, organisational development or workforce initiatives you’ve helped bring to life.

For Each Example, Tell Us

• What you set out to achieve: What needed to change, and why?
• How you made it happen: How did you shape the approach, influence others and bring leaders and employees along with you?
• What difference it made: What changed for the organisation or its people? How did you know it had been successful, and what did you learn?
  
  

Uncover more about this role in the Position Description attached below or contact Talent Acquisition Team via email at careers@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au.

Applications will be accepted until 11:30pm on 25th November 2026.

To ensure fairness and consistency for all applicants, we are unable to accept late submissions and/or submissions/applications made via email. We appreciate your understanding and encourage timely applications via Council's online portal.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Progressed candidates will be required to complete a National Police Record Check and a Working With Children Check.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa with full unrestricted working rights. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.

What We Can Offer

• Hybrid working flexibility, whether you're home, or in our newly renovated & spacious office facilities.
• Our location in the centre of Altona is close to public transport, cafes and parks. Enjoy your lunch at the pier, or an afternoon walk along the lake.
• Go to the gym or ride your bike before work? Our End of Trip Facility offers bike storage and shower facilities to get you refreshed and ready to go!
• Exclusive staff access to our Employee Assistance Program, wellbeing programs, discounted local gym membership, Reflexology sessions, Meditation, Yoga & Circuit classes, and walking & social clubs.
• Ongoing professional development support - we'll champion your growth, because your career matters to us!
• A team that’s shaping a brighter future, working together to create a sustainable, thriving community for generations to come.
  
  

We are a proud inclusive employer. We encourage people from all walks of life to apply for our job opportunities. Our commitment is to provide diverse, safe and inclusive environments where everyone can grow and succeed.

Attachments

• Position Description - Manager People Strategy.pdf
• Position Description - Manager People Strategy.pdf