The Country HR Business Partner (Australia) acts as the strategic and operational HR lead for both the corporate office and the retail network in Australia. Managing the entire scope of operations, the ideal candidate brings end-to-end expertise across all HR processes, a strong command of Australian employment law, and a hands-on, autonomous approach across the full employee lifecycle
Qualifications1. Talent Acquisition & Onboarding: Manage end-to-end recruitment for headquarters and retail store
positions. Drive proactive candidate sourcing, structure inclusive selection processes, and deliver seamless
onboarding programs to integrate new talent effectively.
2. Payroll Management & Statutory Compliance: Oversee end-to-end payroll operations in collaboration
with external Australian payroll providers. Transition current payroll processes to standard Australian
systems/software (e.g., ADP or local standard tools). Manage statutory contributions including
Superannuation, leave entitlements (annual, personal, long service), and tax compliance.
3. Retail Operations & Employee Relations (ER): Act as primary HR partner for retail store managers.
Handle employee relations, grievances, disciplinary actions, and performance improvement plans (PIPs).
Oversee employment disputation and litigation support in close coordination with external legal counsel.
4. HR Systems, HRIS & Process Standardization: Supervise HRIS accuracy and maintain compliant
digital employee records. Standardize HR processes across leave tracking, benefits administration, and
evaluation frameworks, upgrading from legacy ad-hoc tools.
5. Talent Management & Performance Evaluation: Implement performance evaluation frameworks
tailored for office and retail teams to foster engagement and productivity. Identify training needs and
promote career progression across store networks.
6. Policy & Compliance Management: Maintain and update the Australian Employee Handbook, ensuring
strict adherence to Modern Awards, National Employment Standards (NES), Fair Work Australia
compliance, and workplace safety standards.
Requirements:
- Experience Level: Senior HR Generalist / HRBP background with proven ability to operate strategically
while executing daily operational tasks.
- Industry Background: Ideally 5 years of HR experience.
- Australian Employment Law & Payroll Expertise: Strong operational understanding of Australian
employment law and local payroll/benefits structures.
- Matrix Organization Experience: Proven ability to thrive in a dual/matrix reporting setup
- Language Skills: Fluency in English is essential. Proficiency in Italian is considered a strong plus to
interface effectively with HQ.
- Communication & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional interpersonal and influence skills to build
strong partnerships with store managers, local executive leadership, and HQ.
Skills Required
- End-to-end recruitment and onboarding for headquarters and retail positions
- Oversee payroll operations and statutory compliance (Superannuation, leave, tax) with Australian payroll providers
- Experience transitioning payroll to Australian systems/software (e.g., ADP)
- Act as primary HR partner for retail store managers; manage employee relations, grievances, disciplinary actions, PIPs
- Provide litigation support and coordinate with external legal counsel on employment disputes
- Maintain HRIS accuracy, digital employee records, and standardize HR processes (leave tracking, benefits administration)
- Implement performance evaluation frameworks and identify training and career progression needs
- Maintain and update Australian Employee Handbook; ensure compliance with Modern Awards, NES, Fair Work, and workplace safety
- Senior HR Generalist / HR Business Partner background with ability to operate strategically and execute operational tasks
- Experience operating in a matrix/dual reporting organization
- Fluency in English
- Proficiency in Italian to interface with HQ
- Ideally ~5 years of HR experience
What We Do
An Italian House of Brands, Family Owned Since 1951. Passion, commitment and tradition have created a unique fashion style: today 10 Main Brands and more than 60 different Collections find common ground in quality, style and respect for the distinctive feature that make Max Mara Fashion Group one of the most famous worldwide. Max Mara Fashion Group, with 41 companies and over 5,500 employees, operates in 105 countries. Our ecosystem is made of 44 Depts, including Fashion Design, Marketing, Operations, Retail, Stores, ICT, Architecture Design, Economics, BI, etc. in an Holistic approach to our Customers and leveraging all the new digital competences. We are looking for travel companions. Travelers willing to explore new skills and abilities that have the shape of water and can adapt to different situations and find new paths not yet covered.
