We have an exciting opportunity at nbn for an Executive Manager Industrial Relations. This role will report to the General Manager Employee Relations.
A bit about your role
As the Executive Manager Industrial Relations, you will lead the definition and delivery of nbn’s industrial relations (IR) strategy. You will bring clarity to a complex and evolving industrial landscape, ensuring the organisation is well positioned to navigate regulatory change, workforce dynamics, and union engagement.
In this role, you will partner closely with senior leaders, Legal, and delivery teams to translate strategy into meaningful enterprise-wide outcomes. You will play a central role in building organisational capability by supporting leaders in union engagement, strengthening approaches to dispute management, and embedding consistent, practical frameworks across the business.
As a trusted escalation point, you will draw on insights to inform longer-term improvement across the organisation. Your impact will extend across governance and risk, where you will establish clear frameworks and bring greater transparency to industrial risks, ensuring they are well understood, actively managed, and addressed in a way that supports sustainable business outcomes.
A bit about you
The successful candidate will bring deep experience in industrial relations within complex, highly unionised environments, with a track record of shaping and implementing effective IR strategies. You are comfortable operating at both a strategic and operational level, combining sound judgement with a calm, considered approach to managing sensitive and high-impact matters.
You are known for your ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders, engaging collaboratively with senior leaders, unions, and delivery partners to achieve balanced and sustainable outcomes. Your approach is thoughtful and inclusive, and you take pride in building capability in others, supporting leaders to feel confident and well equipped in navigating industrial relations matters.
With a strong grounding in governance and risk, you bring a structured and pragmatic perspective, ensuring industrial relations practices are both compliant and aligned to broader organisational goals. Above all, you are purpose-driven, with the ability to navigate complexity with care, influence, and integrity while contributing to a supportive and high-performing culture at nbn.
Life at nbn
To be part of nbn is to be part of something bigger. There’s so much more from here. Our pioneering spirit drives us forward every day. Together, we help lift the digital capability of the nation by building and connecting Australia’s best fibre infrastructure into homes and businesses, plus places and things, everywhere. We’re continuing to create Australia’s network—a network made for more. Not just a way for everyone to do the things they love but transforming the way they do them.
A more inclusive working world
nbn is committed to an inclusive, flexible, and supportive workplace where everyone can feel heard, valued, and respected. We believe diverse perspectives are the key to unlocking greater outcomes and encourage applications from people of all ages, nationalities, abilities, and cultures. That's why we have a Reconciliation Action Plan, Accessibility & Inclusion Plan, offer 18 weeks of paid parental leave, are a Pride in Diversity Platinum Employer, and have active employee-led diversity pillars. Click here to see our list of employee benefits and why we're recognised as a WORK180 Endorsed Employer for Women.
Equal Opportunities for All
We champion equal opportunities for all employees. If you have any accessibility requirements and would like to discuss adjustments for the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing [email protected] or calling our Recruitment Accessibility Enquiry Line at +61 2 8918 9990. Please note, this line is dedicated to accessibility-related enquiries for the purposes of recruitment, and only enquiries related to accessibility adjustments will be answered. For other matters, please visit our Contact Us page on our website.
Where to from here?
If you think this role might be for you, we want to hear from you. Please apply by following the links and sending in your resume only. We do not require a cover letter or any selection criteria to be addressed.
Please note that this role is a permanent opportunity and applications will close at midnight on Tuesday, 30th June 2026.
To be eligible for this role, you must have full working rights in Australia
Worker TypePermanentTime TypeFull timeSkills Required
- Deep experience in industrial relations within complex, highly unionised environments
- Proven track record shaping and implementing industrial relations strategies
- Experience engaging and influencing senior leaders, unions, and delivery partners
- Strong governance and risk management experience related to industrial relations
- Experience building capability in leaders for union engagement and dispute management
- Ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels with sound judgement
- Full working rights in Australia
What We Do
NBN Co runs the nbn® network, helping providers deliver reliable, fast, resilient and secure broadband. Social media community guidelines: We know that many Australians will have questions and comments about the nbn® network, and we encourage feedback, commentary, and discussion that’s calm, constructive, and considerate. We expect that anyone wanting to share their opinion on our social channels will ensure that their comments are relevant and respectful to everyone in the community, and adhere to our community guidelines. These guidelines assist us in identifying any comments that may need to be moderated or removed. The types of opinions or comments that will not be tolerated within our community include content that is: 1. False, inaccurate or misleading 2. Abusive or threatening, or causes injury or harm to any person 3. Offensive or sexually explicit 4. Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, hateful or discriminatory against any religion, age, ethnicity, or disability or other protected attribute. 5. Illegal, unlawful or defamatory 6. Trolling, deliberate disruption of discussion, or posts that will not further the discussion positively 7. Consistent misrepresentation of nbn or the nbn® network 8. Information that identifies or directs abuse at an nbn personnel 9. Information that identifies another individual or discusses their personal circumstances 10. Any personal attack on the author of content, and other readers/community members 11. An infringement of any third party’s rights, including intellectual property 12. Spam 13. Solicitation 14. Any computer viruses or another potentially damaging computer program or file 15. Link baiting nbn does not condone, endorse or approve any content posted on our social channels that violates these guidelines.
