Manager, People Services and Recruitment in Sydney

Lead the frontline People & Culture service and recruitment function.

Help shape a simpler, more modern HR service experience.

Build the systems, service standards and team capability that support our next phase.

This is a full-time ongoing role at Clerk Grade 11/12, with a minimum salary of $154,231.00 negotiable on experience plus superannuation. The role is based in Sydney, with flexible ways of working supported.

Recruiting people who help deliver access to justice. Every person we recruit contributes in some way to Legal Aid NSW delivering access to justice. We recruit across a large and diverse organisation, including frontline legal services, corporate functions, specialist professions and regional locations across NSW. That makes Talent Acquisition here varied, challenging and important.

We are modernising how People & Culture works. We are building a more connected and responsive service model, using better technology, clearer service pathways and stronger insights to make HR simpler, more consistent and easier to access for employees and leaders. Talent Acquisition is an important part of that change.

The function brings together frontline HR service delivery and Talent Acquisition, creating a more connected experience from recruitment and commencement through to ongoing employee support. As Manager, you will lead the function and establish the service standards, workflows, escalation pathways and operational discipline that underpin it. You will be accountable for high-volume HR enquiry management, recruitment delivery, onboarding and establishment support, operational governance, digital enablement and continuous improvement.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team across People Services and Talent Acquisition. Some days will be focused on recruitment demand, service performance and workload priorities. Other days will involve solving a process problem, improving how work moves across teams, reviewing service data, strengthening a digital pathway or working with senior People & Culture colleagues on a complex workforce issue. This is a role for someone who likes building better services, not simply maintaining existing ones.

What you'll be trusted to do:

• Lead People Services and Recruitment to deliver consistent, high-quality HR service delivery, recruitment, onboarding and establishment support across Legal Aid NSW.
• Set service standards and establish clear triage, workflow, quality assurance and escalation arrangements.
• Oversee portfolio-aligned recruitment delivery, hiring manager support, candidate management, selection governance and recruitment compliance.
• Use service data, recruitment metrics and customer feedback to improve performance, identify risk and remove friction.
• Strengthen digital enablement, self-service, knowledge management and system improvements.
• Connect frontline services with Senior People Partners and specialist People & Culture teams so operational delivery supports workforce priorities.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, building capability, accountability, service discipline and a strong customer-focused culture.

You’ll succeed in this role if you:

• Enjoy building better services and understand that strong HR operations depend on clear standards, good judgement and a strong customer experience.
• Have extensive experience leading HR service delivery, HR operations, recruitment or Talent Acquisition in a complex, high-volume environment.
• Can see the connection between process, systems, people and customer experience.
• Use data and operational insight to challenge how work is done and improve performance.
• Can lead through change while maintaining service continuity and confidence.
• Set clear expectations and build capability, accountability and service discipline.
• Are comfortable working across business partnering and specialist HR teams to deliver integrated services.

Undertake relevant pre-employment checks such as Criminal Record Check, and Conduct Service Check. Relevant experience in recruitment, human resources or workforce services. Willingness to travel to regional and metropolitan offices as required. Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing roles) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary roles).

Here, every role has purpose. Whether you're delivering frontline legal services or strengthening our organisation from behind the scenes, you'll help create fairer outcomes for the people across NSW. We're building a workplace where every culture, identity, ability and voice are included and valued. We welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with visible and invisible disability, culturally diverse communities, and LGBTQI+ communities so you can connect and flourish at every stage of your career.

As an employee of Legal Aid NSW, you will have access to and enjoy a variety of support and benefits so you can thrive professionally and personally. You'll love our:

• Flexible Working - we are a Flex Ready certified and Carers and Employers accredited organisation.
• Professional Growth - as the largest law firm in NSW we offer a variety of opportunities to enhance your career at every stage.
• Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing - with dedicated programs, training, resources, and respectful work practices.

Closing Date: Monday 5th October 2026 at 11.59pm.