Senior People Partner – Sydney

Are you a HR professional with a love of fun? Would you like to work for one of the leading global companies in visitor entertainment? We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a full-time Senior People Partner to join our Sydney attractions at Merlin Entertainments, the company behind SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, Wildlife Zoo and much more!

Based in Sydney and reporting to the Head of People ANZ, you’ll partner with the General Manager and Leadership Team to deliver a people agenda that drives commercial performance, operational excellence and sustainable organisational growth. As a trusted and commercially focused People Partner, you’ll provide strategic advice across organisational design, workforce planning, talent, leadership capability, employee relations, change and culture. You’ll challenge thinking, influence decision‑making and ensure people strategies are aligned to business priorities.

A key focus of the role will be supporting organisational transformation, including restructures, operating model redesign, leadership effectiveness and wider business change initiatives, while ensuring compliance with employment legislation and Merlin policies. You’ll also provide strategic oversight of talent acquisition and capability development across the Sydney Cluster, working closely with our Centres of Excellence to ensure leaders have the talent, capability and organisational support needed to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Your duties include but are not limited to:

• Translating commercial priorities into people strategies that improve organisational capability, productivity and business performance.
• Leading complex employee relations matters including investigations, disciplinary matters, grievances and performance management.
• Providing expert advice on restructures, consultation processes, redeployment and redundancy.
• Partnering with leaders on industrial relations matters including Enterprise Agreements and union consultation where applicable.
• Working with all levels of management to provide a professional, consistent and commercial approach to the management of employee relations matters.
• Leading and/or influencing decision making in line with policies, legislation and the Merlin Values.
• Analysing people data and identifying and implementing initiatives.
• Providing change management plans and support.
• Supporting other parts of the People covering Return‑to‑Work requirements, query management, reporting and insights and data.

To shine in this role, you will ideally have strong communication and organisation skills and experience in a HR team within a fast‑paced environment. A passion for working in the tourism/attraction industry is essential.

You will also have:

• Background in operational HR, any discipline considered.
• Passion for talent and development processes.
• Proven track record of building strong relationships and influencing key business decisions.
• Skills in project and change management.
• Excellent analytical ability and attention to detail.
• Experience of data management and ability to interpret data to present insights to stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment.

Benefits include corporate benefits such as free access to all our attractions worldwide, domestic and global opportunities to develop and progress your skills and career in tourism and attractions, additional leave (including birthday and wellbeing) and 3 volunteer days to give back to a social cause you care about, a hybrid working model and flexible working policy, and the opportunity to be involved with our Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, including our Reconciliation Action Plan.

Merlin Entertainments is driven by a strong social responsibility with the vision to create a world where the global community respects, conserves, and sustainably manages our precious aquatic habitats, wildlife, and natural resources. We strive to achieve this goal through our 3 charities: Merlins Magic Wand, the SEA LIFE Trust, and the WILDLIFE Conservation Fund.

So, if you are vibrant and passionate about delivering an amazing service within a great company and in a team who loves what we do – then we want to hear from you!

Merlin Entertainments strongly encourages application from all backgrounds, including people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.

Compensation between AUD $140,000.00/Yr.-AUD $150,000.00/Yr.