Senior Human Resources Officer

About Reef Catchments

At Reef Catchments, the work you do has a lasting impact on the places, communities and industries that make the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region unique.

Reef Catchments is the natural resource management (NRM) organisation for the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region. We work with landholders, Traditional Owners, industry, community groups, researchers and government to improve the region’s land, water and biodiversity.

Our projects deliver practical, on-ground outcomes. Whether it’s improving water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef, restoring wetlands and habitats, supporting sustainable agriculture, or helping local communities care for the environment, we’re focused on projects that make a real difference across our region.

We’re a team of people who enjoy working together to solve problems, build partnerships and deliver results. We value different perspectives and experiences because they help us make better decisions and achieve improved outcomes for the region. If you’re looking for a role where you can see the difference your work makes, you’ll find it at Reef Catchments.

About the Role

The Senior Human Resources Officer provides senior operational human resources support across the employee lifecycle and assists the People and Safety Manager to deliver consistent, compliant and effective people practices across Reef Catchments. The role coordinates recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance processes, HR systems, reporting and policy administration, and provides practical advice to managers and employees within approved policies and delegations.

The position works with a high degree of independence on routine and moderately complex matters, maintains confidentiality and accurate records, and escalates significant employee relations, industrial relations, remuneration, organisational change and other high-risk matters to the People and Safety Manager. The role also contributes to workforce planning, learning and development, culture and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate end-to-end recruitment and employee lifecycle activities, including onboarding, probation, employment changes and offboarding.
• Provide practical HR advice and support to managers and employees on policies, employment conditions, performance, conduct and employee relations matters.
• Support performance review, grievance, workplace concern and investigation processes, maintaining accurate and confidential records.
• Draft, review and implement HR policies, procedures, forms and guidance materials to ensure compliance and consistency.
• Maintain HR systems, employee records, workforce data and reporting, providing accurate insights to support decision making.
• Assist with workforce planning, learning and development, succession planning, employee engagement and organisational improvement initiatives.
• Support payroll administration and verification activities, including employment changes, leave and timesheet processes.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of HR systems, processes and service delivery across Reef Catchments.

Capabilities, knowledge and skills

• Strong generalist HR knowledge, including employment legislation, the National Employment Standards and sound employee relations principles.
• Sound judgement, discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and organisational matters.
• Strong recruitment and employee lifecycle coordination skills, with high attention to detail and accurate documentation.
• Ability to support performance, conduct, grievances and employee relations matters in a fair, practical and consistent manner.
• Strong policy and procedure drafting, interpretation and implementation skills.
• Competence using HR information systems, workforce data and reporting tools to maintain accurate records and provide useful insights.
• Clear written and verbal communication and the ability to build constructive relationships with managers, employees and external providers.
• Strong organisation, prioritisation, problem-solving and continuous improvement skills, including confident use of Microsoft 365 and HR systems.

Benefits Include

• Five weeks annual leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Up to $2,000 per year toward professional development
• Work locally in the Mackay, Whitsundays region
• Be part of a growing and continuously improving business
• Additional paid day off at Christmas
• Career development and progression opportunities
• Team building and wellbeing initiatives
• Retention incentives at 3 years, 5 years and 7 years of continuous service
• Opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental and community outcomes

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be able to demonstrate their ability to meet the following criteria:

Essential

• A relevant qualification in human resources, industrial relations, business or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Demonstrated generalist HR experience across recruitment, employee lifecycle administration, HR advice, performance processes and employee relations.
• Experience preparing employment documentation, HR correspondence, policies or procedures and maintaining accurate HR records and systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, handle confidential matters and work collaboratively with managers and employees, with capacity for regional travel between Reef Catchments locations as required.

Desirable

• Experience supporting payroll processing, payroll administration or payroll verification, including leave, timesheets and employment changes.
• Experience using Employment Hero or a comparable HRIS and payroll platform.
• Experience supporting workforce planning, organisational change, learning and development or employee engagement initiatives.
• Membership of, or eligibility for membership with, the Australian HR Institute (AHRI), or experience in a not-for-profit or community-based organisation.

How to Apply

Please submit your cover letter addressing the Selection Criteria with a copy of your current resume online via the Reef Catchments website, Seek, or by email to careers@reefcatchments.com as soon as possible.

Applications close Sunday 13 September 2026, with applications reviewed as received and interviews potentially commencing before the closing date.