People & Culture Manager

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded People & Culture Manager to lead the people function across our franchise network. This role is responsible for delivering practical HR leadership across corporate and franchised operations, supporting compliance, culture, performance, workforce planning, and employee engagement.

The successful candidate will partner closely with franchisees, operations leaders, and support office teams to ensure people practices align with business objectives, Australian employment legislation, and applicable industrial instruments including the Fast Food Industry Award 2020 and Restaurant Industry Award 2020.

Key Responsibilities

• People Strategy & Culture
• Develop and implement People & Culture strategies aligned to business growth objectives.
• Foster a high-performance, values-driven workplace culture across corporate and franchised locations.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives, recognition programs, and retention strategies.
• Coach operational leaders in people management, communication, and leadership capability.
• Industrial Relations & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act, National Employment Standards (NES), and applicable modern awards.
• Provide guidance on classifications, rostering, overtime, penalties, breaks, allowances, and employment conditions under the Fast Food and Restaurant Industry Awards.
• Support franchisees and managers with award interpretation, investigations, disciplinary matters, and grievance handling.
• Maintain compliant employment contracts, policies, and HR documentation.
• Recruitment & Workforce Planning
• Oversee end-to-end recruitment for company operated cafes, and support office roles.
• Develop talent pipelines and workforce planning initiatives to support network growth.
• Manage onboarding and induction processes to improve retention and operational readiness.
• Performance & Employee Relations
• Lead performance review frameworks and coaching processes.
• Manage employee relations matters including misconduct, underperformance, and workplace investigations.
• Provide practical HR advice to operational stakeholders in a fast paced operational environment.
• Systems & Reporting
• Maintain HRIS and people reporting systems.
• Analyse workforce metrics including turnover, engagement, and recruitment trends.
• Support payroll and operations teams with workforce compliance audits and reporting.
• Skills & Experience
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a People & Culture, HR Manager, or Employee Relations role.
• Experience within QSR, hospitality, retail, franchise, or multi-site operations highly regarded.
• Strong understanding of Australian employment law and modern awards, particularly the Fast Food Industry Award and/or Restaurant Industry Award.
• Demonstrated experience managing employee relations and workplace investigations.
• Ability to influence stakeholders across franchise and corporate environments.
• Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with HRIS, payroll systems, and workforce compliance processes.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Business, Employment Relations, or related discipline desirable.
• Relevant HR membership (e.g. AHRI) desirable.
• Respectfully, no agencies at this time