About this role
Job title: Employee Relations Manager
Overview
RMIT Vietnam is seeking an experienced Employee Relations Manager to lead and strengthen our employee and industrial relations practices. This is an exciting opportunity for an HR professional with deep expertise in Vietnamese employment legislation and experience managing complex workplace matters within an international and culturally diverse environment. You will lead sensitive employee relations cases and investigations, act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, and leverage data-driven insights to identify risks and drive proactive interventions that foster a fair, respectful and positive employee experience.
Why join RMIT Vietnam?
At RMIT Vietnam, international exposure meets real-world impact through strong industry and government collaboration. Working at RMIT means building a meaningful career while creating impact in a high-performing environment.
Further insight into our mission, impact and global connections is available in the RMIT Vietnam Profile.
What we offer
Expatriates
- Competitive remuneration package USD for expatriate candidates
- Relocation allowance package of US$6,000
- Relocation flights from home location to Vietnam for candidate and direct dependents (if applicable)
- International repatriation flights for the staff and direct dependents at the end of their contract.
- School tuition fees for children to attend the K-12 program in Vietnam, up to US$20,000 per child or US$40,000 for two children per year.
- Premium private medical insurance for employee and immediate family, plus Personal Accident Insurance
- Dedicated support from Global Mobility Team to support with immigration and relocation to Vietnam.
Vietnamese candidates
- Competitive remuneration VND package for Vietnamese candidates.
- Annual Executive Bonus
- 13th month Tet bonus
- Private Health insurance for you and your family, plus Personal Accident Insurance
Other benefits
- Generous annual leave, sick leave, volunteer leave and public holidays (Christmas and Tet Holidays)
- Professional development and career advancement
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources
- A vibrant and diverse campus life and more!
Position Summary The People (HR) team at RMIT Vietnam supports the University's strategic objectives by enhancing organisational capability, employee engagement and a culture of innovation. The Employee Relations (ER) Manager provides expert leadership and advice across employee and industrial relations, including complex case management, workplace investigations, union engagement and policy governance.
Success in this role requires deep expertise in Vietnamese employment legislation, sound judgement in managing sensitive workplace matters, and the ability to operate effectively within an international and culturally diverse environment. Working closely with senior leaders, HR Business Partners, internal legal advisors and Trade Unions, the incumbent acts as a trusted advisor on complex ER matters, leads investigations and conflict resolution, and uses data-driven insights to identify emerging trends, mitigate risks and recommend proactive interventions that improve the employee experience.
Key Accountabilities summary
Employee Relations Case Management and Oversight
- Provide oversight of the end-to-end management of employee relations matters, including disciplinary matters, grievances, performance concerns, workplace conflicts, and other employee matters, ensuring timely, consistent, and procedurally fair outcomes.
- Provide guidance and direction to the Employee Relations Advisor, leaders and HRBP’s in managing cases, ensuring appropriate case handling, procedural compliance, documentation, and alignment with organizational policies and employment requirements.
- Act as the primary escalation point for the Employee Relations Advisor on complex, sensitive, high-risk, or contentious employee relations cases, providing advice, recommendations, and direction on appropriate courses of action.
Workplace Investigations
- Provide strategic oversight and guidance on workplace investigations, including investigation planning, interview approaches, evidence assessment, procedural fairness, and report preparation.
- Lead or oversee complex and sensitive investigations, ensuring investigations are conducted objectively, thoroughly, confidentially, and in accordance with established protocols and due process requirements.
Employee and Industrial Relations Advisory
- Provide expert advice and guidance to leaders, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders on complex employee and industrial relations matters, including local employment legislation, policy interpretation, procedural requirements, and associated risks.
- Act as the senior advisory and escalation point for employee relations matters, supporting stakeholders in assessing risks, determining appropriate interventions, and making informed decisions.
HR Policy Governance
- Lead and oversee the review, development, and continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures, guidelines, and related frameworks within the assigned scope.
- Ensure policies and procedures remain relevant, consistent, and aligned with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and organizational standards.
Industrial Relations Management
- Lead and oversee industrial relations activities, including engagement with Trade Unions and employee representatives, ensuring constructive stakeholder relationships and compliance with applicable requirements.
- Provide guidance on union consultations, collective discussions, negotiations, meetings, and issue resolution, including the management of sensitive or contentious matters.
Stakeholder Management and Engagement
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with senior leaders, HR Business Partners, employees, Trade Unions, and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate effective management and resolution of employee and industrial relations matters.
- Lead stakeholder engagement on complex or sensitive ER/IR matters, providing appropriate guidance, managing expectations, and facilitating constructive resolution.
- Provide direction and support to the Employee Relations Advisor in managing stakeholder relationships and coordinating ER/IR activities.
ER Risk Management and Insights
- Lead the identification and assessment of emerging employee relations trends, recurring issues, and organizational risks, using case data, stakeholder feedback, and relevant insights to recommend proactive interventions.
- Provide strategic recommendations to mitigate employee and industrial relations risks, strengthen management practices, and prevent recurring issues.
People Leadership and Capability Development
- Provide day-to-day leadership, supervision, and guidance to the Employee Relations Advisor, HRBP’s and people leaders, ensuring clarity of responsibilities, priorities, and performance expectations.
- Support the development of the Employee Relations Advisor's technical capability, judgement, and confidence through coaching, knowledge sharing, case reviews, and constructive feedback.
Strategic Projects and Continuous Improvement
- Lead and contribute to strategic HR initiatives, ER/IR projects, and continuous improvement activities to strengthen employee relations frameworks, processes, systems, and tools.
Governance, Documentation and Reporting
- Ensure appropriate governance and oversight of employee and industrial relations records, case documentation, reporting, and tracking mechanisms, maintaining confidentiality, accuracy, and audit readiness.
Key Selection Criteria
- Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Law, Business Administration, or a related discipline; a relevant Master's degree is highly desirable.
- Substantial experience in employee and industrial relations, with demonstrated expertise in managing complex and sensitive ER matters.
- Strong knowledge of local employment legislation, industrial relations frameworks, HR policies, and regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated experience in leading workplace investigations, managing disciplinary matters, grievances, and other complex employee relations cases, ensuring procedural fairness and due process.
- Proven ability to provide strategic and practical advice to senior leaders and HR Business Partners on complex ER/IR matters, including risk assessment and recommended interventions.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to exercise sound judgement and act as an escalation point for sensitive and high-risk matters.
- Demonstrated experience in industrial relations management, including Trade Union engagement, employee consultations, collective discussions, and compliance monitoring.
- Proven leadership and people management capabilities, including providing direction, coaching, supervision, and capability development to team members.
- Highly developed stakeholder management, consultation, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to manage sensitive and contentious workplace matters.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare investigation reports, case assessments, and recommendations for management consideration.
More information is available in the Job Description.
How to Apply
- Please note that we will be running a rolling recruitment process, so please apply as soon as possible.
- Compliance Requirements All academic appointments at RMIT Vietnam must meet University and local regulatory requirements, including English proficiency, background checks, and (for international candidates) eligibility for a work permit.
- English is the language of teaching and communication at RMIT Vietnam. For this role, the minimum requirement is IELTS (Academic) with a score of at least 6.5 with no competence less than 6.5 (or equivalent, as outlined in the Recruitment, Selection and Onboarding Guidelines).
RMIT UNIVERSITY COMMITMENT RMIT is committed to the rights of students and staff to be safe, respected, valued, and treated as an equal in their place of study and work. All staff are expected to share this commitment and contribute to a safer community. While carrying out their role, staff are in a position of trust with students. Staff have a duty of care to report wellbeing concerns about students through the designated channels and uphold the code of conduct. RMIT Vietnam expects all staff members to comply with its Code of Conduct, policies and procedures, which relate to legal and regulatory requirements and our ways of working.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
- Please ensure that your application is submitted through our Workday system on the RMIT Careers page. We do not accept applications through other means.
- RMIT Vietnam will never request any fees or payments during the application process. Be vigilant about scams asking for payment to apply.
- For any questions or support, feel free to reach out to our Talent Acquisition team
Applications Close: 11 thg 12 2026 11.59 pm
RMIT University Vietnam is a campus of RMIT University. RMIT Vietnam is creating an innovative research, teaching and learning culture. We are committed to providing internationally recognised high-quality education and professional training for our students, clients and members of the community. As an internationally recognised Australian university based in Asia, RMIT Vietnam is assisting in the development of human resources capability in Vietnam and the region.