The Perth Bears are Western Australia’s newest professional sporting club, set to join the NRL in 2027. As a high-performance organisation, they are committed to building strong foundations on and off the field to ensure long-term success. Joining their team means being part of a rare start-up opportunity in elite sport, where your expertise will directly shape the future of rugby league in WA and help deliver a lasting legacy for our community.
The Opportunity
The Head of People, Culture & Operations will establish, embed and lead the foundational people systems, processes and cultural frameworks that will underpin the Perth Bears.
You will shape the employee experience from the ground up and drive the Perth Bears culture across all areas of the Club. This is not a role with layers of administration or inherited systems. You will be fully accountable for establishing, delivering, and managing the people and culture function while the club scales, with the ability to move seamlessly between strategic planning and day-to-day execution.
What You’ll Do
• Develop and lead People & Culture strategy and operations across the Perth Bears workforce
• Shape and champion a positive, high-performing and values-led culture aligned to the Bears culture
• Establish and maintain core people policies, procedures and frameworks aligned to best practice and NRL industry standards
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, remuneration and employee engagement
• Design and deliver best-practice onboarding and induction programs that integrate new employees into the Club’s culture
• Lead employee lifecycle processes and manage workplace relations matters effectively
• Design and deliver learning and development initiatives that build high-performing, engaged teams
• Support workforce planning and wellbeing initiatives across all functions
• Ensure strong governance across people policies, risk, WHS, integrity and safeguarding
• Lead and develop the People & Culture function, building capability and systems as the club scales
What We’re Looking For
You are a senior HR leader who balances strategic thinking with effective day-to-day delivery and builds credibility through strong stakeholder relationships.
• Senior HR leadership experience (minimum 10 years), with 5+ years in a senior leadership capacity
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach and strong capability across core HR functions including workforce planning, employee relations, engagement and culture
• Experience working with executive teams, boards or board committees
• Ability to operate strategically and operationally in a lean, fast-paced, start-up environment
• Strong understanding of contemporary HR practices, employment legislation, industrial relations and organisational development
• Demonstrated capability to lead strategically while remaining agile in operational execution
• Experience in a high-performance or membership-based organisation (sport, entertainment or similar) is highly valued
• Strong judgement, discretion and stakeholder management capability
• Resilience and adaptability, with a proven ability to lead in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Experience with HR systems and technology platforms (HRIS desirable)
How to Apply
If you’re ready to lead people and culture for one of the most exciting new ventures in Australian sport, we want to hear from you. Apply now with your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and why you’re the right person to build the Bears’ future.
