Employee Relations Specialist

Bay Venues …. Haven’t heard of us? Not to worry; I bet you have heard of some of the venues we own or operate – Baywave, Mercury Baypark, Speedway to name a few. As the kaitiaki of more than 25 venues in Tauranga Moana, we proudly offer a range of activities and experiences intended to put a smile on the dial of our community.

Here at Bay Venues, we are all about ensuring we create memorable moments - and we do so intentionally through connection and fun with each other and our community. Our values of Manaakitanga (Service), Whakawhanaungatanga (Relationships), Kaitiakitanga (Caring) and He Toi Tangata (Excellence) are lived on the daily as we strive to enhance the wellbeing of the people we serve. It’s no small feat, but we know that when we facilitate connections and collaborate with others, great things will happen!

About the role:

We’re looking for an Employee Relations Specialist to join us in a permanent capacity, either fulltime or close to. In this role, you’ll be a trusted partner to leaders across Bay Venues, helping them navigate people matters with confidence, fairness, and care. You’ll provide advice across the full spectrum of employee relations - from guiding leaders through performance, conduct, and change processes, to supporting early resolution and promoting constructive, solutions-focused conversations. You’ll also contribute to uplifting leadership capability by coaching managers, improving our ER tools and systems, and championing good practice that strengthens our culture. You’ll work closely with our HR Operations Leader and wider People & Engagement team, collaborating on meaningful initiatives while helping the organisation succeed through thoughtful people interactions. With exposure across our diverse venues and teams, no two days will look the same — and you’ll see the impact of your work in real time. This position is a great opportunity to build experience in a dynamic organisation while stepping into a role that truly adds value.

About you:

You’re an experienced people practitioner who can step in with confidence and start adding value quickly. With 3 - 5 years’ experience in an employment lawyer, HR or ER Advisor role, you’re comfortable navigating the full range of employee relations matters and know how to balance empathy, fairness, and sound judgement. You bring well-honed ER capability, particularly in disciplinary processes, performance improvement, investigations, change management, and early resolution. You’re confident coaching leaders, guiding them through complex situations, and providing advice that is both practical and people-centred. You care deeply about the impact good people practices can have - on individuals, teams, and the wider organisation. You take pride in your work, communicate clearly, and build trust easily. You’re organised, proactive, and resilient, with the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism. Most importantly, you’re someone who aligns with how we like to do business – with support, collaboration and a genuine commitment to helping our people and leaders thrive.

We have put together a bunch of perks to support our culture of connection and fun. Ones that reinforce that we are part of the awesome leisure and events industry, and all the magic that comes along with that. Our benefits include:

• a gym membership to our Clubfit Gyms,

• access to our Seven aquatic facilities including Baywave,

• subsidised speedway passes and generous discounts on our programmes, services and merchandise,

• heavily subsidised coffee at our on-site cafes,

• access to a range of development opportunities through our Learning & Development programme

So why not join us? We have the right purpose to fuel meaningful careers, the right attitude to support work life balance, and the right leadership to foster an amazing culture.  No matter your age and stage you may be, we are an inclusive bunch all driven by our purpose of Spaces to Belong | Experiences to Connect. Come on – take the punt; you won’t regret it!  

Applications close 02 August 2026.