Specialist, Employee Relations

About the role

IAG is seeking an Employee Relations specialist to support its people and culture function across New Zealand. In this position, you will deliver dependable, compliant, and commercially sound advice on employee relations matters to P&C teams, leaders, and their direct reports. The role is focused on helping create a safe, inclusive, and high-performing workplace through practical policies, effective processes, and strong alignment with employment law and organisational priorities.

This is a 12-month fixed-term full-time opportunity, based across multiple locations in New Zealand.

What you will do

• Guide P&C, leaders, and teams on employee relations issues while staying aligned with internal policies, procedures, service expectations, and legal obligations.
• Support the rollout of proactive employee relations initiatives, including leader training to strengthen capability and address emerging themes early.
• Partner with the ER Lead and ER Advisors on complex and escalated matters.
• Carry out due diligence and integration work for P&C-related activities.
• Work with the internal employment law team to escalate matters and obtain legal guidance when needed.
• Contribute people-related input to business-led projects and change initiatives.
• Identify and reduce risk by partnering with P&C and business leaders on employee relations matters.
• Handle claims and represent IAG in mediation and at the Employment Relations Authority.
• Track external developments, including legislation, case law, and regulatory change, to keep employee relations practices current and compliant.
• Build strong working relationships and influence key internal and external stakeholders, including unions.

What you will bring

• 5 to 8+ years of experience in employee relations or employment law, ideally within a commercially complex organisation.
• Strong ability to turn technical and sensitive ER issues into clear, practical guidance.
• Experience advising on people-related aspects of business transactions and projects.
• Confidence working independently as well as collaboratively within a high-performing team.
• A forward-looking mindset with the ability to anticipate issues and address them proactively.
• The confidence to challenge constructively and influence a range of stakeholders.
• Experience coaching leaders and HR practitioners on employee relations matters.
• Ability to stay across external changes and apply them appropriately within the organisation.
• Capability to work across functions and broader group stakeholders to reach common solutions.
• Strong mediation capability.

What IAG offers

• 4.5% employer KiwiSaver contribution, plus life insurance as standard.
• 20 days of annual leave and 5 additional MyLeave days for the things that matter most to you.
• Flexible working options, including working from home through myFlex.
• Up to 50% discount on personal insurance products, including home and motor cover.
• Annual health and wellbeing payment of $500.
• 14 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Access to LinkedIn Learning, the award-winning IAG Academy, study support, and secondment opportunities.

Additional information

Applications close on Sunday 5 July 2026 at 11:59 PM AEDT.

If you need adjustments or support to take part in the recruitment process, you can contact careers@iag.co.nz for a confidential discussion.

About IAG

IAG is the largest general insurance group across Australia and New Zealand, with a family of brands focused on helping people and making insurance more accessible. The organisation is committed to creating a place of belonging, supporting Māori prosperity and wellbeing through He Rautaki Māori, and offering meaningful opportunities to grow, contribute, and build a career with purpose.

Terms and conditions

Employment type eligibility criteria apply.