People & Capability Partner

Company Description

A fantastic opportunity exists to join an iconic brand and elevate your career at Starbucks Australia. There are multiple benefits to joining us; we currently have over 95 stores and are aiming for a store network of more than 100+ stores in the next two years. 

We often say that we aren’t in the coffee business serving people— we’re in the people business serving coffee. Our partners (employees) are the heart of our business, driving Our Mission forward: 

To be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world, inspiring and nurturing the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time.

As a Starbucks partner, you become part of something much bigger than just yourself. 

Job Description

As a People & Capability Partner, you play a key role in creating an environment where partners feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive. Working closely with Store Managers, District Managers, and Operations Leadership, this role blends deep HR expertise with a passion for developing people.

You will partner with leaders to navigate employee relations, build leadership capability, and embed consistent, values-led people practices that bring the Starbucks experience to life—for both our partners and customers.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role focused on strengthening capability, fostering belonging, and ensuring we deliver a safe, respectful, and high-performing workplace

Partner Experience, Employee Relations & Coaching

• Lead complex employee relations matters with care, integrity, and a partner-first mindset
• Coach and support leaders to confidently and respectfully manage people matters
• Build leader capability in performance conversations, feedback, and creating inclusive team environments
• Ensure all ER practices and documentation are fair, consistent, and aligned to our values
• Partner with external IR specialists when needed to ensure best practice and manage risk

Capability & Learning 

• Identify opportunities to strengthen leader capability and partner experience across the network
• Design and embed practical, on-the-job learning that supports leaders to grow and succeed
• Create tools, resources, and guidance that make it easy for leaders to do the right thing
• Foster a culture of coaching, curiosity, and continuous development

Compliance & Partner Care

• Act as a trusted expert on the Fast-Food Industry Award, ensuring fair and consistent application
• Guide leaders on pay, conditions, and entitlements with clarity and transparency
• Support payroll and timekeeping compliance to ensure partners are paid correctly and on time
• Proactively identify risks and work collaboratively to resolve them

Policies, Governance & Clarity

• Maintain and evolve people policies to reflect legislation and Starbucks ways of working
• Bring policies to life by translating them into simple, practical guidance for leaders
• Develop tools and communications that support understanding and adoption
• Lead regular education and governance activities that build confidence and consistency

Operational Partnership

• Build strong, trusted relationships with Operations leaders
• Understand the realities of our stores and translate needs into practical people solutions
• Contribute to Operations forums, sharing insights on trends, risks, and opportunities
• Support leaders to create environments where partners feel a strong sense of belonging and purpose

Systems, Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Support HR systems and process improvements that enhance the partner and leader experience
• Collaborate across HR, Payroll, and Operations to deliver seamless and compliant processes
• Contribute to initiatives that strengthen how we support our partners at scale

Insights & Impact

• Use data and insights to understand partner trends and identify opportunities to improve
• Share meaningful, actionable insights with leaders to support better decisions
• Contribute to continuous improvement in partner experience and business performance

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading complex employee relations matters with a focus on care, fairness, and consistency
• Solid understanding of the Fair Work Act and Modern Awards (Fast Food Award highly regarded)
• Experience supporting retail, hospitality, or similar frontline environments is highly valued
• Demonstrated ability to balance operational detail with broader, strategic thinking
• Passion for coaching and building leader capability to strengthen partner experience

Additional Information

About You:                                                                      

• Builds trusted, credible relationships with leaders at all levels
• Able to move seamlessly between strategic initiatives and hands-on operational support
• Exercises sound judgement with resilience and a strong sense of integrity
• Communicates clearly and confidently, translating complexity into simple, practical guidance
• Brings a pragmatic, solutions-focused mindset grounded in care and accountability
• Committed to fostering inclusive, supportive, and high-performing team environments

Life at Starbucks Australia

Starbucks Australia is proudly Australian owned and operated. We are a small company with large growth plans. We’ve based in Collingwood, with expansive end-of-trip facilities (all shower amenities soaps & towels included), concierge services with dry-cleaning and parcel collection provided, and current building works for our very own Starbucks café on-site. We work on a hybrid model with 3 days in office, 2 from home.