Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
This Senior HR Business Partner seat is notable in SaaS because it is embedded directly with Engineering and Product—the functions that determine delivery cadence, roadmap execution, and how product decisions translate into organisational design. Acting as the HR lead for those groups, with the CTO and CPO as primary stakeholders, positions the role at the intersection of technical leadership and people strategy rather than in a purely operational HR lane.
For a long-term SaaS career, the role offers repeated exposure to the people patterns that emerge as product organisations evolve: role clarity, performance systems, engagement signals, and change programmes that need disciplined project management. The emphasis on analytics and employment compliance across AU/NZ also builds a toolkit that travels well across subscription software businesses balancing speed of iteration with governance and risk management.
This role tends to suit a practitioner who prefers being a hands-on advisor to senior leaders, comfortable translating HR guidance into decisions that engineers and product managers can act on. It will appeal to someone who enjoys structured delivery of initiatives, has confidence operating with ambiguity, and wants their HR craft measured by outcomes in technical teams.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
Job Description
We are seeking a Senior People Business Partner who is a true proactive partner to the business and has a desire to deeply understand our tech and product teams, along with our actual product and our people. This role encompasses all aspects of the HR discipline and is the HR lead for our Engineering and Product teams, with both our CTO and Chief Product Officer as direct clients.
You will be a dynamic, proactive Human Resources professional who is passionate about the employee experience, understands basic FWA and other employment law best practices, and thrives in a fast-paced scale-up environment. This is a hybrid role based at our WeWork at 120 Spencer Street office, at least 3 days per week, with regular travel to our Sydney office on Pitt Street.
About the Role
Your main responsibilities will include:
- Partner with senior business leaders (primarily in Engineering and Product) in a proactive role to understand business strategies for their teams and employees.
- Own and execute HR project management initiatives to ensure a structured, proactive approach to key HR deliverables.
- Ensure up to date working knowledge of employment regulations and compliance to adopt best practice across AU/NZ.
- Take full ownership of award interpretation, contract compliance, and employment legislation. Proactively surfacing risks and ensuring the business operates with confidence and understanding.
- Develop a deep understanding of assigned business lines and build strong, trusted relationships with leaders to strategically influence and provide expert-level consultation.
- Leverage data and analytics to develop, administer, and report on employee performance, engagement, and people metrics to empower strategic decision-making.
- Serve as a point of contact for day-to-day HR queries, primarily AU/NZ-based, while also contributing to global people initiatives as needed.
- Be the change agent and project driver for HR initiatives, ensuring projects are kept on track and completed to high standards.
- Communicate employment and HR matters to business leaders in a clear and concise manner that drives understanding and action.
About You
We are looking for candidates who bring:
- Minimum of 4 years of progressive HR experience that includes a strong HR generalist background and partnership with senior leaders
- Prior SaaS experience (essential)
- Strong experience in AUS legislation, Fair Work, and WHS
- A project driver: Known for getting things done, keeping initiatives on track, managing multiple projects, and delivering results
- Proven ability to use data to influence decisions and present insights that drive leadership alignment
- Deep business acumen with the ability to anticipate and solves business needs proactively. Partnership with Engineering and Product teams is ideal
- Passion for viewing employees as individuals on a journey with the company and providing them with the best possible experience
- Unquestioned integrity, with presence, confidence, high EQ, personal maturity, cultural awareness, and compassion
- Adept in modern award interpretation and classification of roles
- Adaptable: Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where priorities shift quickly
Bonus Points
- Experience with NZ employment legislation
- Exposure to global HR compliance and practices
- Flexible schedules for early mornings
Why Work at Karbon
- Your client group will include two executive leadership team (ELT) members in our Chief Technology Officer and Chief Product Officer
- You will get to global exposure across the USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada and the Philippines
- 4 weeks annual leave plus 5 extra "Karbon Days" off a year
- Employee Share Options where you can become an actual investor in our product
- Flexible working environment
- Work with (and learn from) an experienced, high-performing team
- Be part of a fast-growing company that firmly believes in promoting high performers from within
- A collaborative, team-oriented culture that embraces diversity, invests in development, and provides consistent feedback
- Generous parental leave
