People and Culture Lead

Koala Conservation Australia Pty Ltd (KCA)

Make a difference through people

KCA is looking for a people-focused professional to lead the recruitment, engagement, support and retention of our volunteer workforce.

This is a newly established paid position for someone who brings strong interpersonal skills, sound judgement and practical HR, People & Culture, workforce or volunteer management experience.

You will play a key role in building a positive, capable and well-supported volunteer community across KCA. Working closely with Team Managers and organisational leaders, you will help ensure KCA has the people, capability and support needed to deliver its purpose.

You will be approachable and empathetic, while also confident in setting expectations, managing difficult conversations and helping people work through challenges.

Closing Date for Applications is: 15th September 2026

About the role

The People & Culture Lead is responsible for leading the recruitment, onboarding, engagement and retention of volunteers across KCA's programs and teams. You will be the central People & Culture point of contact for KCA's volunteer workforce, providing structure, consistency and support across the volunteer experience. Team Managers will remain responsible for the day-to-day supervision and on-shift support of volunteers within their teams. Your role is to work alongside them, providing the systems, processes, guidance and people support needed to build a strong and effective volunteer workforce. This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys working with people, solving problems and creating practical systems that make a real difference.

Key responsibilities

• Build and promote a positive, inclusive and values-aligned volunteer culture.

• Work with Team Managers to understand workforce needs and plan volunteer capacity.

• Lead volunteer recruitment, interviews and onboarding.

• Match volunteers to roles based on their skills, interests, capability and the needs of each team.

• Develop volunteer engagement, recognition and retention initiatives.

• Be a trusted point of contact for volunteers, providing support when questions or challenges arise.

• Support constructive conversations and help address issues in a fair, respectful and consistent way.

• Provide guidance to Team Managers on volunteer-related people matters.

• Maintain volunteer records, confidential information, compliance documentation and training resources.

• Manage the volunteer membership database, renewals, reporting and data integrity.

About you

• Build rapport quickly and communicate clearly with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

• Be approachable and empathetic, while comfortable setting boundaries and having difficult conversations.

• Use sound judgement and deal calmly and professionally with sensitive or challenging situations.

• Be highly organised and able to manage competing priorities, records, systems and confidential information.

• Have experience in HR, People & Culture, volunteer or team coordination, workforce management, recruitment or community programs.

• Have demonstrated experience in recruitment, onboarding and engagement.

• Be collaborative and able to work effectively with managers, volunteers and organisational leaders.

• Be committed to respectful, inclusive and values-aligned workplaces and volunteer environments.

• Be comfortable working with databases and systems and have strong attention to detail.

• Have experience in a not-for-profit or volunteer-led organisation — highly desirable.

About us

KCA is a not-for-profit organisation and a leading authority in koala care, education, conservation and research. KCA operates the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, two koala browse plantations and Guulabaa, Wild Koala Breeding Centre.