Typical Career Progression
| |
Position |
Remuneration |
Experience |
Education |
| Start Position |
Payroll Officer |
$45,000-$50,000 |
0 years |
None |
| 1st Promotion |
Learning and Development Officer |
$50,000-$60,000 |
1-2 years |
Tertiary |
| 2nd Promotion |
HR Consultant/Executive |
$60,000-$75,000 |
3-4 years |
Tertiary |
| 3rd Promotion |
HR Manager or Learning and Development Manager |
$85,000-$110,000 |
4-6 years |
Degree |
| 4th Promotion |
Senior HR Manager |
$120,000-$150,000 |
6-8 years |
Degree |
| 5th Promotion |
HR Director |
$160,000-$400,000 |
10+ years |
Postgraduate Qualification |
**The above table should be used as a guide only
Typical accountabilities and responsibilities
| Payroll Officer |
Responsible for managing and processing payrolls, updating employee details and managerial reports. |
| Learning and Development Officer |
Prepares, conducts and reviews training programs e.g. Induction, technical or management skills. Sources training programs from external suppliers. Prepares a training needs analysis and an annual training plan for an area of the organisation. |
| HR Consultant/Executive |
Provides advice and service to make individuals or teams more effective. Responsible for HR day to day delivery of basic HR processes e.g. recruitment, performance management, remuneration advice etc. |
| HR Manager or Learning and Development (L&D)Manager |
HR: Ensure the organisation has the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Responsible for supporting the delivery of generalist HR services often across multi-skilled environments. Also responsible for providing HR advice and delivery, performance management, employment relations and recruitment support, HR reporting and ad hoc project support e.g. change management project.
L&D: Responsible for building individual and organisational capability by developing and implementing organisational and learning and development solutions that support the business and HR strategies. Also responsible for leading a team of people and ensuring the training frameworks deliver strong workforce and management capabilities.
|
| Senior HR Manager |
Combination of the above |
| HR Director |
Works with the executive team in setting the business strategy. Determines, develops and leads the HR team in the implementation of a people strategy (sometimes a 5 year strategy) which contributes to the achievement of the business strategic objectives. Responsible for providing HR strategic and operational advice and services to the organisation often over many locations and managing a broad range of activities. |
**The above table should be used as a guide only
Career Path & Employment opportunities
HR uses behavioural competencies that can be adapted to a variety of occupations and functions. A career in HR can lead you into other functions within an organisation – sales and marketing, production or site management. In fact a role that provides hands on experience in another function is often highly regarded. A move into a business role at some stage provides wonderful experience. It gives a solid appreciation of the business and the challenges of line managers.
Your interpersonal skills are essential, so too your ability to persuade and influence. If you are entrepreneurial you could even start up and run your own consultancy business e.g. recruitment, executive search, training and development.
HR cuts across all industries and the ability to deliver tangible business results is highly sought after and well remunerated. It is also transferrable overseas if travel is in your future.
About the Author
Sally Young
Sally Young is an Human Resources professional, with over 20 years of experience working as a senior HR Executive in both the public and private sector. Sally has focussed on developing executive teams, leadership and organisational capability. She places particular importance on shaping the culture and values of an organisation and engaging the hearts of employees at all levels.
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