_{17th April, 2026}

Head of People (Parental Leave Cover - Contract / Fractional)
Gumtree Group | Sydney (Hybrid) | 3 days in office | 9 months | Full-time or Fractional (4 days)

Who are we?
 
Gumtree Group is home to Gumtree, CarsGuide, and Autotrader, and we are on a mission to create Australia's leading classifieds marketplace and editorial lifestyle network. We reach one in four Australians every month as they buy, sell, and transact across more than two million live listings. But our greatest superpower? Our people. 
 
The Opportunity
 
We are looking for an exceptional Head of People (9-month Parental Leave Cover - Contract / Fractional) ready to step into a high-impact contract or fractional opportunity. This is a unique parental leave cover leading the People & Culture function at Gumtree Group, a business that has deliberately invested in building a high-performing, values-led culture, recently recognised as a Great Place to Work 2026 and Employee Experience Transformation Champions 2025.
 
You will step into a function that is established, aligned and ready for execution. The roadmap is built, the foundations are strong, and the opportunity is to drive execution, impact and momentum through a critical phase of transformation and growth. Reporting to the CEO and partnering closely with a highly engaged Executive Leadership Team, this role requires a leader who can operate at pace, lead with confidence and deliver across multiple high-impact workstreams.

At a top-line level, this role will focus on:

• Leading the People & Culture function end-to-end
• Driving organisational transformation initiatives already in motion
• Executing the FY26-27 People roadmap
• Supporting leaders through change, performance and capability uplift

This is not a role to redefine strategy; it is a role to bring it to life.
 
What you'll do:

• Lead the end-to-end People & Culture function (HR, Talent, Workplace)
• Drive delivery of the FY26-27 People roadmap
• Partner closely with ELT on people strategy and operations
• Oversee performance, remuneration cycles and workforce planning
• Evolve EVP, culture and employee experience within an established framework
• Lead organisation-wide change initiatives, including operating model evolution and team structure alignment
• Drive alignment between business strategy, structure and capability
• Ensure strong execution across multiple concurrent workstreams

What you'll bring:

• Strong, end-to-end Human Resources and Talent Acquisition leadership experience across strategic and operational domains
• Experience across both corporate and scale-up environments, ideally within technology or digital businesses
• Proven capability leading organisational design and large-scale transformation in complex environments
• Ability to step into an established function and deliver outcomes at pace, particularly during periods of change
• Highly commercial, pragmatic and outcomes-focused with strong judgement
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance people, cost and business performance
• Deep knowledge of Australian employment law, employee relations and risk management
• Strong coaching and leadership development capability
• Confident in influencing, presenting and advising senior stakeholders, including the CEO and ELT
• Hands-on, adaptable and comfortable operating across both strategy and execution
• Experience across engagement, EVP and HR systems, with exposure to tools such as Culture Amp, JobAdder and Employment Hero, would be highly beneficial, as would comfort using all Google Suite tools

Why This Role is Unique:

• Step into a high-performing, values-led culture
• Work directly with an engaged CEO and Executive Leadership Team
• Lead a function that is already set up for success and is extremely talented
• Deliver meaningful outcomes without needing to rebuild the foundations
• Operate with autonomy, trust and clear direction

You will also have continuity and support, with the current CPO remaining connected at key moments to ensure alignment and success.
 
Does this sound like your next move?
 
Apply now by attaching your resume and a brief summary outlining your relevant experience and interest in the role. If your work background aligns, we will be in touch to guide you through the next steps.
 
We have designed a thoughtful and efficient recruitment process, recognising the value of your time. Our approach is focused on providing clarity on the role, the business and what success looks like, while ensuring strong alignment on capability and partnership.
 
Our Commitment to Fair Hiring
 
At Gumtree Group, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
 
We assess candidates based on experience, capability, potential and alignment to our values. If you require any adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will support you.

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