About Acorn PLMS: At Acorn PLMS, we are on a mission to transform the corporate learning experience. Our cutting-edge Performance Learning Management System (PLMS) software is powered by AI and designed to ensure that what people learn directly contributes to their exceptional performance in business. Corporate performance and learning needs a revolution, and Acorn PLMS is the antidote. We are the only solution that guides learners step by step to master the specific capabilities required for their roles, ultimately accelerating organisational performance. As we scale, we are committed to building an innovative and meaningful people experience that reflects who we are - dynamic, supportive, and performance-driven.

We are open to individuals based in Canberra or Sydney, Australia (this is an in-office role).

Role overview:

We are looking for a creative, people-obsessed People Experience Manager who wants to help us build Acorn intentionally differently. This is not your standard HR role - as we scale, we are committed to building an innovative and meaningful people experience that reflects who we are - dynamic, supportive, and performance-driven.

You will help us scale by taking the lead on recruitment and onboarding, while designing and delivering a people experience that is modern, engaging, and aligned with who we are as a business. As a key member of the People & Operations team, the People Experience Manager will help us create people experiences that drive engagement, foster development, and build a thriving workplace culture.

5 key capabilities:

The best part… we use our Acorn software at Acorn. We believe in the power of our Managers and Staff being aligned on the 5 capabilities needed for each role, and the level that we expect for any given role, using our Acorn AI tool to streamline this consistently across our business. The 5 levels comprise Foundational, Developing, Proficient, Advanced and Expert.

Here are the 5 capabilities for our People Experience Manager to give you an idea of what the role entails:

1. People Experience Design – Passion for building a modern, human-first employee journey. Level: Proficient: Independently designs people programs that positively impact the employee experience. Creates innovative programs aligned with our Acorn company culture and values.

2. Talent Acquisition & Growth Focus – Ability to attract and onboard top talent with energy and creativity. Level: Proficient: Manages end-to-end recruitment efforts effectively. Sources top talent independently and builds strong relationships with hiring managers.

3. Project & Process Leadership – Skilled at driving projects like HRIS implementation and scaling onboarding. Level: Developing: Can independently manage smaller projects. Gains experience leading cross-functional teams and handling operational processes.

4. Operational Precision – Comfortable managing day-to-day People operations with speed, accuracy with an execution focus. Level: Proficient: Consistently delivers high-quality work with attention to detail and efficiency. Capable of handling routine HR operations independently.

5. Culture & Communication – Strong relationship-builder who thrives in cross-functional teams. Level: Proficient: Acts as a bridge between leadership and staff. Drives communication initiatives that reflect company culture and values.

Key Responsibilities

Working in conjunction with the Director of People & Operations, the key responsibilities for the role are:

Recruitment & Onboarding:

• Lead end-to-end hiring, from employer branding to sourcing, interviews, and offers
• Leverage our Acorn platform to create a standout hiring and onboarding journey
• Build onboarding programs that connect new hires to our culture and purpose from day one

People Experience:

• Design and deliver people programs that elevate culture, engagement, and development
• Drive initiatives such as recognition, feedback, wellness, and internal communications

HR Operations & Strategic Projects:

• Own HR admin, including contracts, policy updates, compliance, and reporting
• Lead strategic people projects - e.g., implementation of a new HRIS or improvements to our onboarding framework

Advisory & Compliance:

• Provide HR guidance to managers and employees in line with Australian employment law
• Stay current on regulatory updates and ensure all HR practices are compliant

Culture & Employer Brand:

• Collaborate across teams to shape and promote our employer brand
• Be the cultural champion for what makes Acorn a truly great place to work

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in HR management or generalist roles, ideally within a growing technology or SaaS environment
• Deep understanding of Australian employment law, Fair Work practices, and HR compliance, with knowledge of Canadian employment law a bonus (the role will support our team in both Australia & Canada)
• Hands-on experience managing end-to-end recruitment and onboarding programs
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence and support managers and employees
• Experience designing and delivering people initiatives that enhance engagement and culture
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and problem-solving skills

Why Join Acorn PLMS?

• Opportunity to shape the people experience in a fast-scaling SaaS business and be proud of owning this!
• A dynamic, supportive, and growth-focused work environment
• Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement
• Competitive salary and benefits package

Location

We are open to individuals based in Sydney or Canberra, Australia. We are an office-first company, meaning we work from our local offices the majority (if not all) of the time. We want to create cool stuff with great people, and we know from experience that is best done through daily moments like the coffee run, walk to grab lunch, or quick huddles.

Being able to capitalise on this is key to our ongoing success and a large part of the reason we can work at the pace we do. Please note candidates will need to be in commuting distance to our offices based in the Canberra and Sydney CBD.

Applicants must have full working rights in Australia to be considered for this role. Unfortunately we are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

Our recruitment process

Acorn is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We aim to ensure that our recruitment process is fair and accessible to everyone and encourage candidates to request any accommodations needed during the application or interview stages.

About Acorn

Acorn is the hub for learning and performance for over 3 million active learners globally. The work you do — whether that’s writing lines of code, designing the layout of a dashboard, or talking to customers — helps real people grow not just professionally, but personally. In the space of 10 years, we’ve grown to a global platform in the heart of many major organisations’ ecosystems.

There’s still so much more to do, and we need people who are keen to help us journey into the next phase on board! And since we’re still growing, there’s so much you can learn on that journey with us. To find out more about life at Acorn, our Values and working with us, check out our website at https://acorn.works and see our Life At Acorn video here! https://youtu.be/2BGUk-n3FrQ?si=U_sS1Y5ZSP0tNtZW

If you're passionate about people, thrive in building intentional cultures, and want to make a real impact in a scaling organisation - we'd love to hear from you!