Kathryn Bonning — Co-Founder

I’ve spent the last 20 years in HR, building a career fuelled by a genuine passion for workplace culture, and for working itself. My first taste of work came at 14, when my mum dropped me at our bakery and told me to go get a job. Nervous but determined, I handed over my CV and was hired soon after. It was there I discovered my work ethic, learned what it means to contribute to a team, and saw firsthand how a positive workplace can shape people’s lives. After completing my degree, my HR career took me from junior roles in London to senior leadership positions in complex, high-performing Australian businesses. I’ve led large-scale organisational transformations, advised executive teams, built people strategies and programs from scratch, and supported the everyday rhythms that keep workplaces ticking. Along the way, I’ve been mentored by incredible leaders, worked with brilliant colleagues, and learned just as much from what doesn’t work in HR as what does. I’m known for being practical, straight-talking, and someone who gets things done - but also for seeing the bigger picture of what’s possible when HR and leadership align with clarity and intent. Today, as Co-Founder of HMNKND HR (pronounced humankind), I bring together two decades of experience with a values-led approach. I partner with organisations to cut through complexity, design practical solutions that move things forward, and ultimately create workplaces people love being part of. Because when we get the people part right, everything else follows.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned HR consultant specializing in organizational development and employee engagement.

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Experience: 13 yrs 3 mos

Skills

Human Resources (hr)
Hr Strategy
Remuneration
Performance Management
Employee Relations
Leadership
Employee Engagement
Change Management

Career Highlights

20 years of HR experience driving workplace culture.
Led large-scale organizational transformations.
Co-Founder of a modern HR consultancy.

Work Experience

HMNKND HR

Co-Founder & Principal Consultant (4 yrs 5 mos)

Growthpoint Properties Australia

People and Culture Manager (4 mos)

Architectus

Group People & Culture Manager (3 yrs 7 mos)

Cotton On Group

Human Resource Manager (1 yr 2 mos)

King & Wood Mallesons

People and Development Senior Advisor (1 yr 3 mos)

HRMinds

Director (1 yr 4 mos)

Nutrition Australia

Director (3 yrs 1 mo)

Thomson Geer

People and Development Business Partner (4 yrs 3 mos)

KordaMentha

HR Officer (1 yr 7 mos)

AXA UK

Resourcing Coordinator (contract) (10 mos)

Monmouthshire County Council

HR Analyst (contract) (7 mos)

Education

Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University

Kathryn Bonning

Co-Founder

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia13 yrs 3 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

20 years of HR experience driving workplace culture.
Led large-scale organizational transformations.
Co-Founder of a modern HR consultancy.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned HR consultant specializing in organizational development and employee engagement.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Human Resources (hr)Hr StrategyRemunerationPerformance ManagementEmployee RelationsLeadershipEmployee EngagementChange Management

Other Skills

Market AnalysisJob DesignSuccession PlanningHRISDigital TransformationPolicy DevelopmentOrganisational DesignEmployee TrainingCoachingGraduate RecruitmentTalent ManagementEmployer BrandingEmployment LawInterviewsPersonnel Management

About

Experience

Hmnknd hr

Co-Founder & Principal Consultant

Oct 2021 – Present · 4 yrs 5 mos · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia · Hybrid

HMNKND HR is a modern consultancy built for organisations that want practical, strategic people advice without unnecessary complexity. We partner with founders and leadership teams to solve the real challenges of work - from culture and performance to remuneration, organisational design and employee relations. Our work combines clear thinking with grounded advice, helping our clients build workplaces people love.
Recent projects include:
ASX-listed organisation: Delivered comprehensive remuneration benchmarking across multiple roles, providing market analysis and strategic advice on pay positioning, gender pay equity considerations and alignment with Workplace Gender Equality Agency reporting requirements.
Investment company: Designed and implemented a refreshed performance framework, including role clarity, job design and a tailored reward and recognition program to better align individual contribution with business outcomes.
National organisations across multiple industries: Conducted independent reviews of internal HR functions, assessing team structure, FTE allocation and capability to ensure the right people were in the right roles delivering the right work to support organisational priorities.
Small-to-medium enterprises: Provided trusted HR advisory support across complex employee relations matters, including workplace conduct, performance management, award interpretation and legislative compliance.
Global product retailer: Partnered with leadership to design a remuneration framework aligned with modern awards and operational realities, including salary banding, overtime structures and improved pay transparency.
Founder-led and scaling businesses: Supported leaders to establish stronger people foundations, including role clarity, performance expectations and practical HR frameworks that enable sustainable growth.

Human Resources (HR)RemunerationPerformance ManagementEmployee RelationsEmployee EngagementHR Strategy

Growthpoint properties australia

People and Culture Manager

May 2021 – Sep 2021 · 4 mos · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

RemunerationHuman Resources (HR)Performance ManagementEmployee Engagement

Architectus

Group People & Culture Manager

Jun 2017 – Jan 2021 · 3 yrs 7 mos · Melbourne, Australia

Digital transformation program, including the implementation of an HRIS.
Delivery of industry leading Paid Parental Leave policy; 16 week’s primary carers’ leave, superannuation top ups and baby bonus on return.
Led major change projects including departure from a geographical organisational structure to one which was sector led.
Creation and delivery of short-term incentive program in partnership with Aon Hewitt.
Remuneration benchmarking and banding for all 350 employees.
Integrated newly acquired Brisbane business (40 employees) in to Architectus.
Launched inaugural Graduate Program.
Development of the Reconciliation Action Plan ‘reflect’ phase.

LeadershipSuccession PlanningEmployee RelationsHR StrategyEmployee Engagement

Cotton on group

Human Resource Manager

Mar 2016 – May 2017 · 1 yr 2 mos · Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Project managed the relocation of the brands operations and employees from Geelong to Chadstone.

Employee TrainingChange ManagementEmployee RelationsCoaching

King & wood mallesons

People and Development Senior Advisor

Nov 2014 – Feb 2016 · 1 yr 3 mos · Melbourne, Australia

Developed and implemented several practice unit specific initiatives to address poor employee engagement resulting from Firm wide engagement survey.
Managed several complex redundancies across the business.
Managed several highly complex ER matters, including one which was challenged at the Fair Work Commission on two occasions yet still resulted in a win for the organisation.
Project managed and led a team of five in the decommissioning of the P&C intranet site designing and implementing a new site in line with global changes.
Project managed a major outsourcing project designed to create a flexible and variable workforce for short term projects across the business.
Restructured the resourcing team resulting in major cost savings of $200k.

RemunerationPerformance ManagementGraduate RecruitmentEmployee RelationsTalent Management

Hrminds

Director

Oct 2014 – Feb 2016 · 1 yr 4 mos · Melbourne, Australia

Nutrition australia

Director

May 2012 – Jun 2015 · 3 yrs 1 mo · Carlton, Melbourne

Provided advice and guidance to the CEO of Nutrition Australia on all topics related to HR.

Thomson geer

People and Development Business Partner

Aug 2010 – Nov 2014 · 4 yrs 3 mos · Melbourne, Australia

Successful implementation of major change projects including team restructures, redeployment and redundancies, training programs, planned culture and integration activities, due to the merger between Herbert Geer and Thomson’s Lawyers.
Developed and implemented a bonus structure for the largest practice unit, which focused on individual budgets, non-billable contribution and Client feedback to foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
Developed a recruitment strategy resulting in reduced recruitment costs focusing on direct hire methods and developed a preferred supplier list which lowered agency fees by 6% per hire and reduced our overall spend on agency fees by 15%.
Led a project which analysed the benefits of external training versus in-house for Graduates. Results favoured an in-house model with a detailed report submitted to the Board outlining the proposed introduction of an in-house training program. Expected savings were $15K in 2014 and $35K in 2015.
Reformed the seasonal and graduate recruitment strategy with a mission statement to ‘think nationally, tailor locally’. Programs in 2010 - 2013 saw a dramatic increase in application numbers and a vast improvement in the calibre of candidates received. Strong retention within the junior-mid-year lawyer ranks was a noticeable result of this initiative.
Developed and implemented tighter compliance and case management for personal leave (sick and carers) which included implementation of a new IT procedure, and regular reporting. This allowed Partners and Managers to proactively manage high users under the guidance of provided suggestions and strategies from HR to increase engagement and job satisfaction.

Kordamentha

HR Officer

Jan 2009 – Aug 2010 · 1 yr 7 mos · Melbourne, Australia

Supported and provided HR advice to 220 staff across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth on matters including performance management, remuneration, recruitment and employee relations.
Managed the national graduate recruitment program across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth including the design and implementation of a new graduate marketing campaign.
Acted as a Learning and Development Coordinator for the KordaMentha Business School (KMBS)
Managed the induction and orientation process for all new staff.