Chief Human Resources Officer - Confidential

The successfully placed candidate will be accountable for leading the HR function and for human resources activities that support the achievement of the company’s business goals on a multi-year basis, including executive and employee compensation, organizational structure, collective bargaining, succession management, leadership and talent development, delivery of HR services to the business and the overall cultural evolution to move the organization forward. This will be accomplished with a view to maximize shareholder value and develop the talent and spirit of accomplishment the organization will need to continue to succeed in an increasingly competitive and fast-moving industry.

 

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

 

In order to successfully steer the HR function and act as a catalyst for positive change across the organization, the CHRO will need to:

  • Translate and align the organization’s strategic goals and aspirations into concrete, well executed people, and culture priorities in the form of a robust and actionable Human Resources strategy that supports and is integrated into the Company Strategy. People and culture have been, and will continue to be, the foundation of the company’s strategic success. As a result, understanding the business and having a view of the business and business matters, and asserting that view at the executive and strategy table is critical
  • Become a trusted advisor to the CEO by: staying connected to the pulse of the company and providing timely and insightful advice on people and business strategy; owning and managing/resolving people related matters in a proactive, professional manner consistent with the company values; and be a trusted confident to the Executive Management team who is sought out for sage advice and the people perspective
  • Be a mediator when required but have a position on issues and take ownership of them. Be an expert in collective bargaining and managing labour relations;
  • Have a corporate presence by being an inspiring, respectful; and a dependable leader that embodies and visibly demonstrates company values.

 

KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBITIES

The role of the CHRO will have oversight for human resources for the company and its subsidiaries. More specifically, the successful candidate will:

  • Develop and implement an annual 3-year Human Resources strategy to support the company’s corporate strategic goals, business commitments and values and aligns people and business objectives across the firm and strengthens the organization’s HR processes and capabilities.
  • Stay abreast of developments and connected within the HR profession to identify best practices and innovative approaches for potential application within the company; share knowledge and educate the organization’s leadership about the potential benefits that the HR function can provide.
  • Ensure HR partner services to the business are integrated into management’s dialogue across the organization to ensure timely, professional, and consistent advice and direction.
  • Provide oversight on labour matters, ensuring labour decisions are in keeping with and compliant with legislative requirements, company policies, values, and collective agreements.
  • Leverage and utilize data to minimize risk and make better business decisions for the organization. Contribute to the establishment of a best-in-class HR function by leveraging data insights, benchmarking best practices and ensuring the professional standards and levels of service from internal and external HR professionals represents optimum value for the company. Build HR team data and technology capabilities, including AI, and foster digital literacy.
  • Act as a key strategic partner to the CEO and executive team. Provide specialist advice to the CEO and business leaders to guide strategic thinking and decision making related to complex challenges and opportunities. Influence and shape business strategy through a people lens and inspire leaders to incorporate people best practices.
  • Provide partnership and counsel to the Executive team, supporting development of individuals and Executive Team overall.
  • Lead by example to inspire and motivate the HR team, fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous improvement, and high performance. Encourage collaboration and innovation within the team to deliver exceptional HR services.
  • Maintain a strong service orientation in Human Resources by ensuring that responsive, open, and effective two-way communications exist with all internal partners.
  • Ensure all HR practices support and balance the company’s vision and meet the needs of clients. Manage the HR function to maximize employee growth and to develop a high-performance culture.
  • Ensure Human Resources operations including HR Budget, Payroll, Pension, promotions, employee cycles (hiring, exiting) are managed efficiently and effectively through discipline, effective use of technology, process, policy and talent planning.
  • Ensure a total compensation plan is created, implemented, and maintained appropriately and supports the achievement of strategic and operational goals while using compensation as a tool to recognize employee performance.
  • Ensure the company is compliant with all legal requirements in HR matters of health and safety, employment equity and diversity and issues related to compensation in public organizations.
  • Meet statutory reporting obligations. Establish and maintain clear, effective, and efficient HR policies and procedures.
  • Work with the Chair of the Board of Directors Management, Resources and Compensation Committee (MRCC) to engage, coordinate, and create the Committee agenda, materials, and lead discussions as appropriate. Activate any direction provided by the committee.
  • Lead the people component of any post-merger or divestment transition/integration effort.
  • Ensure the HR team is ready and available for any pre-acquisition or pre-divestiture due diligence.
  • Drive the talent and executive succession/development agenda for the company to ensure that the organization is well-positioned amid its peers and stands out as an employer of choice.
  • Develop and lead a robust organizational development program that supports leadership and talent maturation, retention, cross company collaboration and sharing.
  • Recruit subject matter experts in relevant fields, establish performance objectives, monitor their achievement, and provide coaching/guidance to HR professionals to help achieve performance objectives.
  • Direct strategic workforce planning to identify and develop critical skills to deliver on the organization strategy
  • Assess and manage the impact of emerging technologies on talent strategies and workforce structure
  • Determine use cases, enhancements, impacts and governance of AI in the HR function
  • Lead the development of HR frameworks and tools for labour relations, recruitment, performance management, development, payroll, compliance, succession planning compensation and benefits, diversity and retention of talent to meet business needs.
  • Lead and coordinate the company’s Environment, Social and Governance program.

FIRST YEAR PRIORITIES

  • Establish a solid knowledge of the business and develop working relationships and credentials with the CEO, executives, Board of Directors and external partners and stakeholders while gaining a deep and broad understanding of the organization’s business model, strategy and growth plan, and capabilities.
  • Review/evaluate HR capabilities, processes, policies to best determine the appropriate team structure and players.
  • Develop, coach and mentor a high performing HR team; establishing clear direction of responsibilities, objectives, and goals.
  • Revisit and revise the HR strategy and obtain aligned with the executive and Board of Directors. Deliver a supporting 2026 and three-year HR budget.
  • Build and lead a talent management process that is strategic and deliberate in sourcing, attracting, recruiting, and retaining qualified candidates; drives performance; manages and defines competitive salaries; creates training and development opportunities; plans succession and transitioning strategies that are linked to overall business strategy;
  • Successfully re-negotiate one of the company’s Collective Agreements;

  

The Individual

 

Reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) will be intimately involved in crafting and executing a people strategy to drive high performance across the organization. This individual will be responsible for leading an HR function of 7 direct reports, including 3 HR Business Partners with a broader team of 9 including a shared Executive Administrator.

 

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

 

The essential and desirable criteria for the role includes:

  • An experienced leader of the overall HR function within a complex service-oriented business with a clear leadership philosophy;
  • Strong knowledge and experience leading the various strategic and operational HR functions, including Compensation, Recruitment, Organization Design, Outsourcing, Leadership and Talent Management/Succession Planning & Development, Employee Relations;
  • The capacity and propensity to think business first and translate this into an HR Strategy as a business asset;
  • Track record of building strong relationships with executive level stakeholders and external parties such as Board members and union representatives
  • Experience working with sophisticated Board of Directors. Has the experience, knowledge and confidence to challenge and defend positions with the CEO and the Board;
  • Previous post-merger (HR component) integration experience and track record.
  • Demonstrated capacity and track record of developing, implementing, and transforming organizations/organizational structures and cultures; comfortable in a fast paced, evolving matrix;
  • Experience working with Unions and collective bargaining
  • Has the social/interpersonal skills, or “EQ,” to build credibility and trusting relationships both inside and outside the organization.
  • Undergraduate or graduate Degree in a relevant discipline.
  • MBA considered an asset.

 

Share This Job