Description

About the Role

Reporting to the Director, People & Culture, the Manager, People & Culture provides leadership and oversight for labour relations and the day-to-day operations of the People & Culture (P&C) function within a unionized environment. This role balances strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership, ensuring legislation, policies, and collective agreements are applied in a practical, consistent, and people-centred way.

The Manager plays a key role in supporting leaders and employees through complex people matters, while maintaining compliance, fairness, and alignment with organizational values. Working closely with the Director, People & Culture, this role serves as a primary resource for labour and employee relations and provides operational leadership across core P&C functions. This role is well suited to an experienced People & Culture leader, and we will also consider candidates who demonstrate readiness to step into a broader leadership role with appropriate support.

This is a 15 month contract (12 month maternity leave plus a 3 month transition period) to support a smooth and well-planned handover. The successful candidate will have ample time to ramp up, develop a strong understanding of the organization, and build effective working relationships with the P&C and Leadership team and other key stakeholders. Knowledge transfer, onboarding, and ongoing support are intentionally built into the role.

This position is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, brings strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, and is comfortable navigating complex people issues in real time. The role provides direct leadership to three team members and works closely with the broader P&C team and Payroll to ensure alignment, collaboration, and high-quality service delivery.

As a mission-driven, non-profit organization, we offer a meaningful opportunity rooted in purpose and impact. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to strengthen systems, support leaders and employees, and make a tangible difference in the lives of children, youth, and families.

Key Responsibilities

Labour & Employee Relations

• Serve as the primary advisor and lead on employee and labour relations matters, including performance management, grievances, terminations, and workplace investigations, escalating complex or high-risk issues as required.
• Foster respectful, collaborative relationships with union representatives and internal stakeholders.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the People & Culture function, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance across core HR processes.
• Translate legislation, policies, and procedures into practical, effective processes that support operational needs and the employee experience.
• Partner closely with Payroll and P&C colleagues to ensure seamless service delivery and shared accountability.

Advisory & Consultation

• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders at all levels on People & Culture matters, including policies, procedures, employment legislation, and collective agreement interpretation.
• Provide guidance on employee relations matters by identifying root causes, assessing risk, and supporting sustainable solutions.
  

Quality Improvement & Systems Thinking

• Lead and support process improvement initiatives aligned with organizational priorities and strategic goals.
• Contribute to the development, review, and implementation of People & Culture policies, procedures, and tools.
• Analyze trends and data, preparing insights and reports to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

People Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, coach, and support three direct reports, fostering accountability, development, and engagement.
• Promote a collaborative, psychologically safe team environment grounded in trust, feedback, and learning.
• Participate in cross-organizational committees and initiatives that support organizational culture, equity, and effectiveness.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Comfort navigating ambiguity and complex, evolving situations.
• Strong analytical, mediation, and real-time conflict-resolution skills, grounded in systems thinking.
• Solid understanding of provincial and federal employment legislation, including Employment Standards, Human Rights, and Occupational Health & Safety.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
• High standards of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Labour Relations, or a related field.
• Progressive experience in People & Culture / Human Resources, including labour relations and operational leadership.
• Experience working in a unionized environment is required.
• CPHR designation preferred.
• Experience in the non-profit or human services sector is an asset.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Note: We value diverse career paths and experiences and will consider demonstrated capability, judgment, and readiness for scope in addition to years of experience.

Ideally, we would like the candidate to start May 4, 2026, but are flexible.