Vice President, Human Resources (Confidential)
Toronto, ON | Full-time | Executive Leadership Team
Compensation: Base salary of $230,000–$280,000, with total compensation of $300,000–$370,000 (including short-term incentive, long-term incentive and benefits)
About the opportunity
We're looking for a Vice President, Human Resources to lead the people function at a well-established Canadian organization during a period of significant growth and expansion.
You'll lead an established HR team of 20-24 and be accountable for the entire people agenda, from strategy and organizational design to culture, talent, total rewards and HR operations. You'll report to the CEO, sit on the executive leadership team, and act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and the board.
We want a visionary, hands-on leader. You should be able to see where the organization needs to be in three to five years and build the people strategy, structure and capability to get there. You'll also keep the day-to-day foundations of HR running well. The role suits someone who leads with both head and heart: commercially sharp, data-informed and credible in the boardroom, while staying approachable, people-centred and committed to building a culture where people do their best work.
Key responsibilities
People strategy and executive leadership
- Develop and execute a multi-year people strategy that's tightly aligned with the organization's growth and expansion plans
- Serve as a strategic partner and advisor to the CEO and executive team on organizational design, leadership capability, workforce planning and change
- Engage with the board (or relevant committees) on executive compensation, succession, culture and people risk
- Translate business priorities into clear people priorities, with measurable outcomes and accountability
- Act as an enterprise leader who contributes to decisions well beyond HR
Leading the HR function
- Lead, inspire and develop a team of 24 HR professionals across business partnering, talent acquisition, total rewards, HR operations, and learning and development
- Assess the current structure and capabilities of the HR team, and evolve the operating model so it scales with the business
- Build a strong leadership bench within HR and coach team members' professional growth
- Set clear priorities, budgets and performance expectations for the function
- Create a team culture of service, curiosity, accountability and continuous improvement
Organizational design and workforce planning
- Lead organizational design work to support expansion, including new teams, locations or business lines
- Partner with leaders on strategic workforce planning: anticipating talent needs, skill gaps and capacity requirements
- Guide leaders through restructuring, integration or change initiatives with clarity and care
Talent acquisition and employer brand
- Oversee a talent acquisition strategy that attracts high-calibre talent at every level, including senior and executive hires
- Strengthen the employer brand and candidate experience so the organization is a destination employer in a competitive Toronto market
- Use data to improve hiring quality, speed and cost-effectiveness
Leadership development, performance and succession
- Design and lead leadership development programs that build capability at every level of management
- Own the performance management framework and make sure it's fair, meaningful and drives results
- Lead succession planning for critical and executive roles, with clear development paths for high-potential talent
- Foster a culture of feedback, coaching and growth
Total rewards
- Oversee compensation, benefits, pension/retirement and recognition programs so they're competitive, equitable and sustainable
- Lead executive compensation design and incentive plans in partnership with the CEO, CFO and board
- Ensure pay equity and compliance with relevant legislation
- Use market data and analytics to make sound rewards decisions
Culture, engagement and employee experience
- Champion the organization's culture and values, and make sure they're lived, not just written down
- Lead employee engagement strategy, including listening tools, action planning and follow-through
- Drive inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging initiatives that make a real difference
- Shape an employee experience that supports wellbeing, retention and performance
Employee relations, policy and compliance
- Provide senior oversight of employee relations, investigations and complex people matters
- Ensure HR policies, practices and programs comply with Ontario employment standards, human rights, occupational health and safety, accessibility and other applicable legislation
- Partner with legal counsel on risk management and employment matters
- Oversee labour relations strategy, if applicable
HR operations, technology and analytics
- Make sure HR operations, including HRIS, payroll interfaces, data integrity and processes, are efficient, scalable and well governed
- Lead the evaluation and adoption of HR technology that improves the employee and manager experience
- Build a people analytics capability that gives leaders meaningful insight and supports evidence-based decisions
- Report regularly to the executive team and board on key people metrics
What you bring
- 15-20+ years of progressive human resources experience, with at least 7–10 years in senior HR leadership roles
- Experience leading a full-service HR function, including managing and developing a sizeable team
- A proven track record of leading HR through growth, expansion, transformation or significant organizational change
- Strategic and visionary thinking, combined with the operational discipline to deliver
- Strong executive presence and the ability to influence, challenge and build trust with the CEO, executive peers and the board
- Deep knowledge of HR best practices across organizational design, talent, rewards, culture and employee relations
- Solid understanding of Ontario employment legislation and related compliance requirements
- Experience with executive compensation and incentive design
- Comfort using data and analytics to shape strategy and measure impact
- Excellent communication skills: clear, thoughtful and able to adapt to any audience
- A university degree in human resources, business or a related field; a master's degree or MBA is an asset
Who you are
- A people-first leader who builds strong teams and develops future leaders
- A business leader first, with a clear grasp of how people strategy drives commercial results
- Someone who can see the big picture and roll up their sleeves when needed
- Calm, steady and sound in judgment in complex or sensitive situations
- Curious, forward-thinking and open to new ideas and ways of working
- Someone with integrity who earns trust through honesty, discretion and follow-through
What's on offer
- Base salary of $230,000–$280,000
- Total compensation of $300,000–$370,000, including short-term incentive and long-term incentive
- Comprehensive benefits, plus (pension/RRSP matching, vacation, etc.)
- A seat on the executive leadership team with real influence on the organization's direction
- The chance to lead an established, capable HR team through an exciting stage of growth
Confidentiality
This is a confidential search. All inquiries and applications will be handled with complete discretion, and the organization's identity will be shared with qualified candidates at the appropriate stage of the process. The organisation has selected a Third Party Recruitment Agency to assist with the initial screening and Interviewing . We do not use any AI at this stage in our selection process. Please also note - the interview process for this role will be fairly slow and will begin in the next 6-8 weeks once the Vacancy has been announced internally however the shortlisted candidates will be contacted fairly quickly.
