Archived listing. The details below describe a past opening.
Application Deadline: 1 November 2026
Department: People & Culture
Location: British Columbia, Canada (Hybrid)
Compensation: CA$171,400 - CA$235,700 / year
Description
Photonic is entering a critical phase of growth - scaling globally, maturing operationally, and preparing the business for the future. The Senior Director, Human Resources will lead the delivery and continued development of the HR infrastructure required to support that trajectory. Reporting to the Chief Business Operations Officer, this role provides functional ownership and oversight across recruitment, compensation & benefits, HR operations, compliance, and core people programs. You will translate People strategy into disciplined execution, lead a capable HR team, and ensure programs and processes meet the standards expected of a scaling company. This is a highly accountable, hands-on leadership role for an operator who can build, improve, and reliably deliver the foundations that make Photonic credible, scalable, and ready for its next stage.
Please include a cover letter with your resume (in one file) describing how you would be a great fit at Photonic and what attributes you could bring to our growing team.
What We Need You To Do
HR Team Leadership
- Lead, develop, and coordinate the HR team across recruitment, HR operations, compensation & benefits, compliance, and core people programs.
- Build a high-performing, service-oriented team capable of supporting Photonic through rapid scaling and increasing operational complexity.
- Set functional priorities, allocate team capacity, establish service standards, and ensure consistent, audit-ready delivery as the company grows.
Talent Acquisition
- Provide functional leadership and oversight for Photonic’s end-to-end recruitment function, including sourcing strategies for highly specialized scientific and engineering talent (PhDs, quantum, photonics).
- Translate workforce plans into recruitment priorities, capacity plans, and delivery targets aligned with Photonic’s growth roadmap and key business milestones.
- Partner with leaders and hiring managers to define roles, success criteria, and disciplined assessment processes that result in exceptional hires.
- Oversee employer branding, candidate experience, recruitment analytics, and vendor performance to keep Photonic competitive in the global talent market.
Total Rewards
- Lead the design, benchmarking, governance, and administration of compensation and benefits programs across all geographies (Canada, US, UK), within the company’s approved compensation philosophy and budget.
- Ensure compensation structures are market-competitive, equitable, defensible, and supported by documentation that can withstand due diligence scrutiny - including equity plan administration, pay equity analysis, and total rewards benchmarking.
- Oversee annual compensation processes and equity administration, and partner closely with Finance and senior People leadership on planning, budgeting, controls, and reporting.
HR Operations & Compliance
- Provide oversight for core HR operations, including HRIS (HiBob), payroll, benefits administration, onboarding/offboarding, employment documentation, and employee lifecycle management.
- Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulations across all jurisdictions, partnering with internal and external experts as needed and ensuring the documentation, controls, audit trails, and policy frameworks expected of a company approaching an exit.
- Establish clear operating rhythms, service metrics, and controls, and drive process improvement and automation to increase efficiency, data quality, and risk management as Photonic scales.
Performance Programs & Employee Relations
- Oversee the consistent delivery of performance review cycles, goal-setting frameworks, talent reviews, and employee development programs.
- Provide guidance and governance for complex employee relations matters, ensuring issues are handled consistently, fairly, and in compliance with applicable requirements.
- Develop practical tools, processes, and manager resources that support effective people leadership, escalating material risks and decisions appropriately.
Employee Experience & Engagement
- Lead employee listening, engagement survey delivery, action planning, and recognition programs in partnership with leaders across the business.
- Oversee onboarding and core employee experience programs so they set people up for success, reinforce Photonic’s values, and remain consistent as headcount grows.
- Use employee data and organizational insight to identify retention and experience risks, recommend actions, and monitor follow-through during rapid growth and transition.
What You Bring To Our Team
- 10+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 3 years leading a multi-disciplinary HR team or function in a scaling technology or deep tech environment.
- Experience strengthening HR operations and controls through a company’s rapid-growth, pre-exit, or pre-IPO phase - you understand what operational readiness looks like and how to deliver it.
- Broad functional expertise across recruitment, compensation & benefits, HRIS, compliance, employee relations, and people program delivery, with the judgment to set priorities and engage specialists when needed.
- Experience managing HR operations across multiple geographies (Canada required; US and/or UK strongly preferred).
- Proven ability to scale HR processes, systems, and team capability through periods of rapid growth, ideally from approximately 100 to 500+ employees.
- Strong knowledge of Canadian employment law; familiarity with US and UK employment regulations is a significant asset.
- Hands-on experience with modern HR systems (HiBob, ATS platforms, payroll systems).
- Comfort operating with senior leaders and balancing strategic context with hands-on execution in a fast-moving company preparing for a significant business milestone.
- A bias to action, operational discipline, and a genuine love of building.
What Does Success Look Like
- The HR function operates with clear ownership, reliable service standards, strong documentation, effective controls, and readiness for due diligence.
- Recruitment delivers exceptional talent on pace with Photonic’s workforce plan and key hiring milestones, with clear visibility into capacity, progress, and risks.
- Compensation and benefits programs are competitive, equitable, well-governed, accurately administered, and defensible.
- HR operations are scalable, compliant, data-informed, and increasingly efficient, with issues identified early and addressed with discipline.
- Core people programs are delivered consistently, managers have practical tools and clear processes, and material employee risks are identified and addressed early.
WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US
- Work closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies to drive breakthroughs that redefine computing
- Join at a pivotal moment - help shape and lead an organization through one of the most exciting phases a company can experience
- Inclusive company culture that values collaboration
- Regular social events and fun activities keep our global team connected
- Competitive compensation package including base salary, stock options, and relocation assistance for global talent
- Comprehensive benefits including extended health, dental, life, long term disability, an employee assistance program, parental leave top-ups, and a flexible spending account
The description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we've described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! We are also committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know. 