Director, People and Organizational Culture

Director, People and Organizational Culture Join to apply for the

Director, People and Organizational Culture

role at

Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada

About The Role The Director, People and Organizational Culture is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and fostering a positive, inclusive and respectful organizational culture, managing human resources/talent management strategies, and enhancing employee engagement to drive overall success. The incumbent provides corporate leadership for the development and implementation of a comprehensive suite of strategic and operational HR policies, plans, programs and initiatives to enable the Council to achieve its strategic objectives and operational goals. The incumbent directs and supervises all specialized HR and talent management functions within the Council (talent planning, talent acquisition, talent development, employee and labour relations, pay, pension and benefits, health and wellness, leave and attendance management, HR systems, job evaluation and classification, learning and organizational development, inclusive workplace), as well as the numerous federally regulated areas supported by legislation, policies or specific objectives (employment equity, pay equity, official languages, disclosure of wrongdoing within the workplace, multiculturalism, health and safety, etc.) that the incumbent promotes and for which they design and lead the implementation of initiatives to attain the desired goals and outcomes. The Director is tasked with fostering a positive, inclusive and respectful workplace environment that reflects the Council’s values and mission. This includes implementing initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. The incumbent leads the development of HR strategic planning and priorities in alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan. The Director is the Council’s labour relations spokesperson to enable the Council to manage its human resources in a culture that reflects its values, principles and practices, and advances the broader concept of talent management in continuous business evolution and context to position the Council as an employer of choice.

Specific Accountabilities

Provides corporate leadership for the effective stewardship of the Council’s human resources, ensuring that talent management is integrated into the Council’s strategic and operational objectives and approaches, processes and practices.

Provides strategic advice to the Chief Financial Officer and Director and Chief Executive Officer as well as executives; oversees the delivery and/or improvement of a comprehensive suite of human resources management programs, policies and services to enhance the Council’s capacity as an effective steward of public resources and position the Council as an employer of choice.

Leads the Council bargaining team by preparing the bargaining mandates with management, establishing efficient and effective bargaining processes for the renewal of the collective agreement.

Ensures that human resources/talent management practices comply with labour laws and regulations; manages HR-related risks and legal matters to protect the Council.

Establishes and reinforces an organizational culture that promotes a positive, inclusive and respectful work culture, enabling recruitment, retention, learning and development of staff to support the Council’s mandate and support management in delivering human resources services effectively.

Establishes and reinforces the Code of Conduct; exercises all duties identified by the legislation to the Senior Officer responsible for the Public Servant Disclosure Protection Act.

Develops a strong internal communications culture and appropriate mechanisms to support it, in partnership with other members of management, including the Communications Section.

Directs the development and implementation of an overarching talent management framework that supports innovative approaches to talent attraction, onboarding, development and management to build and promote a culture that fosters engagement and enablement.

Maintains strong linkages and partnerships with the bargaining agent to promote harmonious working conditions and resolve workplace differences cooperatively.

Handles delicate or complex matters in staff relations, compensation, organizational analysis and staffing, as well as high‑level projects and activities surrounding terms and conditions of employment, labour‑management consultations, mediation and grievance settlement.

Represents Council’s interests in the development and implementation of government‑wide human resources management policies and major initiatives in various fora.

Provides leadership to guide the People and Culture Section in supporting the Council’s strategic and business objectives; manages its operations responsibly and cost‑effectively, meeting service quality standards while respecting laws and regulations, and creates a workplace that values and champions diversity, encourages learning and promotes equity.

Responsible for internal staff committees and working groups including oversight for the social committee and internal staff activities as well as the employee engagement strategy at the corporate level; the role is also the executive lead for equity, diversity and inclusion strategies within the internal organization.

Contributes to overall Council management through active participation within the Council’s Management Committee.

Education

An undergraduate degree in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience related to the responsibilities of the position.

CHRP designation attained or in progress would be an asset.

Experience

Ten (10) years of progressive Human Resources experience in human resources management, organizational development and culture management.

Seven (7) years of supervisory/management experience.

Proven track record in leading human resources/talent management initiatives and fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

Experience providing guidance and coaching to management and employees on the prevention and resolution of issues in the workplace.

Experience supporting the design, development, implementation and management of human resources/talent management programs, policies and procedures in a unionized environment.

Experience in the collective bargaining process and acting in an advisory capacity on labour relations matters.

Knowledge

Proven knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, including the Canada Labour Code, Official Language, Pay Equity and Employment Equity Act.

Knowledge of emerging Human Resources management trends and challenges.

Knowledge of formal and informal dispute resolution methodology, procedures and techniques such as mediation and coaching.

Knowledge of job evaluation and classification processes.

Extensive knowledge of the principles and practice of human resources/talent management, including change management, organizational development practices, learning and development methodologies, policy and program development.

Knowledge of project management principles and methodologies.

Skills & Competencies

Strong judgment in making objective decisions and assessing risk.

Excellent interpersonal, leadership and consensus‑building skills.

Excellent problem‑solving, planning, organization and multi‑tasking skills in a fast‑paced environment.

Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills in both official languages for briefing notes, program and process implementation, and reports to various stakeholder groups.

A dynamic and engaging leadership style that fosters strong working relationships based on credibility and open communication.

A coaching approach to promote practices that support leaders in fulfilling their talent management responsibilities.

A solutions‑oriented mindset that focuses on the big picture when designing, developing, implementing and maintaining programs.

Excellent research and analytical skills, weighing options and making logical decisions.

Ability to find creative solutions when developing proactive strategies and solutions to ensure organizational effectiveness and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan.

Highly organized and able to handle multiple priorities.

Self‑motivated and a change agent and orchestrator.

High level of personal integrity, tact and judgment.

Bilingual Requirements This position requires the use of both official languages. The requirements in the second official language are:

An advanced level in reading comprehension (C).

An intermediate level in writing (B).

An advanced level in oral (C).

Important: Please submit your resume and a cover letter clearly demonstrating how you meet the above qualifications for Education and Experience. Please note that selection for further consideration will be based solely on the information provided in your cover letter, resume and application.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and accessible to all. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please contact the Council directly.

For people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or TTY users, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP service to contact us.

The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to building a skilled and diverse workfo...