HR People Partner

The Role

As primary point of contact for HR matters, acts an internal consultant and advisor who partners with leaders to equip them with information, knowledge, and HR practices required to achieve the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. Coaches and guides leaders on matters including, but not limited to: talent development, performance management, employee and team wellbeing, employee relations, and creating an exceptional employee experience.

Uses a client-centered, people-first mindset in enabling and empowering leaders to build and grow high-performing teams, and optimize employee potential and wellbeing to continuously improve the health and effectiveness of the organization.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Partners with leaders to understand current and future challenges, strengths, risks, and opportunities as it relates to their people. Analyzes and leverages people analytics, business intelligence, and other forms of data to identify emerging trends and enable leaders to make talent-related decisions, and address opportunities for improvement. Identifies, informs, and implements integrated HR solutions and people practices to enhance the employee experience and drive organizational performance.
• Partners with HR subject matter experts to develop, communicate, implement, and evaluate organization-wide programs and drive transformational change. Strategizes with leaders to develop implementation plans, giving consideration to client-specific needs, and drives operationalization within the business. Enables leaders to align people practices with the organization’s culture and strategic direction, and to create an exceptional employee experience.
• Maintains knowledge and stays informed of HR matters, and maintains expertise on current people management leading practices and emerging issues, trends, programs, and program changes to inform, coach, consult, advise, and guide leaders on leading practices in people management related to current and future talent attraction, retention, development needs, and employment-related legislation issues. 
• Proactively anticipates clients’ needs and expectations to deliver comprehensive, high quality services. 
• Uses a continuous improvement approach to foster ongoing commitment to improving HR programs, tool, and processes that enable people leaders and enhance the employee experience.
• Champions the organization’s culture and core values, and is a catalyst for honest, insightful, meaningful conversation.
• Leads employee onboarding and off-boarding programs.
• Works with leaders to conduct layoffs and terminations of non-bargaining unit staff.
• Coaches leaders through conflict resolution, complaint, disciplinary, and termination processes. Conducts employee file reviews and follows up regarding concerns or questions and takes necessary action. 
• Provides training, advice, and coaching on employment matters, interpersonal conflict, and team dynamics.
• Coordinates resolution of inquiries and issues related to policy and procedures.
• Performs related duties as required.    

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills normally acquired through a bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus progressively responsible related experience in a complex, unionized environment.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, and collective agreements. 
• Knowledge and experience interpreting and applying HR leading practices and principles, including legislation (e.g., human rights, employment standards, accessibility, health and safety).
• Knowledge and experience with multiple HR disciplines and processes, and their impact on the organization and employee experience, including but not limited to: recruitment and selection, compensation, onboarding, talent management, training and development, employee and labour relations, employee wellbeing).
• Business acumen, analytical, and issue resolution skills to identify and diagnose business challenges and deal with situations in an open, objective, flexible way.
• Demonstrated customer service excellence, and ability to anticipate client needs and expectations to deliver comprehensive, high quality, integrated services.
• Continuous improvement skills and ability to foster commitment to programs, tools, and processes that enable people leaders and enhance the employee experience.
• Ability to operate at strategic and operational levels in a complex environment. 
• Change management knowledge and skills and ability to act as a catalyst for and accelerate change, and enable business strategy and sustained performance.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Diagnostic skills with proven ability to identify and evaluate options and alternatives, develop recommendations, and deliver results for complex, multi-dimensional issues.
• Human relations skills with demonstrated ability to build credibility and successful relationships and partnerships with leaders and teams at all levels, and participate as an effective team member.
• Verbal communication and presentation skills with demonstrated ability to write clear, concise, compelling tools, resources, and messaging. 
• Ability to champion diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging and actively promote an inclusive work environment and workforce diversity.
• Ability to occasionally work outside regular business hours.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support, demonstrate, and champion the organization’s culture and values.