Director, People, Culture & Experience

at  Southlake Regional Health Centre

COMPANY BIO

Southlake is building healthy communities through outstanding care, innovative partnerships, and amazing people. We deliver a wide range of healthcare services to the communities of northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. Our advanced regional programs include Cancer Care and Cardiac Care and serve a broader population across the northern GTA and into Simcoe-Muskoka.
Our team of nearly 6,000 staff, physicians, volunteers, students and Patient and Family Advisors are committed to creating an environment where the best experiences happen. As a recognition of our commitment to quality and patient safety, we have received the highest distinction of Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada.

JOB SUMMARY

At Southlake, we would not be the hospital we are today without the heart and dedication of our people. Our people are the very foundation of who we are, and there’s nothing more important to us than ensuring they feel valued, supported and inspired to deliver the best care possible to our community. Every day, we strive to create an environment where everyone is respected, recognized, and empowered to thrive. We believe that the best care for our patients starts with taking care of our people—because when our people are at their best, so is Southlake.
We are seeking a Director People, Culture & Experience to build on this commitment and help shape the future of Southlake’s employee experience. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic leader, to develop and deliver innovative people strategies that attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent, which aligns with Southlake’s new strategy for the decade ahead.
As the Director, you will play a pivotal role in bringing a new People Plan to life, ensuring we continue to grow as an employer of choice. This is an opportunity to lead with purpose, build meaningful programs, and make a lasting impact on our organization and our people.
You are a forward-thinking HR leader with deep technical expertise, a proven ability to build strong relationships, and a record of accomplishments that drive meaningful outcomes through evidence-based people programs. You thrive on people data and use insights to mobilize action, influence decisions, and deliver results. You have a talent for simplifying complexity, inspiring collaboration, and compelling action. Your positive energy is contagious. You challenge the status quo with curiosity and courage, always seeking ways to improve, innovate and make things better. You represent Southlake with passion, commitment, and by living our values every day.
Please note that this is hybrid opportunity .

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Labour Relations, Business or related field post-graduate and/or Master’s degree
• Professional designation in a related field an asset (e.g., CHRL)
• 10+ years’ experience in human resources preferably in a public sector environment, including 5+ years of leadership experience
• Strong cross-functional experience in HRIS systems, total rewards, organizational development, and employee and labour relations
• Demonstrated experience leading teams to develop enterprise-level, complex people program and services that are focused on experience, service delivery and outcomes
• Strong business acumen, analytical capability, and solutions orientation
• A proven track record of gaining credibility, partnerships and trust with senior decision-makers, leaders, peers and union partners
• Strong strategic and critical thinker who finds creative and innovative solutions
• Superior analytical, problem solving, negotiation and conflict resolution skills with the ability to be flexible and agile
• Proven effective leadership of diverse teams with a commitment to learning and unlearning to support equity, inclusion and diverse perspectives and needs
• Demonstrated credibility as a culture builder and change agent with results reflected in strategy, operations and people
• A strong ability to link strategic direction with business strategies, using a systems thinking approach

Reporting to the Vice President, People & Chief Human Resources Officer, you will have the opportunity to:

• Partner with leadership in the development and implementation of a People Plan that aligns with organizational goals, fosters a culture of engagement, and supports the growth and well-being of our people
• Develop and implement comprehensive talent and workforce strategies that enable Southlake to deliver exceptional experiences for patients, families, and the community
• Cultivate a culture of engagement, inclusion, and trust, while embracing the strength of diverse perspectives
• Continue to transform people services with a focus on the employee experience, service delivery and outcomes through simple, clear and effective policies, processes and systems
• Serve as a strategic leader on all aspect of people including employee and labour relations, workforce optimization, total rewards, talent management, talent development and succession planning, leadership development, performance management, organizational design, policy development and interpretation
• Advance negotiations and implementation of collective bargaining agreements, ensuring consistent interpretation and compliance with agreed upon terms
• Partner with our unions in the delivery of labour relations strategies, systems and programs that foster an excellent employee and labour relations culture
• Oversee and develop total reward programs that are fair, equitable and competitive, and that support a positive and inclusive employee experience
• Monitor and develop proactive strategies that address people trends, legislative changes, and the future of work
• Track, analyze, and interpret key people performance metrics to guide strategic advice, enhance programming, and improve service delivery