Director, Human Resources in Vaughan

Our client is a privately held, multi-entity infrastructure and construction organization with more than 50 years of history and a strong reputation across Ontario, with a growing presence in Western Canada. The organization operates in a dynamic, project-driven environment and has more than 500 employees across its various divisions. With continued organic growth and an active acquisition strategy, the organization is seeking an experienced Director, Human Resources to lead the evolution of its Human Resources function. Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, the Director will be a trusted advisor and constructive challenger to senior leaders on organizational, talent, performance and people matters. This is a significant opportunity for an accomplished HR leader to build and lead a scalable, commercially focused HR function that strengthens leadership capability, workforce performance and organizational discipline while preserving an entrepreneurial, practical and relationship-driven culture. The role is based at the organization’s head office in Vaughan, Ontario, with a strong expectation of being on-site to support close partnership with the business.

Key Responsibilities

• HR Strategy & Business Partnership: Develop and execute a multi-year HR strategy and annual priorities aligned with corporate objectives, growth plans and business-unit requirements. Act as a trusted advisor to the President, senior leadership team and business-unit leaders. Establish appropriate group-wide HR standards, systems and governance while tailoring execution to the needs of individual business units. Support organizational change, restructuring and the implementation of new systems and processes.
• Organization, Workforce & Succession Planning: Lead organization design and workforce planning to ensure the business has the structure, capacity and capabilities required for current and future growth. Establish succession planning for senior, operational and other critical positions. Identify talent gaps, readiness and development priorities.
• Mergers, Acquisitions & Integration: Lead the HR workstream for acquisitions, investments and business combinations, partnering with senior leadership, Finance, Legal and operating leaders. Conduct HR due diligence covering organizational structure, leadership capability, key talent, compensation and benefits, employment arrangements, HR systems, workforce costs and employee matters. Assess leadership and critical talent within acquisition targets and identify retention, succession and recruitment requirements. Develop people and organizational integration plans, including organization design, leadership accountabilities, staffing, communications, onboarding and cultural integration. Determine which HR policies, programs, systems and controls should be standardized across the organization and where business-specific practices should be retained. Oversee the transition of HR processes, employee data, payroll, benefits and other people systems.
• Talent Acquisition, Performance & Development: Build and lead a scalable recruitment program using consistent tools, selection methods and standards. Manage external recruitment partners, including commercial terms, service quality, outcomes and cost effectiveness. Develop and lead performance management and talent assessment processes. Establish leadership, management, technical and career development programs to strengthen internal capability and retention. Continuously improve onboarding and orientation to accelerate employee integration and productivity.
• Employee Experience & Culture: Preserve and strengthen a culture grounded in safety, integrity, accountability, collaboration, ownership and follow-through. Lead employee relations, workplace investigations, complaint resolution and the consistent application of company policies. Develop practical approaches to employee communication, engagement, recognition, wellness and workplace programs.
• Total Rewards: Provide leadership for compensation and benefits programs, including compensation structures, market competitiveness, pay equity, internal consistency, legislative compliance and cost effectiveness. Ensure employees and leaders have clear and practical information regarding compensation, benefits and other employment programs.
• HR Operations, Technology & Analytics: Leverage HR technology, AI and automation to simplify processes, improve productivity and enhance the employee and manager experience. Develop meaningful HR metrics, dashboards and reporting to support executive decision-making. Ensure appropriate HR processes, records, data governance and controls are maintained.
• Governance & HR Team Leadership: Ensure compliance with applicable employment legislation, company policies and HR governance requirements. Engage and manage external legal counsel and specialized advisors as required. Build, develop and lead a high-performing HR team with clear accountabilities and a strong service orientation. Partner closely with the Health & Safety team on employee welfare, wellness and health-related programs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related discipline. CHRL designation is an asset.
• 12+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including 5–7 years in a senior HR leadership role.
• Experience supporting a multi-site, multi-business or similarly complex organization.
• Experience in construction, industrial or another operationally intensive environment is strongly preferred.
• Broad HR leadership experience spanning organizational design, workforce planning, succession planning, talent acquisition, performance management, leadership development, compensation, benefits, employee relations, HR operations and compliance.
• Proven experience building, upgrading or scaling HR practices, systems and team capability within a growing organization.
• Strong understanding of HR technology, HRIS, data analytics, AI and automation.
• Demonstrated change-management experience and the ability to help leaders implement new structures, systems, processes and expectations.
• Experience leading or materially supporting HR due diligence and post-acquisition integration is considered an asset.
• Excellent communication, leadership, coaching, influencing and planning skills, with the credibility to advise senior executives.
• High judgment, diplomacy and emotional intelligence, with the ability to navigate complex situations within a family-founded, entrepreneurial and multi-entity environment.
• Practical, hands-on and commercially oriented leadership style, with the ability to move comfortably between strategic priorities and operational execution.

What You’ll Bring

The successful candidate will be a strategic yet hands-on HR leader who understands that effective HR must be closely connected to the business. You will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where decisions are made quickly, and leaders are expected to demonstrate ownership and accountability. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by leading and scaling the HR function while helping an established organization successfully navigate its next stage of growth. If you are an accomplished HR leader looking for an opportunity to shape culture, strengthen leadership capability and build a modern HR function within a growing organization, we would like to hear from you.