Manager, Talent and Total Rewards

The Manager, Talent & Total Rewards is responsible for developing and executing integrated strategies that attract, engage, and retain top talent through a seamless recruitment experience and a compelling total rewards offering. This role leads workforce planning, employer branding, and key talent programs while ensuring an efficient, candidate-focused hiring process supported by tools like iCIMS. Simultaneously, the manager oversees the design and administration of competitive compensation, benefits, and incentive programs that align with organizational objectives and comply with legislative requirements. By combining data-driven insights with a deep understanding of market trends and employee needs, this role ensures that both talent acquisition and total rewards strategies work together to drive engagement, performance, and long-term retention. The role also manages external vendor relationships and supports ministry-sponsored programs and outreach efforts to build strong, future-ready talent pipelines.

Primary Responsibilities:

Talent

• Talent Process Review and Improvement: Continuously evaluate and enhance the end-to-end recruitment process to ensure a best-in-class experience for both hiring managers and candidates, from sourcing to onboarding. Leverage iCIMS to support process efficiency, compliance, and data integrity.
• Workforce Planning: Partner with organizational leaders to anticipate and forecast staffing needs, aligning talent acquisition strategies with long-term business and workforce goals.
• Ministry Programs: Serve as the HR lead for ministry-sponsored clinical and early talent initiatives, including Clinical Externs, NGG, SPEP, and CCPN programs. Ensure successful onboarding, tracking, and engagement of participants.
• Program Management: Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of key talent programs such as the Employee Referral Program, Recognition Program, and Exit and Stay Surveys, supporting employee engagement, culture, and retention efforts.
• Employer Branding: Develop and execute employer branding strategies that reflect the organization’s values, culture, and total rewards offering. Lead initiatives such as digital media campaigns, recruitment materials, and employer award submissions to enhance external brand visibility.
• Outreach and Engagement: Lead and support outreach initiatives including career fairs, student programs, and partnerships with schools and community organizations to build a strong and diverse talent pipeline.
• Vendor Relationship Management: Manage relationships with key recruitment and branding vendors to ensure effective service delivery and return on investment.

Total Rewards

• Compensation Strategy and Management: Lead the annual compensation review process, including salary benchmarking, job evaluations, and recommendations for salary bands and pay structures that support internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Benefits Administration: Oversee the administration of employee benefits programs, ensuring offerings are competitive, compliant with relevant legislation, and well-communicated to employees to support overall wellbeing and satisfaction.
• Incentive Programs: Design, implement, and manage incentive programs that align with business objectives and support performance, motivation, and retention. Conduct regular reviews and benchmarking to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
• Compliance and Policy Management: Ensure all compensation and benefits programs adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies. Support audits and maintain up-to-date documentation and governance frameworks.
• Data Analysis and Reporting: Analyze compensation, benefits, and workforce data to identify trends, support planning, and inform leadership decisions. Provide regular reports and insights to drive continuous improvement in total rewards strategies.
• Vendor Relationship Management: Lead and maintain relationships with key compensation partners, including pension providers, benefit carriers and implementation vendors to ensure seamless administration, optimized service delivery and continuous improvement in program performance.
• Collective Bargaining: Support collective bargaining activities by supporting the development of proposals, conducting scenario modeling, and preparing comprehensive costing analyses to inform strategy and strengthen organizational positioning during negotiations.

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team supporting talent acquisition and total rewards functions. Provide clear direction, foster a collaborative team environment, and support professional development and performance growth.
• Oversee day-to-day team operations, setting priorities, allocating responsibilities, and ensuring alignment with departmental and organizational goals.
• Support team members in delivering high-quality, timely service and support across all areas of responsibility. Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency, consistency, and employee experience.
• Act as a mentor and subject matter expert, offering guidance, training, and support to build internal capability and succession within the team.

What must you have?

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, or a related field is required.
• Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in human resources, including talent and total rewards.
• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership or management role.

What else do you bring?

• Deep expertise in Total Rewards strategy, including the development and management of compensation structures, incentive programs, and employee benefits, with a proven ability to align offerings to business goals, legislative requirements, and employee needs.
• Strong command of job evaluation methods, salary benchmarking, and pay equity frameworks, with experience leading cyclical compensation reviews and maintaining competitive, compliant programs in unionized environments.
• Demonstrated success in end-to-end talent management, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, and employee engagement initiatives, with a focus on continuous process improvement and candidate experience.
• Experience building employer branding strategies and talent pipelines, including early talent and clinical workforce programs, with the ability to engage diverse audiences through outreach, partnerships, and digital media.
• Experience in a healthcare or public sector setting, ideally within a unionized environment, with a solid understanding of collective agreements and associated HR practices.
• Proven experience leading a team, providing direction, coaching, and performance development in a high-volume, multi-stakeholder context.
• Strong working knowledge of employment legislation, compensation frameworks, job evaluation methodologies, and benefits administration.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale HR programs and initiatives such as annual compensation reviews, recruitment campaigns, or workforce planning cycles.
• Skilled in HRIS and ATS platforms (preferably iCIMS), Microsoft Office Suite, and data analysis tools; able to create dashboards and reports for decision support.
• Ability to interpret and apply collective agreement provisions in talent and rewards decisions, with experience supporting union-related matters and processes.
• Ability to align HR programs with organizational goals and healthcare workforce trends, with a forward-thinking and proactive mindset.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to guide and motivate a team, build cross-functional relationships, and gain buy-in at all levels.
• Clear, respectful, and effective communicator, capable of tailoring messaging to various audiences including clinical leaders, union representatives, and staff.
• Strong analytical skills to support decision-making through metrics, benchmarking, and trend analysis in both talent and rewards areas.
• Ability to use sound judgment in managing sensitive issues, balancing organizational policy, legislative requirements, and operational needs.
• Demonstrated commitment to a positive employee experience, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of HR service delivery.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced healthcare environment, responding effectively to shifting priorities, organizational change, and regulatory updates.
• Proven attendance record.
• Demonstrates understanding and complies with patient and staff safety policies and procedures that foster a safe and inclusive environment for all.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the job.
• Effectively uses empathy in interactions with others.
• Demonstrates behaviours consistent with Mackenzie Health’s Commitment to Caring.
• Models behaviour that is aligned with the values of Mackenzie Health - Excellence, Leadership and Empathy.

Preferably, your profile also includes:

• CHRP or CHRL designation in good standing is strongly preferred.
• Additional certification in compensation, benefits, or HR analytics (e.g., CCP, CEBS) are considered an asset.

*You may be required to work at any site at Mackenzie Health.

Mackenzie Health is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer committed to providing accommodations for applicants upon request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Our hiring process does not involve the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess or select applicants.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those under consideration for an interview will be contacted.