Director, HR Partnerships and Workforce Relations

Across our three hospitals and eight satellite sites, Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is shaping the future of care. Our many programs and services are designed around the needs of one of Canada’s most vibrant and diverse communities. We are home to North America’s largest nephrology program, as well as the designated cardiac care and spine centre for Scarborough and surrounding communities to the east. We are proud to be a community-affiliated teaching site for the University of Toronto and partner with a number of other universities and colleges, helping to train the next generation of health care professionals. SHN is the recipient of the 2021 Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, from the Canadian College of Health Leaders, for our leading edge work on Communities of Inclusion, Inclusion Calendar, Health Equity Certificate Program and much more. We are also proud to be named Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures for 2023 and 2024! Learn more at shn.ca

Job Description:

Position Overview:

The Director, HR Partnerships and Workforce Relations is a strategic leadership role responsible for advancing SHN’s HR Partnerships and Workforce Relations mandate. Reporting to the Vice President, People, Culture & Governance and CHRO, the Director, HR Partnerships and Workforce Relations is a key member of the People Services leadership team, responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of strategic workforce relations matters, including the employee and labour relations functions across SHN.

The Director partners closely with People Services leaders, operational leaders, and union partners to support achieving the people strategy initiatives. This role is critical in building credibility and trust across the organization to position our workforce for success in a rapidly changing healthcare environment and to engage and empower our people in new ways.

The Director will lead a modern, data-informed Employee & Labour Relations function, ensuring Human Resources teams operate as true strategic partners while proactively managing risk and opportunities in a complex, unionized healthcare environment.

Strategic Leadership & Workforce Planning

• Partner with Human Resources, corporate support, operational, and union leadership to advance SHN’s strategic priorities by optimizing human capital performance
• Provide strategic leadership to the HR Business Partners, ensuring alignment between workforce planning, talent strategies, and organizational goals
• Lead the design and implementation of an integrated workforce planning approach in collaboration with People Services leaders
• Partner with People Analytics to leverage workforce data, trends, and human capital metrics to inform strategic decision-making and future workforce needs
• Apply strategic workforce foresight to proactively identify emerging workforce risks and design targeted strategies to address future talent gaps, capacity pressures, and shifting organizational demands

Labour & Employee Relations Leadership

• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert and partner on complex employee and labour relations matters, including performance, attendance, discipline, investigations, terminations, and accommodations
• Interpret and administer multiple collective agreements, ensuring consistent and compliant application across SHN
• Act as Chief Spokesperson in collective bargaining; lead negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, and the development of MOUs and local agreements
• Partner with union leadership and management to foster productive relationships and maintain a respectful, collaborative work environment
• Provide strategic guidance by developing and embedding supporting policies, processes, and practices that enable corporate decisions to align with collective agreements, SHN policies, and applicable legislation

Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of SHN’s Labour and Employee Relations strategy, policies, and standard operating procedures
• Identify, assess, and mitigate labour and employment-related risks in a complex, multi-union environment
• Oversee grievance processes, including investigation, case management, and arbitration preparation
• Ensure compliance with Ontario legislation, including the Labour Relations Act, Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Code, and Occupational Health and Safety Act

Investigations, Workplace Culture & Inclusion

• Oversee investigations into complex workplace concerns, including policy violations and matters raised through formal reporting channels (e.g., whistleblower program)
• Promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, psychological safety, and respect across the organization
• Champion equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging through workforce practices, systems design, and employee experience initiatives

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Employee & Labour Relations team
• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to HR Business Partners, managers, and operational leaders on people management practices
• Establish and sustain enterprise standards of excellence across Workforce Relations operations, providing consistent, high‑quality service through a collaborative consultant model that supports internal partners in achieving strong operations and high‑performing teams across SHN
• Design and deliver training and education programs on employee and labour relations topics

Financial & Operational Accountability

• Develop and manage departmental budgets aligned with organizational priorities
• Contribute to financial and operational planning to ensure effective resource utilization and measurable outcomes
• Prepare and present regular and ad hoc reports that integrate labour and employee relations data with broader HR metrics, risk analyses, and strategic insights

External Partnerships & Continuous Improvement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including legal counsel, professional associations, and peer healthcare organizations
• Monitor emerging trends, legislative changes, and best practices to continuously strengthen SHN’s employee and labour relations function in a proactive manner

Requirements:

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Labour/Industrial Relations, Law, or a related field; CHRL/CHRP required, Master’s preferred
• Minimum 7-10+ years of progressive labour and employee relations experience in a unionized Ontario healthcare or broader public sector environment
• Demonstrated expertise in collective bargaining, arbitration, grievance management, and complex investigations
• Strong knowledge of Ontario labour and employment legislation and labour relations jurisprudence
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders, manage risk, and lead in a complex, multi-site, unionized environment
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
• Strong knowledge of labour practices and collective agreement administration
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale transformation and change initiatives
• Ability to think strategically and translate into operational action
• Excellent communication skills: written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Strong team engagement, facilitation, and coaching skills to build team morale and improve culture
• Strong customer-service and partnership orientation and the ability to link the people experience with quality outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to develop and influence relationships at all levels, with strong interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Strong fiscal experience including preparing budget proposals, briefing notes, and business cases, monitoring fiscal performance, and implementing strategies to improve efficiency and outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to build strategic alliances and partnerships with health system, academic, and private sector partners
• Good understanding of hospital operations and the broader healthcare system

This opportunity is posted to support the recruitment of an existing vacant position.

Accommodation and Diversity Statement:
Scarborough Health Network (SHN) embraces and celebrates our community’s unique multicultural heritage and diversity. SHN is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a culture of inclusiveness and diversity reflecting our diverse patients, staff and community alike.

We are committed to fostering an environment of equity and inclusivity where every person can work and receive care safely, openly and honestly. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nation of origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital or family status, belief system, or other factors related to one’s personal identity and/or values.

We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs.

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