Manager, Talent Acquisition

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is one of Canada’s leading business law firms. Advising many of Canada’s corporate leaders, as well as U.S. and international parties with extensive interest in Canada, our more than 1,000 firm members are based in offices in Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and New York.

Osler prides itself on attracting and maintaining some of the brightest talent in the legal arena. Our lawyers, students, management and staff have created a unique firm culture which nurtures mentoring and the exchange of ideas. Osler is a dynamic and exciting place to further your career or carve out a new path.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Talent Management, this position is responsible for managing the delivery of full-cycle recruitment and retention strategies for the Toronto office, providing leadership, coaching and development to the Talent Acquisition Specialists, management of the exit interview process, data analytics, and overseeing Osler’s onboarding process. This role will work closely with the Senior Manager, Talent Management on coaching managers and staff on employee relation issues and providing support in Human Resources policy and procedure updates.

Major Responsibilities:

Manages all aspects of staff recruitment including:

Strategic Recruitment

• Oversees the staff recruitment function for the Toronto office and provides support to other offices as required.
• Responsible for managing the Talent Acquisition team and provide guidance and mentoring on best practices.
• Develops and leads the Talent Acquisition team to deliver on employee life cycle activities such as hiring, onboarding, leaves, creating offer letters, job changes and system updates.
• Manages the distribution of staffing requisitions.
• Develops and implements recruitment strategies aligned with growth objectives.
• Collaborates and consults with Senior Management to understand their staffing needs.
• Acts as a brand ambassador, building and communicating the firm's employee value proposition and ensuring a positive candidate experience.
• Actively attracts and qualifies permanent, contract and future pipeline candidates.
• Identifies opportunities for efficiencies and improvements in recruitment and retention strategies.
• Oversees the development of recruitment tools and resources to implement strategies and processes.
• Tracks and analyzes recruitment metrics to assess the effectiveness of recruitment strategies and to make recommendations.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders to further develop and improve HRIS capabilities and system implementation.
• Continually reviews and improves processes; learning best practices and integrating within Osler.

Recruitment Campaigns

Manages all recruitment initiatives with staff including:

• Determines recruitment and search strategies with hiring managers and guiding them through each phase of the recruitment process.
• Manages a portfolio of searches to attract and hire qualified candidates.
• Develops job advertisements and coordinates development of job descriptions in conjunction with the compensation department.
• Oversees the design and execution of recruitment campaigns using the LinkedIn Life pages.

Internal Transfer/Promotion

• Manages the transfer and promotion process including drafting letters, ensuring necessary paperwork is complete and supporting the hiring managers.

Onboarding/Orientation

• Approves backchecks and responsible for lifting conditions of new hires.

Applicant Tracking System

Administer and own data for the Applicant Tracking System:

• Liaise with system vendors and assists in development, configuration, functionality and implementation of upgrades.
• Trains Talent Acquisition team and hiring managers on new workflow processes/functionality.
• Utilizes the applicant tracking system to actively track, manage and report on candidate pipelines to enhance stakeholder communication and ensure effective process management.
• Provides feedback and input for process improvement and efficiencies.

 Employee Relations and Project Work:

• Supports routine staff relations matters by active listening, gathering information and, conferring with the Senior Manager, Talent Management.
• Participates in research for the drafting/modification of Human Resources policies, procedures and forms and supports any resulting implementation and communication activities.
• Conducts and records exit interviews for Toronto staff, notifies manager of trends and issues.
• Responds to inquiries from other offices and provides assistance when required.
• Remains informed and knowledgeable about employment related legislation including those applicable to the recruitment, selection and on-boarding processes.
• Conducts HR training for people leaders.
• Other projects as assigned.

 Position Requirements

Education and Experience

Post secondary education in a related business discipline and completion of courses towards a Human Resources certificate/designation with at least five years of related HR experience, including 3-5 years of proven experience leading a Talent Acquisition team or HR Administration team with a recruitment portfolio.  Experience in a large law Firm environment or a professional services organization is an asset.  An equivalent combination of education, training and experience is acceptable.

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Talent Acquisition and HR principles.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships including in a confidential and tactful manner.
• Excellent leadership and human relations skills.
•  Digitally-savvy with experience maintaining and administering an Applicant Tracking System.
• Demonstrated critical thinking with strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent customer service orientation and interpersonal skills; warm, inviting and engaging.
• Demonstrates Emotional Intelligence and builds trust, strong relationships and networking skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication and active listening skills with all levels of the organization – both internal and external.
• Strong time management, attention to detail and organizational skills.
•  Demonstrates flexibility and agility with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to adapt to change.
• Knowledge of all relevant provincial employment legislation, such as the Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act, Pay Equity Act, etc.
• Solid Knowledge of HR practices and proven experience to develop procedures related to recruiting, on-boarding and employee relations.
• Proficiency with computers including MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

 For the safety of firm members and visitors, Osler is committed to complying with the recommendations of public health authorities, including with respect to adopting mandatory vaccination policies.  Employment at Osler is therefore conditional on complying with any vaccination policies that Osler may adopt from time to time in response to the recommendations of public health authorities.

We are currently working in a hybrid work arrangement, which includes a requirement to work primarily in the office and flexibility to work remotely up to 2 days per week.

Accessibility and Accommodation

We thank all applicants for their interest in Osler; however, only chosen applicants will be contacted.  Osler is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities and people with diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates in all phases of the selection process.

Background and Reference Checks

Please note that any offer of employment will be conditional upon background and reference checks, including a criminal record check, credit check, and employment and educational verifications.

If you have the required background with the ability to provide exceptional customer service and wish to work in one of Canada's leading law firms, please reply in confidence with a cover letter and résumé by the closing date.