Senior Manager, Employee & Labour Relations And Health & Safety

Senior Manager, Employee & Labour Relations andHealth & Safety
Regular Full Time
Requisition ID: 3644
Salary Range: $138,144 to $162,533 Annually

The City of Markham is proud to be recognized for the 3^rd consecutive year as one of Canada’s Best Employers, and ranked in the top three for Government Services by Forbes and Statista Inc! The City of Markham is a dynamic and change-oriented leader that stands out from other Canadian municipalities. The recipient of multiple environmental awards, we are recognized for our innovative sustainability and urban planning initiatives as much as for our fiscal accountability. More than 353,000 residents call Markham home and benefit from our rich heritage, culturally diverse environment, vibrant local economy and focus on quality of life. 

Applications are now being accepted for the regular full time position of Senior Manager, Employee & Labour Relations andHealth & Safety in the People Services Department within the Office of the CAO. To apply for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter online by January 7, 2023.

Join us and make a lasting difference!

JOB SUMMARY:
Reporting to the City Solicitor and Director of People Services, the Senior Manager, Employee & Labour Relations andHealth & Safety (‘Senior Manager’) plays a key role as a strategic HR lead providing trusted and proactive advice and guidance to the City at all levels in support of our overall strategic goals and priorities. The Senior Manager is responsible for championing a high performance and collaborative work culture within the People Services department and implementing a people strategy that provides responsive, strategic and creative problem solving to proactively address complex issues and changing needs in a dynamic work environment. The key areas of responsibility are: Employee & Labour Relations; HR specialist and business partner support; health, safety and wellness; employee benefits and compensation; workforce planning; and performance management.

As a Labour Relations professional with strong mediation and negotiation skills, the Senior Manager is responsible for leading all Labour Relations activities, including collective bargaining and acting as Chief Spokesperson for a portfolio of collective agreements. The position is also responsible for providing leadership to HR staff, HR program and policy development and review, attending internal and external meetings as a representative of People Services, department budget administration and records management.

The Senior Manager is a trusted leader that demonstrates a commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and is responsible for ensuring a respectful work environment that is psychologically safe and free of discrimination and harassment, while ensuring adherence to all collective agreements, employment, health and safety laws and regulations, and corporate employment policies.

This position has a substantial mandate, with wide-ranging accountabilities, which is an exciting opportunity for an innovative and dynamic HR leader who enjoys scanning the internal and external environment to remain current with legislation/regulations, case law, trends and HR best practices; with a proven track record for developing and implementing forward-looking HR programs and services in support of organization goals and priorities!

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, recommend, and implement human resources strategies, policies, programs and services to support the corporation’s vision, strategic plan, including long and short-term objectives, and ensure compliance with legislation.
• Develop, implement and maintain the City’s People Strategy.
• Oversee, develop, recommend and implement innovative approaches to address human resources issues and challenges, working collaboratively with the People Services team and client departments.
• Provide leadership to and ensure good customer service through the provision of services in the following HR functions/units: Employee and Labour relations; Health, Safety and Wellness; Compensation, Benefits and Job Evaluation; and HR Business Partner strategic and generalist support for the City’s operational departments.
• Develops reports and presentations to provide HR advice and guidance to senior staff, the Mayor and Council on human resources related issues and human resources implications of business decisions.
• Develop and recommend Corporate Labour Relations Strategy including overseeing the collective bargaining process for all collective agreements, which includes acting as Chief Spokesperson responsible for successful negotiation, working with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) to develop the strategic collective bargaining direction and mandate, recommending tentative settlements to ELT and Council, updating contract language and leading communication and training of collective agreement changes to stakeholders.
• Provide advice and guidance in the areas of complaints and/or grievances, arbitrations, mediations, workplace investigations, corrective actions, performance issues, employment dismissals, accommodations, return to work, attendance management and human rights issues. 
• Develop and make recommendations regarding union and non-union Total Compensation and Job Evaluation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with staff, unions, management and elected officials regarding people related matters.
• Facilitate successful implementation of change within the corporation. 
• Lead the People Services division’s business planning, budgeting and work plan preparation, ensuring alignment with the People Strategy and City’s and operational departments’ strategic and business plans. Monitor departmental budget as well as support and facilitate budgeted, People Services’ related initiatives.
• Develop and delivers educational tools to enhance human resources and employee and Labour Relations knowledge within the Corporation through workshops and seminars, information bulletins, interpretative guidelines/briefs and presentations. 
• Provide one-on-one coaching and mentoring to Client Services and Compensation and Benefits team members with the goal of sharing knowledge, experience, and advice to provide growth and succession opportunities. 
• Oversee the development of systems and tools to provide management with HR related information to assist them with decision making and managing their staff.
• Remain up to date on legislation and regulations, case law, emerging trends, and practices. Formulate corporate options and recommended responses to new or revised legislation.
• Responsible for policy and program development and review; ensures that appropriate employee and Labour Relations associated policies, procedures and programs are developed, remain current and relevant and meet legislation and customer satisfaction requirements; makes recommendations for policy, procedures and program implementation and changes. 
• Prepare reports, make recommendations and attend Council, Director’s Forum (DF) and other internal and external meetings as necessary.
• Provide back-up support to the City Solicitor and Director of HR.
• Undertake special projects as required that are in accordance with necessary departmental or corporate objectives.
• Participates as a People Services Department representative on Staff committees and advisory committees
• Other duties as assigned. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• University Degree in a related field and a Canadian Human Resources Professional Designation are required. 
• Minimum 10 years of experience in middle to senior level HR management role with a strategic focus.
• Thorough working knowledge of best practice HR management strategies, models, tools and techniques in all functional HR areas.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in Labour Relations is mandatory.
• Working knowledge of business planning and budgeting. 
• Demonstrated leadership of varied HR disciplines including Strategic Talent Management, Health and Safety, Total Rewards, and HR Business Partners.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to present HR related information regarding City’s HR programs and best practices to Senior Executives and Council.
• Must be aware of multiple acts, regulations, laws, and agreements to be proactive and bring findings or changes to the attention of others.  Key items include Employment Standards, Pay Equity, WSIB, Occupational Health and Safety, City By-laws, Municipal Act, AODA, Labour Relations legislation.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong change and project management skills.
• Demonstrated organizational, analytical, problem solving and decision making skills.
• Strong judgement, tact and diplomacy.
• You will hold a valid Ontario Class “G” Driver’s Licence, as the position involves travel to satellite offices, meetings and conferences.
• You are flexible in terms of work hours, in order to facilitate handling of urgent Health & Safety and Employee & Labour Relations issues, conduct collective bargaining and attend Council meetings.
• A satisfactory police criminal record check will be required as a condition of employment.

CORE BEHAVIOURS:

• Service Excellence: Focuses organizational resources on understanding and responding effectively and efficiently to customer needs.
• Change & Innovation: Encourages innovation and effectively leads, implements, assesses and sustains change initiatives.
• Teamwork & Relationship Building: Develops collaborative and high performing teams as well as effective relationships with colleagues and partners.
• Communication: Adapts communication approach to needs of audience and situation, and develops staff in this area.
• Accountable & Results Oriented: Ensures work group behaves ethically and complies with expectations, policies and legislation; focuses work group efforts to work plan.
• Management & Leadership: Builds an engaging environment that supports learning, career development and regular feedback, and that attracts and retains high performing staff.
• Strategic Thinking & Planning: Understands and assesses complex concepts, trends and relationships; participates in business planning; makes decisions that align with the City’s strategic direction.

The City of Markham is committed to inclusive, accessible and barrier free employment practices and to creating a workplace that reflects and supports the diversity of the community we serve.  Please let us know if you require an accommodation and we will work with you to ensure a barrier free hiring process.