HR Partner, HR Partnerships, People & Culture

Description

Be a strategic HR leader in a world-class academic institution.

The University of Calgary is seeking experienced HR Partners (HRP) to drive strategic HR initiatives by working alongside clients to develop and deliver innovative people solutions that support faculty, staff, and leadership in achieving institutional excellence. This is a unique opportunity to influence people strategy, shape organizational culture, and contribute to an environment where academic and administrative excellence thrives.

About the Role

As an HRP, you will act as a trusted advisor and partner to senior leaders across the university to align HR strategies with business goals, ensuring an engaged and high-performing workforce. You will provide expertise in workforce planning, leadership coaching, employee relations, organizational development, client support, and project management, ensuring HR policies and practices support the university's mission. While you will operate at a strategic level with senior leaders, you can move seamlessly to an operational mode and turn ideas into action.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with university leaders to develop and execute strategic workforce plans.
• Coach and advise managers on leadership, performance management, and team development.
• Provide HR expertise in employee relations, workplace culture, and compliance.
• Support innovative talent acquisition, retention, and diversity strategies.
• Deliver exceptional HR client support and manage key HR projects to drive transformation.

Why Join Us?

At the University of Calgary, you'll have the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and excellence. We offer:

• A meaningful role that contributes to academic success and institutional growth.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional development and leadership training.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Who Were Looking For

• A creative problem solver with strong business acumen.
• HR professional with 10 years of experience (5+ years as an HRP or senior HR role).
• Strong strategic thinker who can align HR initiatives with institutional priorities.
• Excellent relationship-builder with coaching skills to guide university leaders.
• An individual with expertise in workforce planning, talent management, and change leadership.
• A collaborative, forward-thinking HR leader who thrives in a complex, fast-paced environment.Experienced HR project manager with the ability to deliver HR solutions that drive business outcomes.

If you are ready to drive strategic HR transformation at one of Canada's leading universities, we invite you to apply today!

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Strategic Planning & Workforce Development

• Partner with university leaders to align HR strategies with institutional objectives, ensuring a workforce that is equipped for current and future challenges.
• Drive strategic workforce planning by assessing talent needs, organizational design, and succession planning to support academic and administrative units.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement strategies for reskilling and upskilling employees in response to evolving educational and research demands.

Leadership Coaching & Organizational Development

• Provide consultative support to deans, department heads, and senior administrators on HR best practices, leadership development, and employee engagement.
• Coach leaders on performance management, career planning, and change leadership to enhance team effectiveness.
• Guide university leaders in cultivating a high-performance culture that fosters innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Serve as a mediator and trusted advisor in resolving employee relations issues, ensuring fair and consistent application of policies and best practices.
• Monitor compliance with university policies, labor laws, and collective agreements, advising leadership on risk mitigation strategies.
• Lead investigations related to workplace concerns, grievances, and disputes while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.

Talent Acquisition & Retention

• Collaborate with hiring managers and talent acquisition teams to design recruitment strategies that attract and retain top faculty and staff.
• Support the development of innovative and inclusive hiring practices that advance the university's commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
• Advise on compensation and benefits strategies that enhance employee engagement and institutional reputation.

Client Support

• Provide responsive and effective HR support for complex issues.
• Lead and support HR-related projects, ensuring the successful implementation of strategic initiatives, process improvements, and policy changes.
• Coordinate cross-functional HR initiatives, working closely with Talent Management, Total Rewards, Processing & Solutions, Finance, and Employee & Labour Relations teams.
• Provide project leadership on HR priorities such as performance management, organizational design, and leadership development programs.
• Analyze HR data and trends to develop insights that improve HR service delivery and enhance decision-making for leadership.

Organizational Change & Culture Enhancement

• Partner with key stakeholders to implement change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions during organizational restructuring, process improvements, and policy updates.
• Champion initiatives that enhance employee well-being, workplace culture, and engagement, including diversity and inclusion programs.
• Lead HR interventions related to employee wellness, recognition, and professional development.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of HR experience, with at least 5 years in an HR Business Partner, HR Manager, or similar advisory role.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Certified HR professional designation.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian employment legislation, HR best practices, and collective agreements in an academic or public sector environment.
• Proven ability to influence and build relationships with senior leaders, faculty, and staff.
• Experience in organizational design, change management, and leadership coaching.
• Strong analytical and interpretive skills to recognize and comprehend complex issues, policies, regulatory and legislative requirements and information affecting client's environment
• High proficiency in HR technology systems (HRIS), data analytics, project management tools, and reporting platforms.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills.

Application Deadline:  March 17, 2025

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This Regular Full-time position is classified in the Professional Career Band, Level 3 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. 

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website. 

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.