Vice President, People Operations

About this position

Date: June 2023
Department: Leadership
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Status: Permanent, Full-Time
Salary: $130,000 Per Annum Plus Benefits
Location: Etobicoke, ON
Time Required on-site: 50% (approximate)

We Are

Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization and is a global thought leader on perishable food redistribution. We operate at the intersection of hunger relief and environmental protection, tackling food loss and waste through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, continually innovating, and collaborating to ensure a more sustainable planet. We work with thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain utilizing logistics and technology to reduce the amount of edible food going to waste, thereby diverting unnecessary greenhouse gases from entering the environment.

The Vice President, People Operations is responsible for providing strategic HR leadership to the organization and in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating Second Harvest’s Human Resources services. This position oversees all aspects of HR and provides subject matter expertise in: recruitment, talent optimization, employee engagement, employee relations, succession planning, training and development, health and safety, compensation, benefits and pension, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, HR guidelines, and HRIS.

This position also leads and directs Second Harvest’s Volunteer Services function in the achievement of organizational objectives.

You Will

Human Resources:

• Partner with the CEO and leadership team to provide timely and value-adding advice, counsel, and decisions that contributes to Second Harvest’s ongoing business success.
• Lead the development of Human Resources goals, objectives, and systems.
• Guide management and employee actions by researching, developing, writing, and updating guidelines, policies, procedures, and methodology. Communicate and safeguard organizational values.
• Monitor and advise managers in Second Harvest’s progressive discipline system. Monitor the implementation of performance improvement plans with non-performing employees. Conduct investigations when employee complaints or concerns are brought forth.
• Inform the CEO and leadership team of significant problems that jeopardize the achievement of organizational goals, as well as challenges not being addressed adequately at the management level.
• Review, guide, and approve management recommendations for employment terminations and onboarding.
• Design, direct, and manage a company-wide strategy for organization development, including succession planning, workforce development, employee retention, organization design, and change management.
• Identify and monitor organization culture, providing recommendations to support the attainment of the organization’s goals and promote employee engagement.
• Meet with HR team regularly to provide strategic leadership and discuss HR initiatives and issues.
• Monitor all pay practices and systems for effectiveness and appropriateness, in conjunction with CFOO.
• Direct the preparation and maintenance of various HR reports to track strategic goal accomplishment.

Volunteer Services:

• Lead volunteer strategy, goals, objectives, and evaluations.
• Responsible for annual business planning and KPI setting.
• Evaluate volunteer activities, information, and resources; actively seek input and feedback from key stakeholders and staff to ensure continuous improvement.
• Develop and create operational synergies between the volunteer function and the rest of the organization.
• Allocate resources to maximize effectiveness in achieving organizational volunteer goals and objectives.
• Review existing recruitment, retention, and recognition strategies for attracting and retaining qualified and competent volunteers.
• Evaluate and develop procedures for continuing national volunteer expansion.

Other:

• Motivate and lead staff, ensuring a positive team dynamic and monitoring performance and development goals; mentor success, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, evaluate results, and conduct annual performance reviews.
• As a member of the leadership team, actively contribute to overall organizational vision and strategic planning.
• Attend all events, special occasions, and meetings as required.
• Perform other related duties as required or assigned to support the overall goals of the organization.

You Are

• Strategic Leader: You can motivate and lead a team in an agile and fast-paced environment. You have a vision for HR that aligns with and contributes to our organization’s success, brand, and values.
• Passionate: You are inspired by the work of Second Harvest and are excited at the opportunity to build and lead a trusted, value-adding HR and Volunteer Services team.
• Communicator: You have exceptional communication and diplomacy skills coupled with extensive success in cross-functional collaboration and managing relationships at all levels of an organization.
• Analytical: You are a strategic thinker and can analyze business processes for continuous improvement.
• Minimum 7-10 years of success in Human Resources with prior success working in a non-profit environment. Technical expertise in a variety of HR functional areas (talent acquisition, succession planning, employee engagement, employee relations, policy and procedure development). CHRP designation at minimum.
• You have worked in a pan-Canadian organization with broad knowledge of relevant provincial and federal legislation (i.e., employment standards, human rights codes, occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation). Note: Bilingualism (French/English) is an asset.
• Experienced in applying HR best practices to support senior management in achieving strategic objectives.
• Experienced working with an HRIS system with strong data analytics ability.
• Professional and able to maintain strict confidentiality at all times.
• Second Harvest requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined by Health Canada. The Organization will comply with its obligations pursuant to the applicable human rights legislation and accommodate any prospective or current employee who is unable to be vaccinated for substantiated reasons, such as medical or religious reasons. Second Harvest’s vaccination policy is available upon request.

For more information about Second Harvest, please visit: Careers | Second Harvest Food Rescue

To Apply

Please submit your cover letter and resume. Only electronic applications will be accepted.

We encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as belonging to equity-deserving groups such as (but not limited to): racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2S+ persons.

Second Harvest is committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment and selection process. Please let us know if you require any accommodations.