City : Toronto

Category : Talent Management and Culture

Industry : Charitable and Non-profit

Employer : Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Manager, Employee Relations    

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential. 
We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place. 
 

The Opportunity

The Manager, Employee Relation’s serves as Banff Centre’s subject matter expert on employee and labour relations, providing strategic guidance and hands-on support to leaders, HR Business Partners, union representatives, and employees. The role leads workplace investigations, grievance management, and collective agreement interpretation, while advising on performance management, corrective action, conflict resolution, and progressive discipline. Through consistent application of employment legislation, policies, and best practices, the Manager ensures fair, compliant, and values-aligned decision-making across the organization.

In addition, the role supports collective bargaining preparation, compensation administration, job description development, and job evaluation processes, including analysis and documentation. By maintaining strong union relationships, analyzing employee and labour relations trends, and providing data-driven insights and coaching, the Manager contributes to organizational effectiveness, positive employee experience, and a respectful, accountable workplace culture.
 

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to Director, Human Resources, below are some key accountabilities: 

Employee Relations Leadership

• Serve as the primary contact for employee relations matters, providing expert guidance, coaching, and resolution strategies.

• Conduct thorough, impartial workplace investigations involving misconduct, policy violations, harassment, performance issues, or interpersonal conflict.

• Recommend and implement appropriate remedial actions aligned with organizational values, legal requirements, and best practices.

• Support managers in handling performance management, corrective action, and sensitive employee conversations.

Coaching & Advisory Support

• Provide guidance to managers on performance management, conflict resolution, corrective action, and team dynamics.

• Coach employees and leaders to strengthen communication, engagement, and problem-solving skills.

• Support leaders in preparing performance improvement plans and formal documentation.

• Support leaders in managing employee performance, alternatives for corrective action and ensures compliance with the progressive discipline process.

Policy & Compliance

• Interpret and apply Banff Centre policies, employment legislation, and HR best practices to support consistent and fair decision making.

• Interpret and apply the Terms of Employment Governing Management/PSP

• Review and recommend updated employee relations policies, procedures, and documentation.

   

Culture & Engagement

• Collaborate with HR and operational leaders to enhance employee experience, communication, and team dynamics.

• Analyze employee relations trends to identify root causes and recommend proactive improvements.

   

Labour Relations

Union Partnership & Administration

• Serve as the primary HR contact for union representatives and labour related inquiries related to day to day operational matters.

• Build and maintain effective, professional relationships with union partners to support collaborative problem solving.

• Interpret and administer the collective agreement to ensure consistent application across the organization.

• Provide guidance to managers on rights, responsibilities, and processes under the collective agreement. 

Grievances & Disputes

• Coach leaders on how to address workplace issues in alignment with the collective agreement and labour legislation.

• Responds to grievances filed by the union including preparing the manager and/or supervisor, facilitating the grievance meeting, maintaining minutes of the Step 1 meeting and preparing Step 1 decision correspondence.  

• Supports the Director and Vice President in arbitration preparation (as applicable).

• The Manager, Employee Relations may be required to execute on terminations and third-party agreements as approved by the Director, Human Resources or Vice President, Talent Management and Culture.

Collective Bargaining Support

• Support the development of bargaining strategies through research, data analysis, costing models, and identification of organizational priorities.

• Participate in collective bargaining preparations and negotiations as needed including taking minutes during bargaining.

• Track and analyze labour relations trends to influence long term strategy.

Compensation Administration Support

• Collaborate with HR team to support compensation processes, ensuring alignment with internal equity, collective agreements, and pay policies.

• Provide guidance to leaders on compensation related inquiries, including wage progression, pay adjustments, premiums, and policy interpretation.

• Review compensation implications related to employee relations or labour relations outcomes (e.g., settlements, reclassifications, PIP outcomes).

• Support the preparation of costing analyses for collective bargaining, job evaluations, wage proposals, and operational changes.

• Assist in maintaining accurate compensation records and ensuring changes are processed accurately and in a timely manner.

Job Descriptions and Job Evaluations

• The position is responsible for overseeing all Union job descriptions by providing advice on the creation, editing and updating of all dob descriptions.  

• The position is responsible for overseeing the preparation of all required documentation for the re-evaluation of existing support staff positions or the evaluation of newly created support staff positions. The position will up-date all job evaluation files accordingly and ensure the necessary follow through after the evaluation is completed.

• The incumbent provides advice to department managers in assessing the need for re-evaluating a support staff position and in the writing of job descriptions. This endeavour may result in a number of draft revisions between the Manager, Employee Relations and the department manager. The Manager, Employee Relations explains the evaluation process and provides details of the job evaluation results to the manager. 

• The Manager, Employee Relations is a member of the joint management/union job evaluation committee and is expected to have a complete understanding of the changes to or the requirements of the new position and be able to explain the role to the committee.  This committee will evaluate all submitted positions for review. The Manager, Employee Relations is responsible for the documentation and communication of all decisions of the job evaluation committee to HR team members as well as to the managers, employees (where applicable).

• Drafts or edits management/psp job descriptions in support and training of managers/supervisors in the preparation of descriptions.   

Workplace Investigations and Conflict Resolution

• The Manager, Employee Relations is required to, individually or as part of a team, complete workplace investigations including those that fall under the HR policies, Participant / Faculty Code of Conduct and Gender Based and Sexual Violence Policy and Procedures, Violence and Harassment Policy and Procedure.  This will involve completing fact finding interviews, documenting findings, completing the investigation report and proposing recommendations for corrective action and workplace restoration.

• The Manager, Employee Relations is responsible to provide conflict resolution support for all employees, faculty and participants including supporting and providing conflict mediation sessions. 

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access and Indigenous Strategy

• Support the development and implementation of strategies to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and access across Banff Centre

• Support team members participating in training session to educate on unconscious bias, cultural competency, and other diversity-related development processes.

• Support assessments of workplace accessibility for employees, participants and guests with disabilities and work with Talent Management and Culture to determine and implement improvements as required.

• Ensure work environment is welcoming and progressive for members of diverse and Indigenous Communities.

• Support the implementation of the pathways to Truth and Reconciliation where appropriate.

Data & Reporting

• Maintain accurate, confidential employee and labour relations records, investigation documentation, and case files.

• Analyze key metrics (e.g., grievances, investigations, turnover drivers, disciplinary trends) and prepare insights for HR and senior leadership.

• Use data to recommend policy changes, training opportunities, and leadership coaching strategies.

Qualifications and Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or related field (Master’s degree an asset).

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations; experience in labour relations within a unionized environment strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations and navigating complex employee or union issues.

• Strong understanding of employment and labour legislation, collective agreements, and Human Resources best practices.

• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.

• Ability to manage highly sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

• Strong analytical and problem solving capability with sound judgment and decision making skills.

• Proven ability to build trust and influence leaders at all levels.

• High emotional intelligence and confidence handling difficult conversations.
   

Employment Terms and Benefits 

• In accordance with the Terms of Employment Governing Management/PSP employees, this is a salaried, full-time position, subject to a 6-month probationary period.

• The salary range for this position is $68,714.00 – $102,040.00  based on experience. 

• The successful candidate will enjoy twenty paid vacation days and four personal days annually, extended medical and dental benefits, and participation in an employer-matched pension plan.

• Benefits of working at Banff Centre are:

  • Transitional staff housing options (based on availability) 

  • Professional development

  • Employee Assistance Program

  • Health care spending account

  • Staff cafeteria and restaurant discounts 

  • Onsite fitness facility at a discounted rate – first month free for new staff!

     

Application Process

• We are accepting applications for the Manager, Employee Relations position until a suitable candidate is found. 

• Candidates offered a position with Banff Centre, in this capacity, will be required to obtain a criminal record check verifying a clear record before a final job offer can be finalized. 

• Visa Requirements: Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Banff Centre is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.