City : Waterloo, ON

Category : Permanent

Industry : Education

Employer : University of Waterloo

Reporting to the General Manager, the People and Culture Coordinator is primarily responsible for supporting organizational changes and coordinating recruitment and selection activities for WUSA in strict accordance with UW and WUSA polices and relevant legislation. They help foster an engaged workforce by developing and implementing initiatives to improve morale and employee satisfaction, encourage development through training, and assist in effective communication of relevant policies, procedures and practices. They will work closely and collaboratively with other campus departments including Human Resources, Occupational Health, Organizational & Human Development, Human Rights & Conflict Management and the Safety Office.

Recruitment, Engagement and Retention

• In conjunction with UW Human Resources, develop an effective employer brand and recruitment strategy for WUSA (that may differ slightly from UW’s strategy) that will attract and retain top talent and promote a positive and inclusive working environment
• Provide support with role descriptions and ensure recruitment goals are tied closely to WUSA’s priorities
• Coordinate recruitment and selection activities for all salaried positions
• Develop and manage onboarding, engagement, retention and exit management systems
• Provide training for new hires on company policies and procedures and ensure safekeeping of employee records
• Be a culture champion by building meaningful programs for the organization, facilitating employee recognition programs and other HR driven initiatives to increase employee morale, motivation, and satisfaction, while reducing turnover
• Provide leadership to WUSA’s social committee to create a strategic direction for employee events and engagement

Employee Engagement and Relations

• Provides guidance and support to all management and staff on HR related matters; fosters collaboration with and amongst all levels of staff; contributes to overall staff morale 
• Assists management with the performance management of any employee concerns including advice on how to lead sensitive employee meetings. Attends employee meetings and prepares documentation in consultation with Human Resources
• Coordinates organizational change initiatives providing continued support and guidance to those affected
• Develops content for organizational newsletter and other organization-wide communication efforts
• Facilitates regular employee feedback activities and reports to senior leadership team on results
• Supports the senior leadership team in identifying and addressing workforce development needs
• Participates in departmental and other related committees as required

Training and Development

• Designs and conducts training and development programs to improve individual and organizational performance. May collaborate with internal partners such as Organizational & Human Development department
• Ensures training requirements are fulfilled organization-wide for compliance with relevant institutional directives 
• Promotes awareness of the organization’s Mission & Vision through training, linking and messaging 
• Supports the professional and personal growth of staff, providing adhoc advising and coaching and linking to institution resources
• Maintains solid auditing practices to track department training completion by utilizing available institutional reporting tools
• Work with WUSA’s Equity Specialist to ensure regular and meaningful training and development opportunities related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism to ensure WUSA is a safe and inclusive environment for all staff and students
• Champion collaborative cross-functional relationships with recruiting, payroll/accounting/finance, IT, and other teams to ensure the successful onboarding and offboarding of employees

Operational Systems and Analysis

• Develop programs, policies, and procedures to support management’s ability to ensure continuous improvement and operational excellence, creating a strong working environment and positive culture with high employee engagement
• Manage and upkeep WUSA’s specific (outside of UW’s) employee benefits and perks
• Evaluate and analyze data and metrics to ensure the effectiveness of the people operations function
• Collaborate with internal subject matter experts to create/maintain HR reporting/metrics to provide business critical information for senior management
• Support managers as needed in the execution of HR policies and programs
• Support managers in navigating HR process by providing exceptional customer service and suggesting opportunities for process improvements
• Maintains up to date knowledge of general HR practices, strategy, and technology and demonstrates working knowledge of critical human resources functions

• Post-secondary education in human resources, business administration, or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and work experience in human resources
• CHRP or CHRL designation is an asset
• Minimum of 5 years human resources experience in a fast-paced, similar sized and complex environment
• Developed knowledge in all HR fields, particularly in employee relations, change, people, and performance management
• Experience in managing multiple simultaneous operational initiatives
• Knowledge of applicable employment law and Human Rights in Canada
• Knowledge of Workplace Health & Safety regulations
• Strong project management, organizational, planning, and prioritization skills
• Excellent communication & interpersonal skills, strong knowledge of people management, coaching and leadership skills
• Exceptional judgement and decision-making skills with the ability to exercise discretion and confidentiality
• Ability to assess root cause and successfully advise on complex employee relations issues utilizing effective conflict resolutions skills
• High emotional and social intelligence with experience fostering positive and strong relationships with diverse groups of people
• Strong presentation skills, strong analytical skills, ability to perform tasks with minimal supervision.
• Be able to motivate staff through positive employee relations
• Demonstrated knowledge of the concepts of equity, human rights, inclusion, diversity, de-colonization, and anti-oppressive frameworks. Working knowledge of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and other relevant legislation
• Discretion, sensitivity, and confidentiality
• Demonstrated ability to listen actively and empathetically, analyze and inform appropriately while maintaining the required sensibilities in handling confidential information
• Ability to determine when to escalate concerns or problems to leadership
• Skilled in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

The University of Waterloo is committed to implementing the Calls to Action framed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.