Head of People and Culture

We are seeking an experienced (10+ years) Head of People and Culture to join our dynamic and growing team in Canada as a People & Culture Specialist. The successful candidate will have strong skills and knowledge in the areas of payroll, employment Standard and Human Resources in Canada.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic and operational management of all human resources functions within the Canada Branch. This role partners closely with the Executive and Senior Leadership Team to design and implement people strategies that support business objectives, organizational effectiveness, and a high-performance culture.

The role provides oversight across all HR disciplines, including talent management, employee relations, compensation and benefits, learning and development, payroll governance, and regulatory compliance, ensuring alignment with both local legislation and global HR frameworks.

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Impact

Lead the development and execution of the People & Culture strategy in alignment with Canada Branch business objectives and global HR frameworks.

Act as a trusted advisor to the Executive and Senior Leadership Team, influencing strategic decisions related to talent, workforce planning, organizational design, and culture.

Identify and drive long-term HR transformation initiatives to support business growth, operational scalability, and employee engagement.

Translate business priorities into actionable HR strategies, ensuring measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with applicable federal and provincial employment legislation (including ESA) and global standards.

Oversee governance frameworks, including Fit & Proper requirements, and ensure adherence to regulatory and internal audit expectations.

Provide expert interpretation of policies, procedures, and legislative requirements to mitigate organizational risk.

Lead and manage complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant outcomes.

HR Operations & Service Delivery Excellence

Oversee the end-to-end delivery of HR services, ensuring operational excellence, efficiency, and alignment with global HR best practices.

Drive continuous improvement of HR processes, systems, and service delivery models.

Lead HR reporting, analytics, and data governance, ensuring accurate and timely reporting to Head Office and stakeholders.

Ensure high-quality employee lifecycle experience, including onboarding, development, and offboarding.

Talent Management & Workforce Planning

 Lead workforce planning strategies to ensure the organization attracts, develops, and retains high-performing talent.

Oversee recruitment and selection processes in partnership with business leaders, ensuring alignment with workforce needs and diversity objectives.

Ensure employment documentation (contracts, offers, etc.) is compliant with standards and legal requirements.

Support succession planning and organizational capability development.

Performance, Learning & Capability Development

Oversee performance management frameworks to ensure alignment with business objectives and a high-performance culture.

Lead the design and implementation of learning and development strategies, including leadership development and employee capability building.

Partner with leadership to identify skills gaps and implement targeted development initiatives.

Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Oversight

Oversee compensation and benefits frameworks to ensure market competitiveness, internal equity, and alignment with global guidelines.

Provide governance and oversight of payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and statutory compliance.

Ensure completion of all regulatory reporting obligations (e.g., CRA and applicable authorities).

Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience

Champion a positive, inclusive, and high-performing organizational culture aligned with values.

Lead employee engagement initiatives, communication strategies, and organizational effectiveness programs.

Act as a key escalation point for employee concerns, ensuring supportive and resolution-focused outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Finance or a related field (preferred)

10+ years’ experience in Canadian payroll processing and HR support, ideally in the insurance sector

 Experience with payroll software systems (ADP-Workforce Now) and HRIS (SAP Success Factors)

 Willing to stay current in knowledge of payroll and HR regulations

Self-motivated, ability to work independently and excellent time management skills

Excellent oral and written English communication skills.

Working knowledge of French and/or German considered an asset

High level proficiency in use of Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word & Outlook

Benefits

Salary range is $150,000- $175,000, plus bonus opportunity

Competitive total rewards package and professional development support