Director Employee and Labour Relations

Extendicare; Markham; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship & growth

Advancement opportunities

Employee Assistance

Job summary

Extendicare's Markham headquarters hosts a senior Labour Relations leader responsible for ParaMed’s LR/ER strategy, coordinating with HR leadership and steering multi-site collective bargaining. The role supports hybrid work with travel as needed.

The incumbent will implement LR/ER plans, advise managers on policy interpretation and employment law, and mentor the LR/ER team while aligning with HRBPs and operations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of labour relations experience in a unionized environment.
• Experience leading collective agreement negotiations.
• Knowledge of Labour Relations Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, WSIA, Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act.

Responsibilities

• Develop and operationalize the ParaMed LR/ER strategic plan.
• Act as chief negotiator for collective bargaining.
• Manage implementation of negotiated collective agreements and interpret clauses.
• Lead and mentor the LR/ER team; deliver LR training content.

Skills

Labour relations

Negotiation

Advising managers

HR analytics

Travel flexibility

Education

University degree in HR or related

CHRL designation (asset)

HR college diploma (optional)

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Job Description

Reporting to the Vice President Labour Relations, the incumbent acts as a key member of the Labour Relations (LR) team and the Human Resources (HR) Leadership Team and is the LR lead for the ParaMed home care business for all aspects of labour and employee relations (LR/ER). Under the direction of the Vice President, Labour Relations this position is responsible for the strategic and tactical execution of the Employee and Labour Relations strategy including establishing and gaining approval for collective bargaining mandates and managing all aspects of grievances filed by ParaMed’s unions.

This position is located at our Head Office in Markham, Ontario. Extendicare offers a hybrid working environment. Some travel as required.

What you will do:

• Participate in the development of the ParaMed LR/ER strategic and tactical plan, as well as contributing, along with all members of the HR leadership team, the formulation of HR’s operational and strategic goals and objectives.

• Operationalize the LR strategic plan.

• Act asParaMed'schief negotiator for collective bargaining

• Manage the implementation of negotiated collective agreements, and provide guidance to other stakeholders on the interpretation of clauses within those collective agreements.

• Ensure Execution of the LR/ER Centre of Expertise, including training, coaching, and development of the LR team and partner with the Human Resources Business Partners and other stakeholders to prepare and present LR training content as needed.

• Work with appropriate stakeholders with respect to grievances, complaints and conflict resolution and representParaMed at arbitrations and labour relations board hearings when necessary and retain and manage External Legal Counsel as needed.

• Advise and assist managers at all levels in the organization to advance and meetParaMed's goals of establishing practices and policies for consistent and sound employee relations.

• Provide guidance and advice on issues respecting employee relations , collective agreements (negotiation, information, interpretation, application), performance matters, workplace investigations, grievances, organizational change, employment and labour relations legislation and regulations, etc.

• Oversee, manage, lead, coach, guide and mentor ParaMed LR/ER team members.

• Responsible for creating, implementing and continually managing LR/ER KPI’s, particularly related to grievance management.

• Ensure appropriate development of HR/LR and training of operations managers through the planning, development and implementation of training seminars and information sessions.

• All other duties and tasks as assigned.

What we are looking for:

• Minimum 5+ years of Labour Relations experience in a unionized environment, with an emphasis on significant multi-site collective agreement locations.

• Demonstrated knowledge/experience of leading collective agreement negotiations.

• Demonstrated ability to provide advice and counsel to medium and large sized organizations while using the ability to influence decision making.

• Broad knowledge of employment legislation: Labour Relations Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act, etc.

• University Degree or completion of a College Diploma Program in Human Resources or related discipline. Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation is an asset .

• Strong business acumen and labour analytics experience required including use of artificial intelligence.

• Some intermittent provincial and occasional interprovincial travel will be required.

At Extendicare, we believe that working as a team creates an environment that allows us to reach our potential. We value each employee, encourage equal opportunity for growth and recognize achievement. As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

• Continuous mentorship, support for life-long learning and growth opportunities

• Opportunities for advancement and career growth within the organization

• A rewarding and meaningful work experience where you can enrich your life and the lives of others through your work.

• Employee Family Assistance Program.

• Robust benefits package.

Time Type

Full time

Compensation Details

Compensation will be discussed during the recruiting process.

At Extendicare, we’ve spent more than 50 years dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents in our long-term care homes across Canada. When you join Extendicare, you become part of a compassionate, mission-driven team committed to creating a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for every resident we serve.

We provide competitive compensation that reflects the value of this role and the unique qualifications each candidate brings. Final salary offers are based on a variety of factors such as your skills, experience, education, and alignment with the responsibilities of this position.

Base salary is one component of our broader total rewards package. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support your health, financial well-being, and long-term career growth.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support certain stages of the recruitment process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing candidate responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment — every application is reviewed by a member of our team to ensure thoughtful and equitable consideration. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Extendicare is an equal opportunity employer committed to respectful and inclusive hiring practices. We welcome all applicants, including those from equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous peoples, women, people with disabilities, and visible minorities.

Extendicare is committed to fostering an accessible, inclusive, and equitable hiring process. We will gladly accommodate the needs of applicants throughout all stages of the recruitment process upon request and in accordance with applicable legislation. If you require support during any stage of the process, email us at [e-mail].

We acknowledge that the care we provide across Canada occurs on lands that have been cared for by many Indigenous peoples for generations. We recognize First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and their enduring connection to this land, and the importance of respect and cultural safety in the work we do.

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