Director employee and labour relations

Extendicare Canada Inc.; Markham; Hybrid; CAD 98,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship

Career growth opportunities

Employee Family Assistance Program

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Extendicare Canada Inc. in Markham, Ontario, is seeking a senior Labour Relations leader to head ParaMed LR/ER for all labour and employee relations, reporting to VP Labour Relations; hybrid work with travel as needed.

You will lead negotiations, implement collective agreements, guide managers, mentor LR team, and drive LR/ER KPIs, training, and policy development to support a fair, compliant, and high-performing workplace.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of labour relations experience in a unionized multi-site environment.
• Proven track record leading collective agreement negotiations.
• Ability to provide strategic counsel to mid- to large-sized organizations.
• Strong knowledge of Labour Relations Act, OHSA, WSIA, Human Rights Code, ESA.
• University degree or college diploma in HR; CHRL designation is an asset.
• Strong business acumen and labour analytics including AI.
• Willingness to travel provincially and interprovincially.

Responsibilities

• Develop LR/ER strategic plan and align HR goals with leadership.
• Operationalize the LR strategic plan and lead negotiations.
• Act as ParaMed's chief negotiator for collective bargaining.
• Implement negotiated agreements and interpret clauses.
• Lead LR Centre of Expertise; train and mentor the LR team.
• Handle grievances, arbitrations; coordinate with external counsel.
• Advise managers on employee relations, performance, investigations, and changes.
• Oversee LR/ER KPI development and training for operations managers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Labour relations

Negotiations

Advisory / Counsel

Employment legislation

CHRL asset

Analytics / AI

Travel

Education

University degree in HR or related

College diploma in HR or related

CHRL designation

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 as ParaMed's chief 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 represent ParaMed 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 meet ParaMed'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.

Extendicare is a leading provider of care and services for seniors across Canada, operating under the Extendicare, ParaMed, Extendicare Assist, and SGP Purchasing Network brands. We are committed to delivering quality care to meet the needs of a growing seniors’ population, inspired by our mission to provide people with the care they need, wherever they call home. We operate a broad network of long-term care homes (both owned and under management contracts), deliver over 24 million hours of home health care services annually, and provide group purchasing services to third parties representing approximately 157,000 beds across Canada. Extendicare proudly employs more than 30,000 qualified, highly trained and dedicated team members who are passionate about providing high-quality care and services to help people live better.

#extendicarehr

Full time

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. Your recruiter can provide more details about our total rewards offerings during the hiring process.

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.