Director of Instruction - People, Culture, & Wellbeing

School District #23 (Central Okanagan); Kelowna; On-site; CAD 172,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

School District #23 (Central Okanagan) is seeking a Director of Instruction - People, Culture, & Wellbeing to lead human resources and labour relations across educational programs. Reporting to the Assistant Superintendent, you will guide district-wide strategy on equity, wellbeing, staffing and organizational development.

The role focuses on bargaining leadership, workforce planning, disability management, and instructional leadership for principals and managers.

Qualifications

• Experience in public education HR and labour relations.
• Strategic leadership in staffing, policy interpretation, and equity initiatives.
• Ability to guide Principals, Managers and HR professionals across a district.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR and labour relations practices across educational programs.
• Oversee recruitment, staffing and leave management for operational continuity.
• Advance bargaining strategies and alignment with policies and laws.
• Champion employee wellbeing and organizational resilience.
• Provide guidance on collective agreements, district policies and workplace rules.

Skills

HR leadership

Labour relations

Strategic planning

Teaching background

Negotiation

Education

Master's degree in a relevant discipline

CPHR designation

Teacher Regulation Branch certification

Tools

HRIS systems

Collective bargaining tools

Job description

Director of Instruction - People, Culture, & Wellbeing

Director of Instruction - People, Culture, & Wellbeing

(Human Resources )

It is acknowledged that Central Okanagan Public Schools operates within the unceded, Traditional Territory of the Okanagan Syilx peoples. The School District enrols approximately 25,000 students (including approximately 3,100 students who self-identify as having Indigenous ancestry). Central Okanagan Public Schools is located in the Central Okanagan encompassing the communities of Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Lake Country. There are 50 school sites with 32 Elementary Schools, 8 Middle schools, 5 Secondary Schools, 3 Learning Centres, an Alternate Education School, and an Online Learning School (6-12). Central Okanagan Public Schools has an excellent reputation for providing outstanding student-centered programs in a diverse and inclusive environment as well as offering a wide range of educational opportunities for students and staff. We believe equity empowers each learner to thrive, holistically.

Applications are invited from dedicated and enthusiastic professionals committed to leading strong Human Resources and Labour Relation practices in a public education setting. Under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent in People, Culture, & Wellbeing, the Director will be responsible for leading and directing People, Culture, and Wellbeing initiatives including Human Resources and Labour Relations leadership within educational programs throughout Central Okanagan Public Schools.

Major responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to the People, Culture, & Wellbeing Team in providing services that support the Board of Education's Strategic Plan, the commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and Antiracism.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of human resources and labour relations practices, including innovative approaches to unionized employees and foster strong collaborative relationships with Union Executives.
• Serve as the People, Culture, & Wellbeing lead for teachers, guiding strategic decision making and supporting collaborative labour management processes.
• Oversee and optimize the end-to-end grievance management process, ensuring timely, fair, and consistent practice.
• Direct comprehensive recruitment and staffing strategies, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, and the coordination of leave management to ensure operational continuity.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and mentorship to District Principals, Managers, and HR professionals to build organizational capacity.
• Bargaining Lead and/or Support, preparing and advancing negotiation strategies, coordinating consultation processes, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals and legislative requirements.
• Champion employee wellness, supporting programs that promote safety, employee engagement, resilience, and overall organizational wellbeing.
• Manage complex human resources and labour relation matters, including workplace investigations, employee services, conflict resolution, and grievance management, ensuring compliance and consistent application of policies and operational guidelines.
• Provide expert guidance to principals and managers on interpreting collective agreements, district policies, and workplace rules while supporting fair and consistent decisionmaking.
• Administer disability management, returntowork programs, and dutytoaccommodate processes, working collaboratively with employees, unions, and external partners.
• Design and deliver in-service training and leadership development, strengthening collective agreement literacy and building leadership capacity across the District.
• Maintain and strengthen human resource information systems and records management, ensuring data accuracy, confidentiality, compliance, and efficient reporting capabilities.

Director of Instruction - People, Culture, & Wellbeing

(Human Resources )

It is acknowledged that Central Okanagan Public Schools operates within the unceded, Traditional Territory of the Okanagan Syilx peoples. The School District enrols approximately 25,000 students (including approximately 3,100 students who self-identify as having Indigenous ancestry). Central Okanagan Public Schools is located in the Central Okanagan encompassing the communities of Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Lake Country. There are 50 school sites with 32 Elementary Schools, 8 Middle schools, 5 Secondary Schools, 3 Learning Centres, an Alternate Education School, and an Online Learning School (6-12). Central Okanagan Public Schools has an excellent reputation for providing outstanding student-centered programs in a diverse and inclusive environment as well as offering a wide range of educational opportunities for students and staff. We believe equity empowers each learner to thrive, holistically.

Applications are invited from dedicated and enthusiastic professionals committed to leading strong Human Resources and Labour Relation practices in a public education setting. Under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent in People, Culture, & Wellbeing, the Director will be responsible for leading and directing People, Culture, and Wellbeing initiatives including Human Resources and Labour Relations leadership within educational programs throughout Central Okanagan Public Schools.

Major responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to the People, Culture, & Wellbeing Team in providing services that support the Board of Education's Strategic Plan, the commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and Antiracism.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of human resources and labour relations practices, including innovative approaches to unionized employees and foster strong collaborative relationships with Union Executives.
• Serve as the People, Culture, & Wellbeing lead for teachers, guiding strategic decision making and supporting collaborative labour management processes.
• Oversee and optimize the end-to-end grievance management process, ensuring timely, fair, and consistent practice.
• Direct comprehensive recruitment and staffing strategies, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, and the coordination of leave management to ensure operational continuity.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and mentorship to District Principals, Managers, and HR professionals to build organizational capacity.
• Bargaining Lead and/or Support, preparing and advancing negotiation strategies, coordinating consultation processes, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals and legislative requirements.
• Champion employee wellness, supporting programs that promote safety, employee engagement, resilience, and overall organizational wellbeing.
• Manage complex human resources and labour relation matters, including workplace investigations, employee services, conflict resolution, and grievance management, ensuring compliance and consistent application of policies and operational guidelines.
• Provide expert guidance to principals and managers on interpreting collective agreements, district policies, and workplace rules while supporting fair and consistent decisionmaking.
• Administer disability management, returntowork programs, and dutytoaccommodate processes, working collaboratively with employees, unions, and external partners.
• Design and deliver in-service training and leadership development, strengthening collective agreement literacy and building leadership capacity across the District.Maintain and strengthen human resource information systems and records management, ensuring data accuracy, confidentiality, compliance, and efficient reporting capabilities.

The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of People, Culture, & Wellbeing dynamics, supported by extensive, recent experience in publicsector human resources and labour relations, ideally within the K-12 public education sector.
• Bring a proven record of effectively managing labour relations matters, including contract administration, collective bargaining, conflict resolution, and workplace investigations.
• Build and maintain strong, productive relationships with union and exempt employees at all organizational levels, while also fostering positive, professional connections with external partners and agencies.
• Hold a valid Ministry of Education Teacher Regulation Branch certification and apply pedagogical insight to People, Culture, & Wellbeing decisionmaking in a K-12 public education environment.
• Hold a master's degree in a relevant discipline from a recognized university.
• Bring significant experience in a districtlevel Human Resources role, demonstrating the ability to navigate complex, multisite organizational structures.
• Possess a highly successful background in teaching and schoolbased administration (K-12), providing strong contextual understanding of the needs of educators and students.
• Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, communication, and conflictresolution skills, supporting respectful, fair, and collaborative workplace relationships.
• Apply superior organizational, planning, and analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in all HR processes.
• Hold or is working toward the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation.

Annual salary range is $171,735 to $190,817.

Bob McEwen

Assistant Superintendent

People, Culture, & Wellbeing

Central Okanagan Public Schools