Director, People and Culture

Canadian Football League; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Competitive compensation package

Job summary

The Canadian Football League is seeking a Director, People and Culture in Toronto to lead HR strategy, policy, and people programs that align with our business goals. You will drive engagement, diversity and operational excellence across the league office.

You will partner with managers to oversee talent acquisition, compensation, performance, learning and HRIS initiatives, while guiding a team in a hybrid work setting rooted in CFL values and sport-industry experience.

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• CHRL designation achieved or in progress is considered an asset.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive Human Resources experience; experience in sports and entertainment or in a start-up business environment.
• Experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing an HRIS, including overall organizational communication and change management planning is a definite asset.
• Senior HR professional with generalist experience who has acted as the sole HR practitioner is a definite asset.
• Experience supporting all provinces across Canada with knowledge of all Provincial employment legislation.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the senior leadership team to develop and execute the HR plan aligned with the league’s people strategy, budget and priorities.
• Understands the business environment and translates this into meaningful people programs, processes and policies.
• Consults and advises managers and employees on all elements of the employee lifecycle.
• Owns people and culture projects from inception to implementation.
• Leads the annual objective setting, performance review and compensation adjustment processes.
• Owns the advocacy for an HRIS within the league office and with the Board, if needed.
• Generates and analyzes people metrics to assist managers in making optimal people-related decisions.
• Develops, interprets and communicates HR policies and processes.
• Ensures CFL’s processes adhere to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.

Skills

Relationship-building

Communication

Leadership

Change management

Strategic thinking

Education

University degree in a relevant discipline

CHRL designation (asset)

Tools

HRIS implementation

Job description

Position Title: Director, People and Culture

Department: People and Culture

Status: Full-time/Permanent

Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid)

Application Deadline: Friday, October 2, 2026

Company Descripton

The Canadian Football League is Canada’s home for professional football. With over a century of rich history and nine member teams across the nation, the CFL provides world-class entertainment and excitement to a passionate and dedicated fan base. A season-long journey of unforgettable moments and must-see-TV broadcasts culminates in Canada’s largest single-day sporting event – the Grey Cup, where the newly crowned champions earn the right to hoist the iconic emblem of Canadian football.

The CFL is dedicated to entertaining fans in Canada and abroad. The league pursues that goal through a continuing commitment to modernize and elevate both the game and the business. The CFL is transforming its digital ecosystem and maximizing fan engagement through captivating content, data analytics, personalized marketing, and more.

Just as important as its industry-leading operations, the CFL proudly champions the values on which Canada was built – unity, diversity, inclusion, strength, and service to the community. The league is supportive of all peoples, cultures, and backgrounds, offering a respectful and inclusive working and playing environment, centered on acceptance and understanding. The CFL's successes are measured not only on the field and within its ranks, but also in its unparalleled impact in affecting positive change and bettering Canadian communities and lives.

Position Summary

The Director, People and Culture creates a diverse and inclusive culture and ensures that the right people are in the right roles doing the right things to drive business success. The Director, People and Culture turns the league office strategy and business plan into actionable steps and executes efficiently and effectively. This role helps enable business success by researching, designing, implementing and managing best in class HR programs aligned with the long-term goals.

The Director, People and Culture will work with people managers to implement initiatives that drive individual and cross-functional engagement, collaboration and operational excellence. The incumbent will help foster a diverse and inclusive environment that values top performance and leverages all forms of diversity to drive results and effect a positive work culture.

Key Responsbilities

• Collaborates with the senior leadership team to develop and execute the HR plan aligned with the league’s people strategy, budget and priorities
• Understands the business environment and strategy and translates this into meaningful people programs, processes and policies
• Consults and advises managers and employees, on all elements of the employee lifecycle
• Ensures alignment across the league office and delivers consistent solutions to meet business needs
• Collaborates with the senior leadership team to own all facets of HR including talent acquisition, compensation, talent management, organization design, change management and learning & development.
• Owns people and culture projects from inception to implementation
• Actively promotes the CFL as a great place to work and builds the employer brand to attract and retain diverse top talent
• Manage a direct report, being a Manager of HR
• Works with managers to execute the annual HR plan, in line with business priorities, goals and Initiatives
• Provides people management coaching to managers and contributes to enhancing their managerial skills
• Researches, develops and executes employee engagement, development and retention plans
• Leads the annual objective setting, performance review and compensation adjustment processes
• Drives implementation of learning & development and succession planning processes
• Assists managers in meeting and exceeding people objectives for their team and function
• Owns the advocacy for an HRIS within the league office and with the Board, if needed
• Owns the potential selection, implementation, and continuous optimization of the HRIS, ensuring it is fully integrated, scalable, and aligned with business and people strategy
• Leads the potential HRIS implementation as a transformation initiative, including process redesign, change management, data integrity, and user adoption
• Uses data to identify trends and recommends solutions to support the business
• Generates and analyzes people metrics to assist managers in making optimal people-related decisions
• Guides managers and employees in the resolution of people-related matter
• Develops, interprets and communicates HR policies and processes
• Ensures that CFL’s processes and procedures adhere to and help advance the CFL’s commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility

Qualifications & Skills

• University degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience
• CHRL designation achieved or in progress is considered an asset
• Minimum 7 years of progressive Human Resources experience; experience in sports and entertainment or in a start-up business environment
• Experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing an HRIS, including overall organizational communication and change management planning is a definite asset
• Senior HR professional with generalist experience who has acted as the sole HR practitioner is a definite asset
• Experience supporting all provinces across Canada with knowledge of all Provincial employment legislation
• Accomplished relationship-builder, skilled at inspiring, motivating and influencing
• Strong business acumen and able to build initiatives, programs and policies to drive business success
• Proven project management skills
• Takes a pragmatic and balanced approach to all people and business matters
• Confident with proven communication skills and the ability to earn credibility and trust
• Able to gain and maintain the cooperation and collaboration of managers and employees
• Translates vision and strategy into a plan and executes flawlessly
• Able to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive situations and information with discretion and professionalism
• Demonstrates courage and conviction in advancing the people plan
• A creative problem-solver with well-developed conflict resolution skills
• Team-player and mentor, capable of functioning with confidence and credibility at every level of the organization
• Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Able to manage multiple and potentially conflicting long-term projects and day-to-day priorities

Expected Compensation

The expected compensation range for this position is $125,000 - $150,000 which includes base pay plus bonuses and variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position and should serve simply as a guide. The specific compensation offered may vary based on factors such as candidate experience, skills, budget, and location.

Other Considerations

Hybrid Model: The incumbent will be required to attend the office in accordance with the CFL Hybrid Work Policy. In addition, you are required to attend meetings and other business events at the office or other venues as business needs dictate.

Work Schedule: Due to the nature of the business, the incumbent must be available and willing to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as required.

Travel: As required.