Director, People & Culture

Edmonton Community Foundation; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local charitable organization in Canada is seeking a Director, People & Culture to lead the HR strategy and operations. This role involves enhancing employee experience, promoting workplace equity, and managing full-scope HR functions. The ideal candidate brings significant experience in HR management, strong leadership skills, and a passion for building inclusive, dynamic workplaces. This position offers a competitive salary, benefits, and a hybrid work environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits package

Professional development opportunities

Hybrid work environment

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in HR management.
• Five years of experience leading a comprehensive People & Culture function.
• Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the human resources strategy and operations.
• Oversee talent acquisition, performance management, and employee relations.
• Develop HR policies and programs to enhance employee experience.

Skills

Human resources management

Leadership

Employee engagement

Education

University degree in Human Resources or related field

Tools

HRIS

MS365

Job description

Overview

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About the Job

Are you a strategic and people-focused leader who thrives on building inclusive, dynamic workplaces? Do you excel at shaping organizational culture, fostering employee engagement, and driving forward-thinking HR strategies? The Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) is looking for a Director, People & Culture to lead our human resources strategy and operations in cultivating an environment where people and purpose connect. If you’re passionate about people, leadership, organizational excellence, and creating a thriving city, we’d love to hear from you!

The Organization

ECF is committed to building a vibrant city and enriching the lives of all Edmontonians. We do this by providing over $35 million in grants and student awards each year, thanks to the generous support of thousands of donors. As the largest non-governmental funder of the charitable sector in our City, ECF is in a unique position to address long-term, complex community needs by working with donors, charities, volunteers, government and community partners.

The Opportunity

The Director, People & Culture is responsible for leading and advancing ECF’s human resources strategy. As a trusted advisor to the CEO, executive, and senior leadership team, this role drives the policies, practices, and programs that enhance employee experience, workplace equity, and organizational effectiveness.

With a balance of strategic leadership and hands-on management, the Director oversees the full scope of HR functions—including talent acquisition, performance management, total rewards, employee relations, organizational development, learning and growth, and change management. By aligning people strategy with ECF’s mission and values, the Director ensures our workplace remains inclusive, high-performing, and adaptive to evolving needs.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Strategic People Leadership

• Lead the evolution of ECF’s People and Culture framework to ensuring alignment with organizational mission, values, and long-term strategic priorities.
• Provide strategic counsel and expert guidance to the CEO and senior leaders on HR strategy and drive people-focused initiatives that advance ECF’s long-term vision and impact.
• Provide insight and guidance on organizational design, change management, and culture initiatives.

HR Strategy & Operations

• Develop, implement, and communicate HR policies and programs that balance organizational goals with employee needs.
• Lead HR operations, including recruitment, compensation, employee relations, training, organizational design, and succession planning.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with employment law, occupational health and safety requirements, human rights legislation, and evolving best practices.
• Anticipate and mitigate HR-related risks by establishing proactive strategies and advising executive leadership on emerging workforce issues.

Employee Experience & Talent Management

• Lead initiatives to attract, retain, and develop top talent across the organization.
• Develop and oversee performance management processes and leadership development programs.
• Design and manage competitive total rewards and recognition programs that support employee well-being and engagement.
• Serve as a senior advisor on employee relations, workplace investigations, and conflict resolution, ensuring fair and consistent practices across the organization.
• Lead initiatives that foster continuous learning, build organizational resilience, and prepare staff to meet evolving priorities.

Collaboration, Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with managers to strengthen their leadership capacity, providing coaching and guidance on people management practices.
• Represent People & Culture perspectives in cross-functional projects and organizational initiatives, ensuring alignment between people strategies and operational goals.
• Actively contribute to organizational decision-making as part of the senior leadership team, balancing people priorities with strategic and community impact objectives.
• Use data-driven insights to inform HR decision-making and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Implement modern HR systems and technologies to streamline operations and enhance employee experience.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you will possess the following qualifications:

• A university degree in Human Resources, Commerce, Business Administration, or a directly related field combined with a minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in human resources management, including five years of experience leading a comprehensive, full-scope People & Culture function. Equivalent combinations of related post-secondary education and directly related work experience will be considered.
• A Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation is preferred.
• You bring both strategic insight and practical expertise in human resources leadership.
• Deep knowledge of HR best practices across the employee lifecycle, including talent management, onboarding, succession planning, engagement, and development.
• Strong understanding of employment law, workplace health and safety, and workplace investigations.
• Proven expertise in total rewards strategy and program management, including compensation, benefits, and recognition programs.
• Excellent employee relations, conflict resolution, and change management skills
• Proven ability to advise and influence senior leadership, providing expert guidance on HR strategy, risk management, and people-centric decision-making that aligns with business objectives.

Additional requirements include:

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences through strong writing, speaking, listening, and presentation abilities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements related to employment law, human rights, workplace health and safety, and HR compliance.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of initiative, proactively identifying opportunities to enhance organizational effectiveness, address complex challenges, and drive strategic people and culture initiatives.
• Experience with HRIS, ERP, and CRM systems to support HR operations and decision-making.
• High proficiency with desktop and cloud-based applications (e.g., MS365, Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint).
• Strong capacity for strategic thinking, organizational design, systems development, and continuous improvement.
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to manage sensitive and complex HR information with accuracy and discretion.
• High ethical standards, sound judgment, and integrity when managing confidential or sensitive employee matters.
• Superior organizational skills with the ability to balance multiple initiatives and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, foster employee engagement, and build inclusive workplace cultures.

If you have these qualities and are excited about the opportunity to be part of an organization that truly makes a difference, we would like to hear from you.

What We Offer

We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We also offer a competitive salary and benefits package, professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment including:

• A 35-hour standard work week.
• Downtown work location with free parking available.
• Extended Health, Dental and Short/Long Term Disability Benefits, Life Insurance and a Health Spending Account.
• A 9% contribution to our group RRSP.
• A hybrid work environment where employees collaborate on site a minimum of 3 days per week with the flexibility to work remotely up to 2 days per week.
• Vacation starts at three weeks per year.
• 12 combined personal and sick days.

How to Apply

Please submit your application - including both a resume and cover letter - in PDF format to [e-mail].

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found, review of applications will begin October 17, 2025. Apply now to get the jump on a new career! Please submit your application – including both a resume and cover letter – in PDF format to [e-mail].

Apply now to get the jump on a new career!

ECF is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported to thrive. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Location: Canada (Hybrid)