Director, People Strategy HR - Operation- EN

CN; Vaughan; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

CN is seeking a seasoned Senior HR Advisor to bridge enterprise HR strategy with business-unit outcomes. You will partner with HR Centers of Expertise to deliver data-driven talent, organization, and workforce solutions, while leading the People Strategy Partnership team across multiple departments.

You will guide workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational change initiatives, ensuring governance and risk management across enterprise functions.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive HR experience with executive advisory roles.
• Experience leading organization design, workforce planning, and talent strategies in complex environments.
• Proven leadership of senior HR professionals in a matrixed setting.
• Strong background in change management, culture evolution, and large-scale transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic advisor to executive leaders, aligning people strategies with business priorities.
• Lead organization design and change management initiatives across multiple projects.
• Provide coaching on people strategy, talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Translate workforce analytics into actionable recommendations that address talent risks and enable business outcomes.

Skills

HR analytics

Workforce planning

Executive reporting

Education

Bachelor's Degree in HR or Business

Master's Degree in HR or Business

CPHR designation or equivalent

Job description

At CN, everyday brings new and exciting challenges. You can expect an interesting environment where you’re part of making sure our business is running optimally and safely―helping keep the economy on track. We provide the kind of paid training and opportunities that long-term careers are built on and we recognize hard workers who strive to make a difference. You will be able to thrive in our close-knit, safety-focused culture working together as ONE TEAM. The careers we offer are meaningful because the work we do matters. Join us!

Job Summary

The incumbent is responsible for bridging enterprise Human Resources strategy with business-unit outcomes, ensuring people initiatives are tailored to the needs of business portfolios and delivered with operational rigor. The role acts as a senior advisor to executive leaders across multiple functions, partnering closely with HR Centers of Expertise to deliver integrated, data-driven talent, organization, and workforce solutions. The incumbent provides leadership and oversight for the People Strategy Partnership team supporting multiple departments. The role may also provide matrix leadership to project teams, and cross-functional initiatives aligned with enterprise priorities.

Main Responsibilities

Business Advisory for Assigned Executive Leaders

• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leaders, co-creating people's strategies aligned with business priorities, operating plans, and enterprise objectives.
• Lead Functional Organizational Change management initiatives to ensure successful program / change implementation on a variety of projects.
• Provide coaching and guidance on people strategy, including success profiles, talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership development, leveraging Centers of Expertise frameworks and tools.
• Lead organization design and position management activities, including the review and approval of new roles and organizational changes, ensuring alignment with job architecture and enterprise governance standards.
• Provide thought leadership on organizational change management, supporting leaders in planning, executing, and sustaining change initiatives.
• Translate workforce analytics and labor market insights into actionable recommendations that address talent risks and enable business outcomes.
• Partner with leaders to drive employee engagement strategies and ensure measurable improvements in participation, experience, and outcomes.
• Lead enterprise-aligned workforce planning in partnership with Finance and business leaders, aligning headcount, capabilities, skills, and cost to strategic priorities.

Operations Support

• Provide oversight and resolution for escalated people, performance, and employee relations matters, ensuring consistent, timely, and risk-informed outcomes.
• Oversee governance and effective operation of the Business Support Community across assigned portfolios.
• Strengthen policy application, compliance, and risk management practices in partnership with Legal, Employee Relations, and Safety functions, including oversight of investigations.
• Drive service excellence and continuous improvement by standardizing HR processes, monitoring service performance, and enabling process optimization and automation.

Team management

• Set strategic direction, priorities, and performance expectations for Business HR resources supporting corporate departments, ensuring alignment with the enterprise HR strategy and operating model.
• Provide ongoing leadership, coaching, and performance management to enable strong delivery, collaboration, and accountability.
• Build organizational capability within the People Strategy Partnership team through targeted development in areas such as data-driven consulting, change leadership, and organization design.
• Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture and optimize resource deployment based on business demand, risk, and strategic priorities.

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday and is eligible to participate in CN’s hybrid work model. Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure, and stress. The role requires minimal travel (15%) within North America.

Requirements Experience

• Between 10 to 15+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources, including senior-level advisory roles supporting executive leaders across diverse corporate functions.
• Demonstrated experience leading organization design, workforce planning, and talent strategies within complex and unionized environments.
• Proven people leadership experience, including leading and developing senior HR professionals in a matrixed environment.
• Strong background in change management, culture evolution, and large-scale business or HR transformation initiatives.

Education/Certification/Designation

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field*
• Professional Human Resources designation such as CPHR*
• Any designation for these above would be considered as an asset

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Strong capability in HR analytics, workforce planning tools, and executive-level reporting.

About CN

CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for our customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN's network connects Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 20,000-mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

At CN, we are dedicated to building North America's safest, most inclusive and sustainable railroad, which includes reflecting the communities in which we operate. Research shows that candidates often don't apply unless they feel they fit the job posting at 100%. To all potential applicants, even if you don't meet every job requirement listed in a posting, we still encourage you to apply. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please get in touch with our team at [e-mail].

As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

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