HR Business Partner

Sobeys; Victoria; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian grocery retailer is seeking a Human Resource Business Partner for a 14-month contract in Victoria, Canada. The HRBP will align business objectives with employees, provide coaching on employee relations, and lead HR initiatives. Candidates should have at least 5 years of HR experience and a degree in Human Resources or a related field. A strong knowledge of employment legislation and the ability to negotiate are vital for this role, which includes flexibility for hybrid work.

Benefits

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Employee Share Ownership Plan

Learning and Development Resources

Parental Leave Top-Up

10% In-Store Discount

Qualifications

• 5 years related Human Resources experience at the Generalist Level.
• Demonstrated knowledge in human resources functions.
• Ability to influence and advise Operations Leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide coaching to leaders on employee relations and policies.
• Lead investigations on employment issues and provide recommendations.
• Manage annual performance review and compensation processes.

Skills

Employee relations

Coaching and advising

Negotiation and conflict resolution

Knowledge of employment legislation

HR initiatives management

Education

Degree in Human Resources or related field

Job description

Ready to Transform Retail?

Embark on a rewarding career with Sobeys Inc., celebrated among Canada’s Top 100 employers where your unique contributions drive success.

Ready to make an impact?

Sobeys is full of exciting opportunities, and we are always looking for bright new talent to join our team! We currently have an opportunity as Human Resource Business Partner. Please note that it's a contract position of 14 months.

The HRBP is responsible for aligning business objectives with employees and management in our Retail Operations. The position serves as a strategic partner, consultant and advisor to management on human resource‑related issues.

What You’ll Be Doing

Individual Accountabilities

• Provide coaching, advice and guidance to leaders on employee relations issues, including policy violations, investigations, discipline and terminations
• Accountable for the consistent deployment of Leadership Development curriculum as well as HR tools, systems, processes, policies and procedures
• Provide professional advice to Operations Management in relation to collective agreement administration, employment law, labour law, Human Rights matters and any other issues which require conflict resolution
• Work with Labour Relations in collective agreement negotiations and on the administration of collective agreements (as applicable)
• Lead various HR initiatives/projects while collaborating with appropriate partners within as well as outside of HR
• Partner with Store Manager to lead investigations on employee relations issues and provide expert recommendations to leaders
• Lead investigations on legal employment issues; represent the organization at mediation/arbitration
• Provide input on the development of COE programs and be accountable to execute employee programs developed by COEs
• Responsible to ensure Total Rewards (salary, benefits, pension, incentive) are administered in support of policies and guidelines
• Accountable to support, manage and lead various facets of the Store Manager Training Program and Department Manager Training Program including but not limited to the talent acquisition and selection processes as well as monitoring and supporting trainers and trainees’ progress in the program
• Drive the creation and maintenance of a positive work environment between Operation Leadership, Store Management and all frontline employees
• Coach, advise and support leaders on all aspects of employee engagement through the annual engagement survey and engagement scorecard and ensure consistently high levels of employee/management communication
• Manage and support leaders through the annual performance review process
• Lead the development and execution of an integrated workforce plan. Facilitate the performance calibration and succession planning processes as well as development plans to create a talent pipeline which supports operational requirements on an ongoing basis
• Support leaders through the annual salary review process and incentive program
• Provide guidance to leaders in areas such as salary recommendations for new hires, transfers, relocations, and promotions of store and department management positions (RSC Led and other management positions)
• Support store openings, closings and conversions in the areas of recruitment, severance/exits, etc. (Support facility opening, closings and integrations in the areas of recruitment, severance/exits, etc.)
• Support retail operations with complex WCB, STD, LTD, LOA and RTW/GRTW procedures
• Act as a catalyst for change and encourage and support the business with transition
• Provide counsel to Franchise (non‑union RSC’s) on employment matters and educate them on tools available
• Monitor wage equity compliance and/or conduct wage equity audits to ensure organizational compliance with provincial regulations

Key Support Accountabilities

• Collaborate with the HR Centres of Excellence (CoE) to influence development, testing and deployment of new or enhanced systems, tools, processes, programs and policies
• Collaborate with Integrated Health Management (IHM) team on employee leaves (WCB, STD, LTD) and assist with return to work as needed
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on recruitment and selection of new staff
• Liaise with legal counsel on employee‑related legal matters; attend local mediation/arbitrations if required
• Assist Compensation in the administration of the annual salary review and incentive program
• Support the administration of Talent Management and Learning and Development CoE’s in new or annual program rollouts
• Specifically partner with the L&D Leadership Development function, support all initiatives through curriculum development, training and/or facilitation of learning with Operations staff as required
• Partner with Operations Management, Store Management, and where they exist, union representatives to ensure consistent approach to progressive discipline action, termination decisions and dispute resolutions
• Partner with Labour Relations function to support collective agreement negotiations and the administration of collective agreements
• Work with cross‑functional store/RSC innovation teams to identify change impacts from store/RSC initiatives and appropriate mitigation strategies

What You Have to Offer

• 5 years related Human Resources experience (at the Generalist Level)
• Demonstrated knowledge/experience in all components of the generalist Human Resources function
• Degree, diploma or certification in Human Resources or an associated field or equivalent experience. Undergraduate degree preferred
• Sound knowledge/understanding of provincial employment legislation
• Demonstrated understanding of human behavior, as well as business management, operations and strategy
• Demonstrated ability to be agile and support multiple Operational districts (preferred) (operating models: union/non‑union)
• Retail experience preferred
• Ability to influence, coach, and advise Operations Leadership and business partners effectively
• Ability to negotiate and resolve conflict
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high‑pressure environment
• Ability to conduct investigations, present findings, determine appropriate resolution and take corrective action
• Excellent technical HR skills and understanding of employment, Human Rights and Labour laws
• Please note that this position requires regular travel

Who We Are

We started in a small town in Nova Scotia but we are now in communities of all sizes across this great country. With over 1,600 stores in all 10 provinces, you may know us as Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Lawtons Drug Stores or another of our great banners but we are all one extended family.

Our family of 128,000 employees and franchise affiliates share a collective passion for delivering exceptional shopping experiences and amazing food to all our customers. Our mission is to nurture the things that make life better – great experiences, families, communities, and our employees. We are a family nurturing families.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is fuelled by our purpose and values. It shapes our culture and drives business success. As a family nurturing families, we embed DE&I into everything we do. We know that it takes open minds and respect for distinct perspectives to create engaging workplaces, inclusive customer experiences and strong community partnerships. We are committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process and will work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of this process.

What We Offer

Our Total Rewards package is designed to help our teammates thrive—physically, financially, and emotionally. While offerings vary by role and employment type (full‑time, part‑time, contractual), eligible teammates may receive:

• Comprehensive Benefits Package with health and dental coverage, life insurance, and short‑ and long‑term disability insurance.
• Access to Virtual Health Care and an Employee and Family Assistance Program for personalized support.
• Retirement and Savings Plan to help you build financial security.
• 10% In‑Store Discount at participating banners, plus additional discount programs.
• Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP), giving you the opportunity to invest in the company’s success.
• Learning and Development Resources to support your career growth.
• Parental Leave Top‑Up to assist growing families.
• Paid Vacation and Days Off to help you recharge.

Sobeys is committed to providing a compensation structure that is flexible, equitable and competitive in the market to enable performance and growth. To learn more about this opportunity—including expected range of compensation in accordance with Pay Transparency Legislation where required—you may click the “I’m interested” button above. Individual compensation is determined based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity within the range provided.

External websites may share our organization’s job postings which includes compensation information based on similar roles and market benchmarks. These figures are provided for general comparison purposes only and are not issued or verified by our organization.

To drive our commitment to team collaboration and the overall success of our office culture we require our teammates to have the ability to adhere to a hybrid work model that requires your presence at one of our office locations at least three days per week.

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support efficiencies in the candidate screening, assessment, and recruitment processes. These AI tools do not make hiring decisions on behalf of the Company; these decisions are made by our Hiring Teams.

If you feel that this describes the kind of work you want to do and you are excited about what Sobeys has to offer, then please apply by the posting end date indicated above. We encourage candidates to submit a resume and take the time to ensure that their application highlights what makes them uniquely qualified for this opportunity!

Please note: Successful candidates will be required to provide documentation to prove their legal ability to work in the position during the onboarding process. Documentation will be assessed by the employer prior to commencement of work.