HR Business Partner (contract)

Sobeys; Victoria; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Sobeys Burnaby Corporate Office is seeking an Human Resources Business Partner for a 20-month contract position. The HRBP collaborates with Retail Operations and management to align people strategies with business goals, including employee relations, policy deployment, and talent development.

Responsibilities include guiding investigations, administering wage and benefits programs, and supporting salary reviews while ensuring compliance with provincial laws.

Qualifications

• 5 years related Human Resource experience (Generalist level).
• Strong knowledge of employment law, collective agreements and HR policy.
• Experience leading investigations and resolving conflicts.
• Ability to influence and coach leaders across operational districts.

Responsibilities

• Provide coaching and guidance to leaders on employee relations issues.
• Deploy Leadership Development curriculum and HR tools across the organization.
• Partner with Labour Relations on collective agreements and bargaining.
• Lead HR initiatives and projects with cross-functional teams.
• Support store openings, relocations and personnel transitions.

Skills

Employee relations

HR policies

Labor relations

Investigations

Coaching & development

Talent management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources

Tools

HRIS systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Burnaby Corporate Office, 4445 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Job Description

Posted Friday, August 7, 2026 at 4:00 a.m.

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 Ressource Business Partner. Please note that it's acontract position of 20 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.

Please note that this position requires regular travel interior to northen BC area. The candidate would need to be confortable with overnight stays.

Here’s where you’ll be focusing:

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 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 front line employees
• Coach, advise and support leaders on all aspects of employee engagement through annual engagement survey and engagement scorecard and ensure consistently high levels of Employee/Mgmt 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 the leader 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 council 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 Resource 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 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/nonunion)
• 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

Sobeys is one of Canada’s leading grocery retailers, with more than 1,600 stores across all 10 provinces and banners including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawtons Drug Stores. Our 128,000 teammates and franchise affiliates are passionate about delivering great food and exceptional experiences to our customers and communities.

We offer a Total Rewards package designed to support teammates at work and in life. Depending on role and eligibility, teammates may receive health and dental benefits, retirement and savings programs including an Employee Share Ownership Plan, a 10% in-store discount at participating banners, virtual healthcare and an Employee and Family Assistance Program, learning and development opportunities, parental leave top-up, and paid vacation.

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 the expected range of compensation in accordance with Pay Transparency Legislation where required Individual compensation is determined based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity within the range provided.

Additional Information

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.

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. Hiring decisions are made by our Hiring Teams.

Sobeys is committed to creating accessible and inclusive hiring processes. We will work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process.

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.

Burnaby Corporate Office, 4445 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada,