HR Lead, Talent Acquisition

Surerus Murphy Joint Venture; Calgary; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Surerus Murphy Joint Venture (SMJV) is seeking an HR Lead, Talent Acquisition to spearhead our North American TA function. This role focuses on direct sourcing, vendor management, and building pipelines for critical roles across the US and Canada. You will partner with WHC LLC to align staffing with project needs.

You will lead the TA team, shape strategy, and own recruitment processes from posting to onboarding, ensuring a superior candidate experience and cost-efficient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or related field is an asset.
• SHRM certification or the CPHR designation is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term North America Talent Acquisition strategy spanning professional and technical hiring.
• Lead the North America Talent Acquisition function and set direction for the team.
• Own recruiting vendor relationships and manage costs.
• Use data and analytics to monitor recruitment metrics and refine strategies.
• Oversee the full recruitment lifecycle across multiple departments.
• Source candidates via direct sourcing and reduce reliance on external agencies.
• Assist hiring managers with job descriptions and hiring processes.
• Lead offer negotiations and onboarding processes.
• Build relationships with leaders across countries and align staffing with business goals.
• Represent TA at job fairs and advise leadership on best practices.

Skills

Direct sourcing

Stakeholder management

Communication

Relationship building

Project-based hiring

ATS experience

HR analytics

MS Excel

Education

HR/business degree

SHRM/CPHR asset

Job description

ROLE

Surerus Murphy Joint Venture (SMJV) is looking for a dynamic, results-driven HR Lead, Talent Acquisition to lead our North American Talent Acquisition function. Together with WHC LLC (A Surerus Murphy Company), our American business, we deliver pipeline, facilities, power, maintenance, and EPC projects across the United States and Canada.
Our ability to win and deliver projects depends on having the right people in place at the right time. As a leader in the company, you will set our North America Talent Acquisition strategy, lead the TA function, and own our recruiting vendor relationships – while staying close to the work itself, sourcing candidates and building pipelines directly for the roles that matter most. A key focus will be direct sourcing to manage recruitment costs and engage high-quality candidates, while ensuring an exceptional candidate experience throughout the process. We are looking for someone who leads by doing and sets the standard for the team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute a long-term North America Talent Acquisition strategy spanning professional and technical hiring that meets the organization’s evolving needs.
• Lead the North America Talent Acquisition function, setting direction and priorities for the team.
• Own recruiting vendor relationships – continuously assess which positions need agency or specialist-search support versus direct sourcing and manage those vendor relationships and costs.
• Use data and analytics to monitor recruitment metrics and continuously refine strategies for greater efficiency.
• Stay informed on recruitment trends and best practices to continuously enhance the Talent Acquisition function.
• Oversee the full recruitment lifecycle, including job postings, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and selection across multiple departments and business units.
• Source candidates for open positions using direct sourcing techniques to proactively identify, engage, and cultivate relationships with high-quality candidates, reducing reliance on external agencies.
• Schedule candidates with hiring leaders and keep requisitions moving without letting them stall.
• Manage candidate pipelines and ensure timely communication with candidates, hiring managers, and all stakeholders.
• Assist hiring managers in creating job descriptions and ensure they align with organizational goals.
• Create and implement end-to-end hiring processes that ensure a positive candidate experience and a high level of customer service throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
• Draft and send offer letters for selected candidates, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Lead offer negotiations, including compensation, benefits, and contractual terms, to ensure alignment with company objectives.
• Support the onboarding process to ensure seamless transitions for new hires.
• Build and hold trusted working relationships with multiple hiring leaders across both countries, each with their own priorities and timelines.
• Partner with senior leadership to understand staffing requirements and build targeted recruitment strategies that attract diverse talent.
• Represent the organization at job fairs and recruiting events as needed.
• Advise leadership on recruitment best practices, company policies, and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain confidential HR documents and files, ensuring all required documentation is up to date.
• Maintain professionalism and confidentiality, adhering to privacy laws, employment regulations, and internal policies in each jurisdiction where we hire.

Note: In addition to these duties personnel are required to carry out such other duties as may be reasonably required in order to support the objectives of the company.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or a related field is considered an asset.
• SHRM certification (SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP) or the CPHR designation is considered an asset.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 – 8 years of experience in talent acquisition or a similar role.
• A proven track record in direct sourcing – able to point to specific hard-to-fill roles filled through direct sourcing, not just job-board postings.
• Experience recruiting in or for the construction, infrastructure, engineering, or energy sectors, with a real understanding of how project-based contract awards drive workforce expansion and contraction.
• Experience with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and recruitment marketing platforms.
• Experience recruiting for the energy industry in both Canada and the United States, with an understanding of each country's talent markets and hiring practices.

Skills and Knowledge

• A fast, high-energy operating style – moves quickly, adjusts as priorities shift, and is comfortable making calls with incomplete information and course-correcting as needed.
• A bias toward doing the work – comfortable personally sourcing the hardest roles.
• A business partner, client-oriented mindset with a demonstrated ability to establish and maintain relationships with a diverse client group.
• The polish and stakeholder-management skills to represent Talent Acquisition credibly in front of business and HR leadership.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with a very high standard of attention to detail; able to work independently, with self-driven initiative, within tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with social media, resume databases, and professional networks; proficient in documenting processes and keeping up with industry trends.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position is office based and will be located in our Calgary, AB office or our Houston-area office (The Woodlands, TX); the exact base location will be confirmed with the successful candidate. Regular travel is required to Calgary, AB; Spruce Grove, AB (Edmonton area); Houston, TX; and Lafayette, LA, and to other office and field-based locations across Canada and the US, to meet with project and business-unit leaders and understand hiring needs firsthand.