Human Resources Advisor

McGill University; Montreal; On-site; CAD 73,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, life insurance

Defined contribution pension

RRSP/TFSA participation

Vacation policy

Personal days

Floating holidays

Summer Fridays

Remote work up to two days per week

Tuition waiver

Job summary

McGill University is seeking an HR Advisor for the VPRI unit to deliver comprehensive HR services, including labour relations, policy interpretation, and talent management. The role reports to the HR manager and later to the Director of Operations, working with a team of HR professionals.

The ideal candidate will be bilingual (English/French), CRHA-certified, and experienced in unionized environments, with strong organizational skills and proficiency in Workday and Office 365.

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex employee relations matters.
• Unionized environment experience is preferred.
• Fluently bilingual English and French, spoken and written.
• CRHA member certification.
• Authorized to work in Canada and Montreal-based position.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance on labour relations, policies, and processes to managers and directors.
• Support grievance and arbitration processes alongside Labour Advisor.
• Coordinate recruitment planning and job postings for the unit.
• Oversee performance dialogue, development plans, and succession planning.
• Collaborate with Benefits and Disability Management Office to handle leaves and disabilities.
• Assist with budget planning and staffing requests.

Skills

Labour relations

Dispute resolution

Organizational change

Bilingual English/French

Workday experience

Microsoft Office 365

Education

Bachelor's Degree

CRHA certification

Tools

Workday

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Please refer to the How to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply.If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at McGill University), do not apply through this Career Site. Login to your McGill Workday account and apply to this posting using the Find Jobs report (type Find Jobs in the search bar).Position Summary:As an HR Advisor, this role serves as a trusted partner to academic and administrative leaders within the VPRI. This role will be reporting to the HR manager, at first, who will be taking a maternity leave early in the contract. The incumbent will then report directly to the Director of Operations. The position provides a full range of HR services, staffing, compensation, benefits administration, organizational design and training and most importantly, labour/employee relations. It acts primarily as a resource for managers, offering guidance on policies and collective agreements, and contribute to shaping HR initiatives that align with the unit’s goals. The incumbent will be working independently, but alongside a team of HR professionals who will require their input on conflict negotiation, change management and niche recruitment opportunities/difficulties.The Human Resources Advisor is responsible for the effective delivery of Human Resources services to employees and managers within the VPRI. They will provide professional guidance and expertise to managers and clients, regarding labour relations, dispute resolution and grievances. The incumbent will develop and implement human resources policies and programs to maximize unit effectiveness; integrate human resources strategy into policy and planning frameworks; promote organizational effectiveness and cultural change; implement effective recruitment strategies to attract top talent. Undertake special projects as needed.Primary Responsibilities:Provide guidance to the HR Administrator and Talent Acquisition Administrator on files (e.g. employee disputes, establishing internal protocols, interpreting the Collective Agreement, etc).Represent the unit at Human Resources-related meetings, including Labour Relations or working committees, as required, and contribute to HR projects, working groups, and initiatives aimed at improving HR practices.Provide professional expertise and advice to managers and directors on the application and interpretation of human resources policies and procedures, collective agreements, the handling of grievances, and institutional procedures, referring complex matters to Labour and Employee Relations as appropriate.Work alongside Labor Advisor and Employee Relations throughout the grievance and arbitration processes.Responsible for reviewing new position requests, re-matching, requests for hiring salaries, salary adjustments for assigned groups of employees/clients. Ensure consistent application of the various policies and internal equity within area. Conduct job audits.Manage the performance dialogue process by providing guidance to managers and directors on documenting objectives, conducting performance discussions, addressing performance concerns, and identifying training and development needs often related to performance improvement plans.Advise on performance issues and performance improvement plans.Develop training, succession planning, talent management programs, and other organizational development workshops, to motivate and develop staff to their full potential.Collaborate with the HR Benefits and Disability Management Office, and managers to lead the effective administration of disability and leave cases; assist with coordinating short- and long-term disability processes and providing information on leave entitlements.Oversee a varied selection of HR responsibilities from the accurate implementation of performance dialogue; succession planning; as well as performance improvement plans and job abolitions.Provide support to direct supervisor, in the preparation of budgetary planning and recommend budget allocations as it relates to staffing.Support operational recruitment activities for the VPRI, including preparing job postings and advising management on recruitment needs, and liaising with HR central HR.Develop objectives and make recommendations for optimization of office space.Other Qualifying Skills and/or AbilitiesExperience working as a Human Resources Advisor:Manage complex employee relations matters, including workplace conflicts, grievances, investigations, and internal dispute resolution;Lead organizational change initiatives, including position abolitions, workforce restructuring, ensuring compliance with employment legislation and organizational policies.Fluently bilingual, English and French, spoken and written. Ability to communicate with all levels of staff in an effective and respectful manner.Holds a recognized qualification in HR or industrial relationsMust be a CRHA member.Ability to multitask and work on several projects at the same time, under strict deadlines while ensuring strong attention to detail.Strong problem solving, diplomacy, and organizational skills.Comfortable working with Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint). Experience with HR Information Systems like Workday is an asset.Proven experience in working in a unionized environmentDemonstrated ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines while managing multiple, often conflicting, demands. Prior experience working as an HR Advisor (3 year+), or within McGill University (1year+), is considered a strong asset.As one of Montreal's Top Employers, here is what we offer:Competitive benefits package (Health, Dental, Life Insurance) (if eligible)Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)Competitive vacation policyTwo (2) personal daysTwo (2) floating holidaysNine (9) \"Summer Fridays\" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour DayPaid time off over the December holiday periodTuition waiver for regular employees and their dependentsUp to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permitsBefore applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.Knowledge of English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level #4(qualifier) on a scale of 0-4 .For a definition of our language proficiency levels, please click here .Minimum Education and Experience:Bachelor's Degree 3 Years Related Experience /Annual Salary:(MPEX Grade 05) $73,470.00 - $91,840.00 - $110,210.00Job Profile:MPEX-HRM2D - Human Resources Generalist - Professional 2Hours per Week:33.75 (Full time)Supervisor:Human Resources & Talent Management ManagerPosition End Date (If applicable):2027-10-30Deadline to Apply:2026-10-28McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [e-mail] .