Human Resources Business Partner

Halifax Regional Municipality; Halifax; Hybrid; CAD 89,570 - 115,920; Full time

Job summary

A regional municipality in Halifax is seeking a Human Resources Business Partner for a temporary full-time position. This role involves providing strategic HR advice, supporting diverse and inclusive workplaces, and delivering HR solutions aligned with business objectives. Candidates should have at least six years of HR experience and a relevant undergraduate degree. The role promotes employee engagement and requires strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum of six years of experience in a unionized HR environment.
• Education in HR Management or a related area from a recognized institution.
• Ability to manage sensitive issues with professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR advice to leaders.
• Collaborate to define and execute HR strategies.
• Implement HR policy and drive employee engagement.
• Facilitate investigations and ensure compliance.

Skills

Relationship building

Project management

Data analysis

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Education

Undergraduate degree in HR Management

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Halifax Regional Municipality is inviting applications for two temporary full-time (up to 6 months and up to12 months) positions of Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) in the Employee Relations division of Human Resources. Should this temporary position become permanent through the business planning process, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position without a further job competition process, provided the incumbent has met the required performance expectations for the position.

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is committed to reflecting the community it serves and recognizing Diversity and Inclusion as one of the Municipality’s core values. We have an Employment Equity Policy and we welcome applications from African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Women in occupations or positions where they are underrepresented in the workforce, Indigenous/Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ Persons. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify on their electronic application.

Reporting to the Manager, Employee Relations, the HRBP will proactively address the complex needs of their assigned Business Unit client(s) while ensuring alignment with the Municipality’s values and organizational goals. The HRBP is a member of the Employee Relations team, which is responsible for delivering sound, effective human resources services to their clients in conjunction with the subject matter experts in the other divisions within the HR team.

In addition to supporting the client with aligning their budget and business plans with HR Strategy, the HRBP will play a pivotal role in delivering meaningful, people-centered HR solutions including performance management, succession planning, change management, attendance support, duty to accommodate, and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide operational and strategic advice and consultation to leaders in all areas of HR to help facilitate positive employee relations, a respectful working environment, build morale, employee engagement, and support workforce retention.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to define, implement, and execute HR strategies that align with business objectives while building trusted relationships across all levels.
• Develop a thorough knowledge of assigned business unit(s) and ensure HR programs contribute to their operations and objectives and are integrated with their business plans.
• Provide HR policy guidance, interpretation, and contribute to the review, revision, introduction and implementation of new or updated Human Resource policies, guidelines and processes to clients.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts within various divisions in Human Resources, such as Employee Relations, Talent Development, Total Rewards and Employee Wellbeing, to ensure alignment with business needs.
• Leverage data and analytics to drive process improvements and inform decision making.
• Facilitate and support leaders in conducting thorough and objective investigations, ensuring procedural fairness, efficiency, and minimizing bias.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of legislative requirements related to day-to-day HR business processes, management of employees, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Provide guidance to leaders on employee relations concerns (e.g., coaching, counselling, career development, conflict resolution, attendance management, performance management, disciplinary actions, etc.)
• Support and when required, lead absence management, accommodation, disability and return to work cases in conjunction with the Employee Wellbeing division and business unit leaders.
• Enhance organizational effectiveness by supporting the development process of job descriptions, business unit restructures, workforce planning, and succession planning.
• Demonstrate and promote a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion objectives.
• Promote the Respectful Workplace Policy and encourage preventative approaches to Employees and Leaders.
• Support business units in addressing conflict resolution challenges. Offers clarity and guidance to employees navigating the complaint process.
• Support business units through the annual Individual Salary Adjustment (ISA) and My Action Plan (MAP) performance planning process.
• Identify training needs based on client business plans and employee development targets; work with internal and external resources to address training needs.
• Develop and maintain collaborative and effective relationships with other internal HR subject matter experts.
• Represent Human Resources and client business units on various committees both within and outside HRM.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Must have a minimum of six (6) years of broad and progressively more senior experience within the human resource field in a unionized environment.
• Undergraduate degree; certificate or diploma with a focus in HR Management or related area of study from a recognized and accredited educational institution.

Technical / Job Specific Knowledge and Abilities

• Exceptional ability to build relationships with all levels of the organization. Proven ability to understand present and future operational requirements and identify the associated human resource requirements.
• Strong results orientation and a track record of execution with well-developed project management capabilities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data and present/articulate findings to leaders, with proficiency in all MS Office programs.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to exercise sound independent judgment.
• Excellent organization skills and ability to prioritize workload to achieve results in a constantly changing environment
• High degree of professionalism and confidentiality at all times when dealing with sensitive issues.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must clearly demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Security Clearance Requirements

Applicants may be required to complete an employment security screening check.

Please note

Testing may be conducted as a component of the selection process to assess technical and job specific knowledge. Candidates who are selected for testing, may be tested in a group setting, scheduled at the employer’s discretion.

Please Note

An Eligibility List may be established from this competition. Vacancies that are not filled internally will be filled from this Eligibility List. The list would be effective for 6 months and could be extended, as required.

COMPETENCIES

Valuing Diversity, Values & Ethics, Organizational Awareness, Customer Service, Organizing & Planning, Teamwork & Cooperation, Analytical Thinking, Communications, Conflict Management, Risk Management

WORK STATUS

Temporary full-time (up to 12 months)

HOURS OF WORK

Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm, 35 hours/week; flexibility may be required due to client demands. Flex options to work outside of these hours and hybrid may be available.

SALARY

Non-union level 8 ($89,570 - $115,920). Salary will be determined based on relevant experience and qualifications related to the specified pay band and job. Placement above the midpoint of the pay band is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the minimum qualifications, such as those with exceptional experience, specialized skills, or demonstrated achievements relevant to the role. This ensures fair and consistent compensation practices across the organization.

WORK LOCATION

Purdy's Wharf Tower II (1969 Upper Water St, Halifax); flexibility to travel throughout HRM is required.

CLOSING DATE

Applications will be received up to 11:59 PM on February 22, 2026

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for interview/testing will be contacted.

To ensure a fair and equitable hiring process, candidates are expected to complete all parts of the recruitment process, including assessments, assignments, and interviews independently and without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or other forms of external assistance. The use of AI to complete any component of the hiring process is not permitted and may result in disqualification from consideration.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to provide proof of their qualifications, including, but not limited to, educational credentials, professional licenses, and relevant certifications.

During the recruitment process, applicants have the right to request an accommodation. Applicants invited to participate in an assessment process (such as interview or testing) and who require an accommodation, should discuss their needs with the Talent Acquisition Advisor when invited to the assessment process. For more information on our accommodation process please click on the link: Accommodations | Hiring | Employment | Halifax