Human Resources Director

Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited; Ashton; On-site; CAD 160,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family culture

Safe workplace

Growth opportunities

Training & development

Benefits & pension

Job summary

The Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited in Ashton, Ontario is seeking a Director of Human Resources to shape the people strategy for a 73-year-old, 1200+ employee organization. This leadership role reports to the VP of HR/Payroll and drives talent strategy across workforce planning, organizational design, and leadership development.

You will lead an HR team spanning talent acquisition, total rewards, learning & development, and people operations, using data to improve engagement, retention, and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including at least 5 years at the Director level, ideally in a construction company.
• Demonstrated success building people strategy for distributed organizations across multiple geographies.
• In-depth knowledge of employment law in Ontario; know when to call counsel and when to move forward.
• Track record of using data and analytics to drive decisions in workforce planning, engagement, and retention.
• Strong presence with the ability to influence at the executive level.
• Experience leading change management through periods of rapid growth, restructuring, or M&A integration.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the executive team to align people strategy with business objectives—from workforce planning and organizational design to leadership development.
• Lead and develop an HR team spanning talent acquisition, total rewards, learning & development, and people operations.
• Use employee engagement data, exit insights, and retention metrics to make evidence-based decisions that improve the employee experience.
• Design and oversee compensation and benefits programs that are competitive, equitable, and aligned to growth.
• Own the people-side of M&A integration—from cultural assessment during diligence to org design and onboarding for acquired teams.

Skills

People leadership

Executive influence

HR analytics

Change management

Education

Master's degree in HR

Job description

You will define how Thomas Cavanagh attracts, develops, and retains talent across a regional workforce. This is a leadership seat reporting directly to the VP of HR/Payroll — shaping the people strategy that powers a 73-year-old construction company with 1200+ employees, through its next chapter of growth.

A Day in the Life

• Partner with the executive team to align people strategy with business objectives — from workforce planning and organizational design to leadership development.
• Lead and develop an HR team spanning talent acquisition, total rewards, learning & development, and people operations.
• Use employee engagement data, exit insights, and retention metrics to make evidence-based decisions that directly improve the employee experience.
• Design and oversee compensation and benefits programs that are competitive, equitable, and aligned to The Thomas Cavanagh Group of Companies growth stage.
• Own the people-side of M&A integration — from cultural assessment during diligence to org design and onboarding for acquired teams.

How We Work (Our Values)

Culture matters at TCCL. As we build the next chapter of this business, how we work together is as important as what we build. The backbone of how The Thomas Cavanagh Group of Companies functions is informed by our Cornerstone values. These include Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Integrity, Quality, Teamwork, Accountability and Community. These cornerstones are top of mind for our teams and influence everything that we do.

What You Bring To succeed in this role, you have:

• People-centric, genuine leadership with a proven ability to build trust, empower teams and foster collaborative problem-solving.
• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including at least 5 years at the Director level, ideally in a construction company.
• Preferred education is Master's Degree in Human Resources, or related field (MHR, MSc in HR).
• Demonstrated success building people strategy for distributed organizations across multiple geographies.
• Deep expertise in organizational development, talent management, and total rewards.
• In-depth knowledge of employment law in Ontario— you know when to call counsel and when to move forward.
• A track record of using data and analytics to drive decisions in workforce planning, engagement, and retention.
• Strong presence with the ability to influence at the executive level.
• Experience leading change management through periods of rapid growth, restructuring, or M&A integration.

It’s a Bonus If You Also Have:

• Experience leading people functions through M&A integration or corporate transformation
• Union and non-union workforce exposure.
• Construction labor market knowledge.
• Experience in fast-growth entrepreneurial environments.

Cavanagh Employee Benefits:

• Family, people-centric culture
• Safe and healthy workplace, promoting well being
• Internal growth opportunities
• Training and development opportunities
• Benefit, Wellness and Pension Programs

Location:

Our corporate offices are located west of Ottawa, in Ashton, Ontario. The Director of Human Resources will fully on site and travel between office locations regularly.

Wage Range:

The salary range for this position in Ontario at the start of employment is expected to be between $160,000 and $185,000 per year. However, the range offered is based on local job market factors and may vary further depending on factors specific to the selected job candidate, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.

We may use AI-enabled tools to support a fair and efficient recruitment process. All results are reviewed by a Recruiter. Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.