Manager, People & Culture

Hire Authority; Vaughan; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Competitive compensation

Collaborative work environment

Job summary

Applied Systems Technologies is seeking an experienced Manager, People & Culture to lead HR, payroll and employee relations for a salaried workforce in Ontario. The role includes recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, and working closely with executives to strengthen people practices and workplace culture.

The candidate should bring 5+ years of HR experience, strong communication skills, and proven ability to manage in a unionized setting, with hands-on payroll expertise and knowledge

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including management roles.
• Experience in a unionized environment strongly preferred.
• Hands-on payroll experience required.
• Strong knowledge of Ontario employment standards and HR practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR function including employee engagement, recruitment, labour relations, benefits, and payroll for salaried staff.
• Develop and implement HR policies, training, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, terminations, ROEs, and payroll-related documentation with confidentiality.
• Support management with performance management and discipline while ensuring policy compliance.
• Maintain employee files, records, and compliance with Ontario employment legislation.

Skills

People management

Employee relations

Recruitment

Payroll

HR policies

Education

Post-secondary education in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS

Payroll system

MS Excel

Job description

About our Company

Applied Systems Technologies is an Ontario-based company providing specialized HVAC and building systems solutions, supporting customers through installation, service, maintenance and project work. With a practical, customer-focused approach, our team combines technical expertise with strong project management and responsive service to deliver reliable solutions tailored to each customer’s needs. We are committed to quality workmanship, long-term customer relationships and maintaining a professional, collaborative workplace as we continue to grow and strengthen our organization.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced, approachable, and hands‑on Manager, People & Culture to lead our Human Resources function and support our employees, management and executive team.

This is a varied role that combines traditional HR responsibilities with employee engagement, recruitment, labour relations, benefits administration, and payroll administration for our salaried employees. As our hourly workforce is unionized, experience working in a unionized environment is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working directly with employees, managers, and the executive team, handling day‑to‑day HR matters while also helping us strengthen our people practices, workplace culture, and HR processes.

Key Responsibilities

People & Culture

• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and managers on HR policies, workplace matters, employee relations, and company practices.
• Promote a positive, respectful, professional, and productive workplace culture.
• Support employee engagement, recognition, retention, and communication initiatives.
• Work with management to identify opportunities to improve employee experience, communication, and workplace practices.
• Coordinate training, development, and other employee initiatives, including internal career progression paths and opportunities.
• Develop succession plans, talent pipelines, and leadership development programs.

Employee Lifecycle – Recruitment, Onboarding & Offboarding

• Manage the full recruitment cycle, including job postings, screening, interviewing, reference checks, employment offers, and onboarding.
• Work with managers to identify staffing requirements and develop appropriate job descriptions.
• Coordinate new employee orientation and ensure a welcoming and organized onboarding experience.
• Support workforce and succession planning as required.
• Manage the employee offboarding process for resignations, retirements, layoffs and terminations, ensuring each departure is handled professionally, respectfully and consistently.
• Prepare and coordinate resignation acknowledgements, termination documentation, Records of Employment (ROEs), final payroll information and other required employment documentation.
• Coordinate final pay, outstanding vacation entitlements, benefit termination and other payroll-related adjustments with the appropriate internal and external parties.
• Conduct or coordinate exit interviews and maintain appropriate documentation.
• Ensure the return of company property, including laptops, mobile devices, keys, access cards, vehicles, tools, credit cards and other company-owned equipment.
• Coordinate with IT and management to ensure company systems, email, applications and physical access are appropriately discontinued.
• Ensure employee files and HR/payroll records are updated and retained appropriately.
• Communicate employee departures internally in a professional and confidential manner, as appropriate.
• Support managers through employee separations and help ensure documentation and processes are consistent with company policies, employment agreements and applicable Ontario employment legislation.
• Assist with termination letters, severance documentation and related administration, working with external employment counsel when required.
• Maintain confidentiality and sensitivity throughout all employee departures, particularly involuntary terminations.
• Identify trends or recurring themes from exit interviews and employee turnover that may help improve retention and the overall employee experience.

Employee & Labour Relations

• Provide practical HR guidance to managers and executive team regarding attendance, performance, employee concerns, disciplinary matters, and workplace issues.
• Support performance management, progressive discipline, performance improvement plans, and termination processes.
• Build positive and professional relationships with both salaried and unionized employees.
• Assist management with the interpretation and administration of the collective agreement.
• Support labour relations matters, including grievances, disciplinary matters, and discussions with union representatives.
• Help ensure consistent application of company policies and collective agreement provisions.

Salaried Payroll & Benefits

• Be responsible for the accurate and timely preparation and administration of payroll for salaried employees.
• Maintain payroll information relating to new hires, salary changes, bonuses, vacation, leaves, benefits, terminations, and other employee changes.
• Review payroll information for accuracy and resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate payroll and employee records.
• Coordinate employee benefits enrollment, changes, and terminations.
• Coordinate group RRSP enrollment, changes and terminations.
• Respond to employee questions relating to payroll, vacation, benefits, and other compensation matters.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure payroll information and reporting are accurate and complete.

HR Policies, Compliance & Administration

• Maintain employee files, employment agreements, job descriptions, company policies, and the employee handbook.
• Coordinate vacation, leaves of absence, disability, return-to-work, and accommodation matters.
• Support compliance with applicable Ontario employment and workplace legislation.
• Maintain confidential employee information with a high degree of discretion.
• Prepare HR reports and maintain accurate HR records and documentation.
• Review existing HR practices and recommend improvements to policies, processes, and systems.
• Assist management with compensation reviews and salary benchmarking.

Qualifications

• Post‑secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, preferably including experience in an HR Manager, People & Culture Manager, or senior HR Generalist role.
• Previous experience working in a unionized environment is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with collective agreements, grievances, discipline, and union representatives is an asset.
• Hands‑on payroll experience is required, preferably including responsibility for salaried payroll.
• Strong knowledge of Ontario employment standards and HR practices.
• CHRP or CHRL designation required.
• Experience with recruitment, employee relations, performance management, benefits administration, and HR policies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail, particularly with payroll and employee documentation.
• Strong judgment and ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters appropriately.
• Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of matters from beginning to end.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish credibility and positive working relationships with employees, managers, and union representatives.

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who combines strong people skills with sound business judgment.

You should be approachable enough that employees feel comfortable coming to you, while also being confident in providing management with practical HR advice and ensuring policies, procedures, and collective agreement requirements are applied fairly and consistently.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys being involved in the day‑to‑day operation of the business rather than working in a narrowly defined HR role. The successful candidate will be organized, proactive, hands‑on, and comfortable moving between employee matters, management discussions, payroll responsibilities, recruitment, and labour relations.

What We Offer

• Full‑time, permanent employment
• Competitive compensation
• Benefits package
• A collaborative and supportive work environment
• An opportunity to have a meaningful influence on our workplace culture and HR practices
• A diverse role with direct interaction with employees and senior management