People & Talent Acquisition Manager

BusPlanner; Waterloo; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading provider of student transportation software is seeking a People & Talent Acquisition Manager to lead recruiting efforts and support HR operations. The ideal candidate is proactive and experienced in scaling teams in high-growth environments. Responsibilities include managing the full recruitment funnel and enhancing candidate experience. This is a mid-senior level position based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years in HR, people operations, or talent roles, ideally within SaaS, startups, or early-stage companies.
• Experience in environments where HR functions had to be built or redefined.
• Familiarity with Canadian and U.S. labor laws.

Responsibilities

• Own the full-cycle hiring process across all functions.
• Identify and engage top-tier candidates.
• Partner with hiring managers on talent needs.

Skills

Proactive sourcing

Communication

Team collaboration

Organizational skills

Flexibility

Education

HR certifications or relevant continuing education

Job description

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BusPlanner is hiring a People & Talent Acquisition Manager to take complete ownership of our recruiting and talent sourcing functions and help scale our growing team. This role is the first of its kind and is a high-ownership position that combines hands-on recruiting, strategic talent acquisition, and people operations. It is ideal for someone who is proactive, highly energetic, detail-oriented, and excited to help us find and win over top-tier candidates in a high-growth environment.

You’ll serve as the first dedicated people hire, working closely with leadership to own the end-to-end recruitment funnel while also helping implement lightweight HR processes related to onboarding, compliance, and employee engagement. You’ll act as a key culture-builder within the organization, owning recruitment operations across our offices located in Waterloo, and playing a critical role in identifying, sourcing, and closing top talent through both inbound and outbound channels.

Why BusPlanner?

BusPlanner is the leading provider of student transportation management software in Canada. Our platform is used by hundreds of the largest school boards and consortia from coast to coast (Toronto District School Board, York Region District School Board, Peel Region School Board, and many others), helping optimize bus routes, manage planning and operations, and streamline communication between school transportation teams and families.

We are a proud Canadian company with deep expertise in K–12 education and a proven track record of supporting the unique needs of Canadian school districts. We are scaling rapidly and investing in growing our team to better serve our clients from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

BusPlanner’s leadership team consists of seasoned entrepreneurs who have significant experience in building and growing multiple successful software businesses including : (i) FieldEdge, a leading provider of software for the field services market which the team grew more than 5x and sold to a mega-cap private equity fund, and (ii) AutoLeap, a leader in the auto repair software market that has raised more than $50 million from some of the most reputable VC firms in Silicon Valley.

This is a rare opportunity to join a purpose-driven team at the heart of Canada’s education technology ecosystem .

As a successful People & Talent AcquisitionManager, you will :

• Act as the primary recruiting leader, owning the full-cycle hiring process across all functions at BusPlanner. (Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, creating job descriptions, proactively sourcing top talent via LinkedIn and other platforms, conducting candidate screens, coordinating interviews, and managing offer letters.)
• Identify, engage, and close top-tier candidates through outbound and inbound strategies.
• Partner with hiring managers to understand talent needs and develop sourcing strategies that deliver results quickly.
• Build and maintain a strong talent pipeline for current and future needs.
• Own and improve core recruiting processes to enhance candidate experience and time-to-hire.
• Support lightweight HR operations including onboarding, performance processes, and compliance.
• Maintain accurate employee data in our HRIS (Workable).
• Assist with basic HR functions such as documentation, engagement coordination, and internal communication.

You Should Apply If :

• You are entrepreneurial and resourceful — you take initiative, adapt quickly, and enjoy solving complex challenges.
• You are a hunter when it comes to talent — you love identifying, engaging, and winning over exceptional candidates.
• You are process-minded — you're comfortable implementing repeatable recruiting systems.
• You are flexible and collaborative — you're willing to take on tasks outside your job description to help the team move forward.
• You are people-oriented — you value strong team relationships and want to help others succeed.
• You are organized and responsive — you balance recruiting urgency and candidate experience with ease.
• You are a confident communicator — you’re comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders, in person or virtually.
• You can be in office in Waterloo, Ontario at least 3 days per week.

You Should Not Apply If :

• You are not interested in proactively recruiting talent via outbound channels.
• You are not interested in rolling up your sleeves and having a “just-get-it-done” mindset.
• Looking for a typical 9-5 where every day looks the same.
• You prefer highly structured environments with rigid processes and step-by-step instructions.
• You are uncomfortable juggling both strategic and hands-on HR responsibilities in the same role.
• You are looking for a job where you can stay behind the scenes — this role involves direct interaction with leadership and team members.
• You are not comfortable taking ownership, following up proactively, or working with some ambiguity.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2–5 years in HR, people operations, or talent roles, ideally within SaaS, startups, or early-stage companies.
• Experience working in environments where HR functions had to be built or redefined from the ground up.
• Familiarity with Canadian and U.S. labor laws and employee lifecycle best practices.
• Willingness to work from our Waterloo, Ontario office at least 3 days per week.
• Ability to manage a large and varied portfolio of HR responsibilities, including proactive and reactive support.
• Strong communication and presentation skills — comfortable advising leadership and supporting employee conversations.
• HR certifications or relevant continuing education (e.g., CHRP) is a plus.

Seniority level

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Human Resources

Software Development

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Manager Talent Acquisition • Waterloo, Region of Waterloo, Canada