Senior Director, People Strategy & Business Initiatives

Saputo, Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 174,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

Saputo Inc. is seeking a Senior Director, People Strategy & Business Initiatives to join the CHRO’s leadership team. You will drive organization design, operating models, and HR modernization, aligning talent strategy with business priorities across Canada and beyond.

The role focuses on leveraging people insights, data analytics, and AI-enabled solutions to simplify governance and improve employee experience. Strong executive presence and bilingual capabilities are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in HR strategy, organization design, or related areas.
• Executive presence with ability to influence senior stakeholders in a multinational environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead organization design and operating model work, setting governance and decision rights.
• Drive HR modernization, AI enablement, data-driven insights, and streamlined processes.
• Support talent strategy, succession planning, and leadership development across Saputo.

Skills

HR strategy

Organization design

Talent management

Workforce planning

Data analytics

Executive advisory

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/related field

Master's degree considered an asset

Tools

HR analytics tools

AI enablement fundamentals

Job description

At Saputo, we bring good to the table by making high-quality products, investing in our people, and supporting communities around the world . As a top 10 global dairy processor, we value contributions that matter and strive to foster an inclusive, growth-driven work environment. Ready to bring your best?

Overview of the role:

The Senior Director, People Strategy & Business Initiatives is a strategic leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer. This role is designed to increase the strategic capacity of the CHRO and HR Leadership Team by connecting people strategy, organization design, talent strategy, people insights, HR modernization, and future-of-work capabilities into one integrated enterprise agenda. The Senior Director will serve as a trusted advisor to the CHRO, HR Leadership Team, and other key stakeholders to advance priority business and people initiatives. The role leads a direct report and may provide indirect leadership to cross-functional project teams and external partners. The role focuses on shaping fit-for-purpose operating models, strengthening organization design, simplifying how work gets done, enabling AI and technology-driven solutions, and translating people insights into clear recommendations for senior leaders.

How you will make contributions that matter:

Organization Design and Operating Model Strategy

Lead organization design and operating model work, including spans and layers analysis, role clarity, decision rights, governance, and ways of working. Partner with the CHRO, HR Leadership Team, HRBPs, and business leaders to determine structures, capabilities, and accountabilities required to support business objectives. Develop practical organization design principles, tools, and standards to support consistent, fact-based decisions across functions, geographies, and divisions. Use internal insights, external benchmarks, and business context to challenge current models and recommend simpler, more agile, and more effective ways of operating.

HR Modernization, Future of Work and AI Enablement

Identify where process simplification, technology, automation, AI-enabled solutions, and stronger data can improve HR quality, speed, consistency, and employee experience. Lead or support key HR and business initiatives that simplify governance, service delivery, decision-making forums, and ways of working. Assess emerging trends in AI, skills, workforce planning, employee experience, analytics, and HR service delivery, and translate them into practical opportunities for Saputo. Promote continuous improvement across HR by reducing complexity, eliminating duplication, clarifying accountabilities, and increasing work effectiveness.

Talent Strategy and Succession Management

Support the enterprise talent agenda by connecting talent insights, succession risks, workforce planning, internal mobility, and organization design implications to Saputo’s business strategy. Partner with the HRBPs, division talent leaders, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, and Total Rewards to ensure talent discussions are informed by business priorities, workforce needs, and clear data. Support preparation of CHRO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board-level materials related to talent pipeline, succession risks, critical roles, workforce capability, and organizational health.

People Insights, HR KPIs and Decision Support

Define and monitor the HR KPIs and people metrics that matter most to business performance, including organization health, workforce productivity, talent pipeline, internal mobility, retention, engagement, and HR process performance. Connect data from talent, workforce planning, organization design, employee listening, HR systems, and business indicators to build stronger people insights. Translate data, benchmarks, and trends into clear implications, options, and recommendations for senior stakeholders. Partner with HR Systems to improve data quality, reporting discipline, dashboard usefulness, and analytics maturity.

Executive Advisory and Decision Support

Act as a thought partner to the CHRO on key people priorities, business initiatives, organization risks, and decision points. Prepare executive-ready insights, options, recommendations, and discussion materials for CHRO, HR Leadership Team, Executive Leadership Team, and Board-related discussions. Facilitate senior-level discussions on operating model choices, talent risks, workforce scenarios, organization design, and HR modernization priorities. Build alignment across stakeholders and maintain momentum on priority initiatives that support the people agenda and business strategy.

You are best suited for the role if you have the following qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, Data Analytics, or a related field; Master’s degree considered an asset. 12+ years of progressive experience in HR strategy, organization design, talent management, strategic workforce planning, people analytics, HR modernization, management consulting, or a related field. Demonstrated experience leading operating model reviews, organization design, spans and layers analysis, business initiatives, or enterprise change work in a complex organization. Strong business acumen and ability to connect business strategy, organization design, talent implications, HR processes, technology, and people data into practical recommendations. Data fluent, with the ability to interpret people metrics, identify trends, challenge assumptions, and translate insights into executive-level advice and action. Experience identifying, implementing, or enabling technology, automation, digital, or AI-enabled HR solutions considered a strong asset. Executive presence, consulting skills, sound judgment, discretion, and ability to influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed, multinational environment. Excellent communication, facilitation, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to make complex topics clear, concise, and actionable. Experience in a multinational, manufacturing, CPG, food, or other operationally complex environment considered an asset. Professional HR designation, considered an asset. Candidates must be bilingual in French and English, as they will regularly interact with stakeholders across Canada and the United States.

Salary: $173,685 - $227,960 *Salary offers will vary commensurate with experience, education, skills, and training.

In Canada, Saputo is a leading cheese manufacturer and fluid milk and cream processor, with a portfolio of well-loved brands such as Dairyland, Armstrong, Neilson, Alexis de Portneuf, and many more. Whether your expertise lies in manufacturing, operations, supply chain management, sales, quality assurance, or in any other function, your role is integral to our success. You will make contributions that matter, all while working alongside colleagues who genuinely care about your success and who will roll up their sleeves to help.

The material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only. All open jobs offered by Saputo Inc. and all companies, corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships and other entities controlled by Saputo Inc. (collectively, “Saputo”) on Saputo's web site are subject to specific job skill requirements. The job skill requirements, qualifications, and preferred experience are determined by a Saputo subsidiary, office or department, and all positions are subject to local prevailing employment laws and restrictions. This would include immigration laws pertaining to work authorization requirements and any other applicable government permissions or compliance.

The materials on this site are provided without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained on this site or in any referenced links. While Saputo attempts to update this site on a timely basis, the information is effective only as of the time and date of posting. Strict confidentiality will be observed at all times.

Saputo is an equal opportunity employer. The information on this site is for information purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon with legal consequence. We support employment equity. Saputo strives to embed diversity and inclusion in its operations and invites candidates from all horizons to join its family. Saputo welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations up to the point of undue hardships, are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Making Good Food Is Our Passion, and we do it responsibly. Our caring teams process about 10 billion litres of milk annually into a diversified range of dairy and dairy alternative products sold in over 50 countries. With 54 manufacturing facilities and over 18,100 employees, we operate our leading business in Canada, the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom. All dairy processors have access to the same raw material and equipment; what distinguishes us is our can‑do spirit and our diverse, inclusive work culture that empowers employees to grow in their own way.

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