Senior Manager Culture and Organizational Development

Independent Electricity System Operator; Toronto; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Independent Electricity System Operator is seeking a Senior Manager for Culture and Organizational Development in Toronto. You will partner with senior leaders to shape culture and lead enterprise talent, learning, and leadership development initiatives.

Responsibilities include governance of culture and talent programs, performance management, succession planning, and driving data-driven decisions to support organizational strategy. A dynamic, inclusive team environment awaits.

Qualifications

• Degree in HR, OD, psychology, business admin; master’s preferred.
• 10+ years progressive experience in employee engagement, learning, talent, and OD.
• 5+ years in a leadership role overseeing enterprise-wide programs.
• Proven ability leading complex organizational change with data-driven decisions.
• Experience in regulated, public sector, energy or infrastructure is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Shape and implement culture strategy to strengthen engagement and inclusion.
• Lead programs to improve employee experience and retention.
• Develop strategic learning ecosystems and leadership development programs.
• Lead enterprise talent initiatives including performance and succession planning.
• Provide governance for culture, learning, and talent programs and measure impact.

Skills

Leadership development

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Data-driven decision making

Executive communication

Instructional design

Coaching

Psychometric assessment tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/OD/Psychology/Business Administration

Master’s degree preferred

CHRL/Prosci/ICF designation or equivalent assets

Tools

Learning Management Systems

HRIS (SuccessFactors)

Psychometric assessment tools

E-learning / blended learning

Job description

Senior Manager Culture and Organizational Development

Date: October 22, 2026

Location: Toronto, ON

Requisition ID: 21301

Status: Temporary, up to 12m

Business Unit: Human Resources

Grade/Band: Band 4

Shift Work: No

The successful placement within the range will depend on qualifications, relevant work experience, and other applicable considerations.

The IESO is committed to ensuring Ontario’s electricity system meets the province’s needs today and into the future. We are charged with purpose, delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for homes, businesses, and communities across the province. We are energized to grow, embracing opportunities to shape the future of a dynamic and evolving energy sector while advancing our careers. We are powered by teamwork, supported by diverse and passionate colleagues who foster respect, celebrate successes, and thrive on shared achievements. At the IESO, it’s not just what we do—it’s who we are!

Who we are

Our central role includes managing the provincial power grid in real-time, overseeing and evolving Ontario’s electricity market, engaging with government, municipalities and Indigenous communities, and planning for Ontario’s future electricity needs. Our employees play a key role in driving grid innovation, protecting the system from threats, advancing the province’s energy conservation programs, and forecasting and procuring the electricity resources we’ll need in the decades to come.

This is a non-unionized position that falls within the Culture and Talent Enablement Division of the Human Resources Business Unit.

What makes this role exciting

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, offering exciting new opportunities for those who want to make a difference.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of talent, culture, and leadership at IESO. As a trusted advisor to the executive and senior leadership team, you will lead enterprise-wide strategies that strengthen organizational capability, enhance employee experience, and foster a high-performing, inclusive culture. Through close partnership with leaders across the organization, you will drive meaningful change, develop leadership capacity, and help position IESO for long-term success.

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll make a meaningful impact by contributing to the IESO team and supporting the electricity needs of the province through:

Culture and Employee Experience

• Shape and advance a culture strategy that strengthens employee engagement, inclusion, and alignment with organizational values and business objectives.
• Lead enterprise programs that enhance the employee experience, leveraging workforce insights and feedback to improve retention, commitment, and performance.

Learning and Leadership Development

• Create a strategic learning ecosystem that builds critical skills, accelerates employee growth, and supports organizational success.
• Build leadership capability through innovative development programs that prepare leaders for current and future challenges.

Strategic Talent Management

• Lead enterprise talent initiatives, including performance management, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development, to ensure a strong bench of future talent.
• Partner with leaders to align talent strategies, career development, and workforce planning with evolving business priorities and capability needs.
• Provide strategic leadership, coaching, and direction to the Learning and Organizational Development team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
• Establish priorities, allocate resources, and ensure successful delivery of culture, learning, and talent management initiatives.

Operational Excellence

• Provide governance and oversight for culture, learning, and talent programs, ensuring effective delivery, resource management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor program effectiveness through data, metrics, and continuous improvement practices to maximize organizational impact and value.

Typical day

• Partner with senior leaders and key stakeholders to design and implement culture, employee experience, leadership development, and talent management initiatives that support organizational priorities.
• Analyze employee feedback, workforce data, and talent insights to identify opportunities, inform decisions, and drive continuous improvement across the employee lifecycle.
• Lead enterprise programs such as leadership development, succession planning, performance enablement, and employee engagement, ensuring successful execution and measurable business impact.
• Coach, mentor, and support a team of Learning and Organizational Development Consultants, providing strategic direction and guidance while fostering a collaborative and high‑performing team environment.
• Present recommendations, progress updates, and key workforce insights to executives and governance committees, helping shape the organization's people and culture strategy.

Role Requirements

• Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field required; a master’s degree is preferred. Professional designations such as CHRL, Prosci, ICF, or equivalent are considered assets.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in employee engagement, learning, talent, and organizational development, including at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing enterprise-wide programs and initiatives.
• Demonstrated success designing and executing integrated talent and organizational development strategies that drive culture transformation, leadership development, employee experience, and business performance.
• Proven ability to lead complex organizational change initiatives, leveraging stakeholder engagement, change management, data‑driven decision‑making, and executive‑level communication, including presentations to executives and senior leadership teams.
• Deep expertise in leadership development, team effectiveness, career and succession planning, high‑potential talent programs, adult learning principles, instructional design, facilitation, coaching, and psychometric assessment tools.
• Strong proficiency with Learning Management Systems, HRIS platforms (e.g., SuccessFactors), eLearning and blended learning approaches, coupled with exceptional relationship‑building, influencing, and communication skills. Experience in complex, regulated, unionized, public sector, energy, or infrastructure environments is an asset.

How We Support You

From a comprehensive total rewards program to dynamic learning and development opportunities—including job rotations to broaden your expertise—we empower you to define and shape your own success. When you join the IESO, here’s what you can expect:

• Best-in-class benefits and long‑term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan.
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development.
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees.

Deadline

November 5, 2026.

We believe in opportunities for everyone.

At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing, and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment—one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know. We’re proud to say we’ve been recognized as a supportive, inclusive employer.

The IESO currently has a 3‑day in‑office work week for applicable roles. Over the course of 2026, the IESO will advance plans to acquire additional office space to accommodate more in‑office time. While the timeline for moving to a full 5‑day in‑office model has not yet been established, we are committed to keeping employees and candidates informed as plans progress and give them as much advance notice as possible to prepare for any changes.