Senior Manager, People & Culture

Save the Children Canada; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 98,594 - 116,449; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

4 weeks of vacation

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

A leading children's organization is seeking a Senior Manager, People & Culture in Toronto, Canada. This role involves managing HR operations, leading a dedicated team, and ensuring compliance with employment legislation while fostering a positive employee experience. The ideal candidate will have extensive HR management experience, particularly in unionized environments, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package offered, including flexible work options.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressive HR management experience, preferably in a union setting.
• Experience in international development or NGO sectors is preferred.
• Strong technical skills to create reports and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Supervise day-to-day operations of the People & Culture team.
• Implement business partner HR operating model focusing on diversity.
• Manage compensation, rewards, and benefits programmes.

Skills

HR Management

Labour relations

Change management

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Education

Post-secondary education in a relevant field

CHRL certification

Tools

MS Office Suite

HRIS

Job description

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Save the Children Canada provided pay range

This range is provided by Save the Children Canada. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

CA$98,594.73/yr - CA$116,449.57/yr

Save the Children believes every child has the right to a future. In Canada and around the world, we do whatever it takes – every day and in times of crisis – to support children to fulfil their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. With over 100 years of experience, Save the Children is the world’s first and leading independent children’s organization – transforming lives and the future we share.

The Impact You Will Make

Reporting to the Deputy Chief People Officer North America (DCPONA), the Senior Manager, People & Culture (SMPC), manages all people operations in the People & Culture team. The role implements all Save The Children Canada’s (SCC) people operations, initiatives, and projects contributing to the strategic planning and transformation of the organization. In this role, the SMPC partners with people leaders and employees to provide a wide range of value‑added, data‑informed, inclusive, and streamlined people services to the organization. The SMPC serves as a lead business partner and trusted advisor supporting people managers and employees in alignment with employment legislation, the collective agreement, policies, and Save the Children Canada’s strategic goals as they relate to the hiring, engagement, development, and retention of staff. The SMPC interacts and partners with HR counterparts in the USA and the UK. This role directly supervises assigned members of the People & Culture (P&C) team.

Responsibilities Include (but Are Not Limited To)

• Team Supervision: Supervise the successful day‑to‑day operations of People & Culture team. Provide a full range of hands‑on operational support to people managers and employees as a lead business partner also managing P&C team member tasks. Demonstrate expertise in Human Resources (HR) best practices, labour relations (CUPE), policy and programs, compensation, recruitment, global mobility and employee relations in compliance with employment legislation and the collective agreement.
• HR Business Partnership: Implement and maintain a client‑focused business partner HR operating model with diversity and data embedded to support all decisions and regular reporting. Ensure all staff have a positive and inclusive employee experience through P&C program and service. Deliver all P&C team projects and tasks accurately and on‑time.
• Compensation & Benefits: Manage total compensation, rewards and recognition programmes prioritizing equity and compliance with internal compensation guidelines. Recommend, update, and implement pay structure revisions and pay increases. Maintain a pay plan by conducting periodic pay surveys; schedule and conduct job evaluations with the HR Business Partner. Provide payroll advice and guidance to junior staff. Evaluate, propose and implement benefit programmes with external interest holders.
• Labour Relations: Engage with CUPE Union local in consultation with the DCPONA; actively participating in collective bargaining and operationalising Collective Agreement across the organisation. Maintain positive relationship with the union. HR representative and Co‑chair for the Labour Management Committee. Supports managers and employees in conflict resolution, settling grievances and issues. Conduct workplace investigations. Represent SCC in arbitrations, mediations, human rights in partnership with the DCPONA.
• Global Mobility: Manage and oversee end‑to‑end global mobility processes, including international assignments, secondments, and global recruitment efforts to/from other Save the Children member offices. Collaborate with global P&C partners and serve as the primary point of contact for secondments and resolving issues in compliance with legislation and policies.
• Communication & Reporting: Schedule and plan regular P&C team meetings in consultation with the DCPONA, People Manager training initiatives, business partnership meetings, and employee engagement events. Authors and edits P&C communications in consultation with the DCPONA, tools and resources. Proactively provide the DCPONA and people managers with data informed systems, reports and analysis.
• Talent Management: Lead and update all aspects of the performance management programme. Develop learning & development activities, manages recruitment, employee engagement approaches, training plans, career development, and succession planning.
• Change Management: Lead and support change management initiatives with other managers and the leadership team to help drive organisational and team objectives. Ensure integration and alignment with organisational culture.

People Management

• Lead assigned team/department providing strategic direction, coaching, and performance management while ensuring alignment with organisational values and policies.
• Set clear team and individual performance expectations for productivity, quality, and success; providing direction and support as needed.
• Oversee budget management, recruitment, change management, and career development while ensuring compliance, fostering a respectful, values‑driven culture, and maintaining a safe and inclusive workplace.
• Ensure regular and transparent communication on strategy and policies, uphold SCC’s Code of Conduct, Policies, Leadership Charter, Reconciliation, Equity, Anti‑Racism, Diversity, Inclusion (READI), Health and Safety standards, integrates Child Safeguarding practices, models competencies, and professional and ethical behaviour.

Qualifications

• Post‑secondary education in a relevant field or equivalent experience. CHRL is preferred.
• Minimum 5‑7 years’ progressive HR Management experience including experience as a manager or supervisor in order to guide and advise leaders based on lived experience. Experience in International Development, Non‑Governmental Organization (NGO/INGO), or other not‑for‑profit sectors is preferred.
• Prior HR Management experience in a union setting, with experience in leading collective bargaining and managing labour relations is required. Deep knowledge of relevant legislation including Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, AODA, Human Rights Act etc. Awareness of employment standards in other provinces.
• Experience in change management and conflict resolution is required. Previous experience managing Compensation, Benefits, Pension, and Performance Management.
• Strong technical skills in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, AI and HRIS to manipulate data and create compelling reports and presentations for various audiences.
• Service orientation to successfully partner across the organisation and position P&C as a lead operational business partner. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, to work effectively with a broad range of interest holders ranging from global P&C leaders, Leadership Team, managers, employees, union, and vendors.
• Adaptable and proactive listener, collaborator and facilitator balanced with strong initiative, influencing and negotiation skills. Exceptional critical thinking and sound judgement, with the ability to deal with difficult situations.
• Advanced communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills for diverse audiences to build strong working relationships across cultural and organisational settings, both internally and externally. French/Spanish/Arabic language skills is an asset.
• Demonstrated project management experience for task execution of assigned objectives supported by proficiency with MS Office tools and relevant technologies. Ability to work under pressure within tight timelines to achieve SCC objectives.
• Displays analytical and problem‑solving skills to support initiatives with demonstrated adaptability to support change management for successful task implementation.
• Applies judgment and makes sound decisions that are accountable, justifiable, and in adherence to policies and procedures.
• Considers organisational strategy and thinks creatively to support innovative initiatives and collaborations that deliver benefits for the children and families we serve.
• Ability to occasionally travel locally, nationally and internationally (less than 10%) as required.

What We Offer

The salary range for this role is between $98,594.73 – 116,449.57CAD depending on skills and experience. In addition to this, our employees will have the following package of additional benefits:

• Comprehensive benefits package for you and your dependents available three months after employment begins.
• Coordinated benefits for your partner paid by Save the Children Canada.
• Hybrid workplace including opportunities to work remotely and flexible work hours to support employee wellbeing and work life balance.
• 4 weeks of vacation.
• In addition to vacation, we offer a December 25 to January 1 office closure (SAVE Days) so employees can recharge with paid time off simultaneously.
• 5 paid personal days.
• 3 paid float days.
• 10 paid sick leave days.
• Parental leave top‑up.
• Employer contributions to group pension plan. Access to help save for a first home through the pension provider.
• Learning and development opportunities and specialised training including professional development time.
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program services available to you and your dependents from your first day of employment.
• Organisation‑wide membership with Headspace.

How to Apply?

If you are interested in this position, please visit https://www.savethechildren.ca/ and submit your resume and cover letter by 5:00 PM EST January 19, 2026. Internal candidates, please apply via ADP by 5:00 PM EST January 12, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. If you meet most, but not all of the qualifications, you are still encouraged to apply. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

It is our individual and collective responsibility to ensure all children are protected from deliberate or unintentional acts that lead to the risk of, or actual, harm caused by our employees. Each employee shall be aware that there may be additional vulnerabilities facing children associated with their age, socio‑economic background, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, identity, sexual orientation or identity, and is committed to ensuring this does not form barriers to effective safeguarding. Each employee is committed to fostering and sustaining a safe environment through proactive, accessible, and effective approaches that seek to prevent and respond to any harm to the children including but not limited to sexual exploitation and abuse. SCC and all its employees will take all reasonable steps to make itself safe, both as an organisation and in the conduct of all aspects of its day‑to‑day operations of emergency, humanitarian, developmental, policy, campaigning and administrative work.

SCC support and acts in compliance with the Human Rights Code. SCC is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Providing an accessible and barrier‑free environment is a shared effort, and as an organisation, SCC is committed to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality. If you require an accommodation during any stage of the recruitment or employment process, please notify People & Culture at [e-mail].

Please Note: This job opportunity is to fill an existing vacancy.

This recruitment process may involve the use of AI‑enabled or automated tools within ADP Workforce Now to help manage job postings and application workflows. These tools may assist with tasks such as organising applicant information, identifying potential matches based on job‑related qualifications, or supporting communication and scheduling. All hiring decisions are made by our People & Culture team and hiring managers. No automated tool makes final decisions about your candidacy. If at any point you have questions about how your information is used, please contact our team at [e-mail].