Sr. Manager, Operational Excellence- EN

CN; Montreal; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading railroad company in Montreal is seeking a Senior Manager for Operational Excellence. This role focuses on enhancing HR service delivery efficiency and leading transformation projects. The ideal candidate has over 8 years of HR experience and strong leadership skills. Opportunities for continuous improvement and a supportive work environment make this role appealing. Join a company dedicated to safety and innovation.

Benefits

Paid training

Long-term career opportunities

Close-knit team culture

Recognition for hard work

Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ years in HR process improvement and operational efficiency.
• 3-5 years in HR leadership role.
• Experience leading large-scale transformation projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive development of KPIs for HR and analyze performance data.
• Oversee governance of the HR Operating Model.
• Manage HR project planning and execution.

Skills

Data Insights

Customer Centricity

Critical Thinking

Solution Oriented

Change Management

Continuous Improvement

Agile Mindset

Negotiation

Digital Mindset & HR Technology Proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field

Certified Human Resources Professional (CPHR)

Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field

Project Management Certification

Lean Management Certification

Six Sigma Certifications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Power BI

Visio

Job description

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At CN, everyday brings new and exciting challenges. You can expect an interesting environment where you’re part of making sure our business is running optimally and safely―helping keep the economy on track. We provide the kind of paid training and opportunities that long-term careers are built on and we recognize hard workers who strive to make a difference. You will be able to thrive in our close-knit, safety-focused culture working together as ONE TEAM. The careers we offer are meaningful because the work we do matters. Join us!

Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Operational Excellence leads a team dedicated to enhancing the efficiency, consistency, and impact of HR service delivery. This role is accountable for driving continuous improvement across HR processes, overseeing the successful execution of HR projects, and ensuring strong governance practices across the function. With a focus on operational strategy, the incumbent designs and implements scalable solutions that optimize workflows, reduce complexity, and improve the employee and manager experience. The Senior Manager ensures that HR operations are aligned with organizational priorities and evolving business needs. This role champions a culture of innovation, data-driven decision-making, and accountability across the HR function.

Main Responsibilities

Operational Excellence

• Drive the development of key performance indicators (KPIs) for HR, processes to track SLAs, and reports for tracking overall performance of HR
• Oversee data collection and insights analysis from performance of HR services and guide continuous improvement initiatives
• Stay up to date on market trends and industry best practices and recommend improvements to current HR business processes
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of HR processes to enhance efficiency, scalability, and compliance. Monitor and identify ways to streamline and standardize HR workflows and processes and drive the implementation
• Lead development of continuous improvement framework and drive adoption of continuous improvement methodologies (such as Lean, Six Sigma) within HR
• Implement feedback loops and quality assessments with HR teams to improve the service and overall user experience
• Create and manage a governance framework to ensure operational risks are identified and mitigated through strong controls

HR Strategic Enablement

Act as the strategic enablement partner to the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and the HR Leadership Team, leading key HR strategic forums and driving development of material shared with senior leaders

Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to HR strategic enablement and governance, and provide regular reports to the HR Leadership Team

Define and manage the HR governance strategy and framework, and drive monitoring and evaluation of the strategic impact and effectiveness of governance programs

Manage HR priorities and budget, working closely with the HR Leadership Team to ensure alignment

Oversee governance of the HR Operating Model through the development and enforcement of guiding principles that ensure consistency and clarity across HR

Lead HR vendor management activities such as resolving service issues, and negotiating and renewing vendor agreements in collaboration with HR CoEs and P&SM

HR Project Management

Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of HR projects, ensuring alignment with HR priorities

Collaborate with HR leadership to effectively realign resources for large and complex HR projects in accordance with evolving HR priorities

Develop and maintain the project governance framework and reporting tools, and train HR teams on their effective use to ensure consistent project execution

Work closely with the Change Management CoE to ensure integration of change management strategies to support successful project execution

Track and report on project outcomes, benefits realization, and lessons learned to inform future initiatives

Team Management

Partner with Talent Acquisition to bring new talent to the organization by determining which skills and roles will be required in the future and by making thoughtful hiring decisions

Provide a positive and welcoming onboarding experience to all new employees by ensuring they have access to the tools and resources needed to fulfill the requirements of their job

Recognize employee milestones (service awards, retirements, etc.) as well as significant contributions and enhanced responsibilities

Focus on communications and foster collaboration by regularly providing updates to teams about ongoing initiatives and encouraging teams to work together to accomplish common goals and learning

Manage employee performance by ensuring employees who are not meeting expectations are identified and supported through the performance improvement process

Create and enable a positive and engaging work environment by ensuring individual strengths are uncovered and leveraged through frequent and focused conversations - collaborate, coach, and build connections with employees

Participate in succession planning by contributing to the yearly talent review cycle and identifying employees with the potential to move up the management and expertise paths

Support employee development by having regular career conversations with all employees (documented and tracked) and supporting them in reaching their career goals

Ensure knowledge is preserved through cross-training for key skill sets in the team (knowledge transfer)

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure and manage stress. The role requires minimal travel (~10%) to various CN properties.

Requirements

Experience

Operational Excellence

Minimum of 8 + years of progressive experience in HR process improvement, organizational design and operational efficiency across complex, cross-functional environments

3-5 years of experience in a HR leadership role

Experience leading large-scale transformation or process optimization projects

Education / Certification / Designation

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field

Certified Human Resources Professional (CPHR)

Master’s Degree in Human Resources , Business Administration, or a related field

Project Management Certification

Lean Management Certification

Six Sigma Certifications

Any designation for these above would be considered as an asset

Competencies

Data Insights

Customer Centricity

Critical Thinking

Solution Oriented

Change Management

Continuous Improvement

Agile Mindset

Negotiation

Knowledge of the Network

Digital Mindset & HR Technology Proficiency

Process Driven

Results Oriented

Project Management

Effective Communication

Business Acumen

Strategic Planning

Financial Acumen

Coaching & Influencing

Operational Risk Management

Any knowledge for any of the above would be considered as an asset

Technical Skills / Knowledge

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office and Visio skills

Advanced Knowledge in interpreting operational data, define KPIs, and use tools such as Excel, Power BI, to drive insights and improvements

Knowledge of project management best practices and principles

Advanced knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to identify inefficiencies and optimize end-to-end business processes

Fluently bilingual both written and verbal (English, French)

Any knowledge for any of the above would be considered as an asset

About CN

CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for our customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN's network connects Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 20,000-mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

At CN, we are dedicated to building North America's safest , most inclusive and sustainable railroad, which includes reflecting the communities in which we operate. Research shows that candidates often don't apply unless they feel they fit the job posting at 100%. To all potential applicants, even if you don't meet every job requirement listed in a posting, we still encourage you to apply. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please get in touch with our team at [e-mail] .

As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Please monitor your email on a regular basis as communication to applicants is done via email.

Seniority level

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Management and Manufacturing

Industries

Rail Transportation

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