Vice President, Human Resources

The Institute for Performance and Learning; Coquitlam; Hybrid; CAD 210,000 - 330,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Relocation assistance

Comprehensive benefits

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Photonic is growing rapidly and seeks a VP, Human Resources to build and lead the HR infrastructure required for scale and an upcoming exit event. You will own recruitment, compensation & benefits, HR operations, compliance, and HR business partnership—ensuring audit-ready delivery across Canada, US and UK.

You will lead a cross-geographic team, scale processes, and partner with Finance on planning, while shaping an employer brand that attracts top science and engineering talent.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years leading an HR team in scaling tech or deep tech.
• Experience building HR operations through pre-exit or pre-IPO phases.
• Expertise across recruitment, compensation, benefits, payroll, compliance, and HR business partnership.
• Experience across Canada required; US/UK experience is a strong asset.
• Hands-on with modern HR systems and data-driven HR process improvements.
• Ability to operate with pace, ambiguity, and strategic influence while remaining hands-on.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the HR team across recruitment, HR operations, compensation & benefits, and HR business partnership.
• Scale recruitment, employer branding, candidate experience, and analytics to support rapid growth.
• Design and benchmark compensation & benefits programs across geographies including equity planning.
• Oversee HR operations (HRIS, payroll, onboarding/offboarding) and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Provide day-to-day HR partnership to leaders on performance, employee relations, and workforce planning.
• Drive process improvements and automation to increase efficiency and reduce risk during scaling.

Skills

Leadership

Talent Acquisition

HRIS

Compliance

Compensation & Benefits

Employee Relations

Performance Management

Change Management

Tools

HiBob

ATS platforms

Payroll systems

Job description

Photonic is entering a critical phase of growth — scaling globally, maturing operationally, and preparing the business for the future. The VP, Human Resources will build and lead the HR infrastructure required to support that trajectory. This role owns the full delivery of HR services — recruitment, compensation & benefits, HR operations, compliance, and HR business partnership — and ensures they are operating at the standard expected of a company approaching institutional-grade scrutiny. You are not setting enterprise strategy — you are building the operational foundation that makes Photonic credible, scalable, and ready. When investors, acquirers, or public markets look under the hood, your work is what they’ll find.

HR Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the HR team across recruitment, HR operations, compensation & benefits, and HR business partnership.
• Build a high-performing, service-oriented team capable of supporting Photonic through rapid scaling and the operational rigour required ahead of an exit event.
• Set operational priorities, manage team capacity, and ensure consistent, audit-ready delivery as the company grows.

Recruitment & Talent Acquisition

• Own Photonic’s end-to-end recruitment function, including sourcing strategies for highly specialized scientific and engineering talent (PhDs, quantum, photonics).
• Scale the recruitment function to meet aggressive hiring plans aligned to Photonic’s growth roadmap and pre-exit milestones.
• Partner with hiring managers to define roles, success criteria, and interview plans that result in exceptional hires.
• Oversee employer branding, candidate experience, and recruitment analytics to keep Photonic competitive in the global talent market.

Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards

• Manage the design, benchmarking, and administration of compensation and benefits programs across all geographies (Canada, US, UK).
• Ensure compensation structures are market-competitive, defensible, and built to withstand due diligence scrutiny — including equity plan documentation, pay equity analysis, and total rewards benchmarking.
• Administer equity programs and partner with Finance on compensation planning, budgeting, and reporting.
• HR Operations & Compliance
• Oversee core HR operations: HRIS (HiBob), payroll, benefits administration, onboarding/offboarding, and employee lifecycle management.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations across all jurisdictions, with a particular focus on building the documentation, audit trails, and policy frameworks expected of a company approaching an exit.
• Drive process improvement and automation to increase efficiency and reduce risk as Photonic scales.

HR Business Partnership

• Provide day-to-day HR partnership to leaders across the organization on performance management, employee relations, and workforce planning.
• Coach managers on people leadership, difficult conversations, and navigating team dynamics during periods of organizational change and growth.
• Execute performance review cycles, goal-setting frameworks, and employee development programs.
• Employee Experience & Engagement
• Own employee engagement surveys, action planning, and recognition programs.
• Ensure onboarding programs set new hires up for success and reinforce Photonic’s values — particularly important as headcount accelerates ahead of key business milestones.
• Monitor employee experience metrics and proactively address retention risks during a period of rapid growth and transition.

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years leading an HR team in a scaling technology or deep tech environment.
• Experience building HR operations through a company’s pre-exit or pre-IPO phase — you know what “ready” looks like and how to get there.
• Demonstrated expertise across the full HR operations spectrum: recruitment, compensation & benefits, HRIS, compliance, and business partnership.
• Experience managing HR operations across multiple geographies (Canada required; US and/or UK strongly preferred).
• Proven ability to build and scale HR processes and teams through periods of rapid growth (100→500+ employees).
• Strong knowledge of Canadian employment law; familiarity with US and UK employment regulations is a significant asset.
• Hands‑on experience with modern HR systems (HiBob, ATS platforms, payroll systems).
• Comfortable with the pace, ambiguity, and shifting priorities that come with a company at this stage of growth.
• A bias to action, operational discipline, and a genuine love of building.

• Work closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies to drive breakthroughs that redefine computing
• Join at a pivotal moment — help shape and lead an organization through one of the most exciting phases a company can experience
• Inclusive company culture that values collaboration
• Regular social events and fun activities keep our global team connected
• Competitive compensation package including base salary, stock options, and relocation assistance for global talent
• Comprehensive benefits including extended health, dental, life, long term disability, an employee assistance program, parental leave top-ups, and a flexible spending account

The description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we’ve described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! All roles listed are for current vacancies. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in reviewing applicant profiles, they do not determine candidate outcomes. Our hiring decisions are made by people, not algorithms. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know.