Vice President, Human Resources

Taleo; Surrey; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Kwantlen Polytechnic University is seeking an experienced Vice President, Human Resources to guide the university through a major renewal of its workforce and culture. You will report to the President and work as a trusted executive shaping strategy, leadership development, and a safe, inclusive workplace.

You will oversee HR functions, labour relations, recruitment, compensation and development, while partnering with legal and campus stakeholders to manage risks and advance student success.

Qualifications

• Must hold a graduate degree and have at least 10 years of senior HR leadership experience, ideally in public sector or post-secondary.
• Proven ability to lead change, modernize practices, and guide teams through transition.
• Able to advise Presidents, Boards, and senior leaders on sensitive HR matters.
• Demonstrates integrity, transparency, and fairness with strong collaboration across unions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted advisor to President, Board and senior leadership shaping people strategies.
• Provide executive leadership across HR functions including labour relations, recruitment and compensation.
• Lead transformation to modernize HR practices while sustaining student and community priorities.
• Foster equity, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation in HR strategy and culture.
• Build strong relationships with faculty, staff and unions in a complex, unionized environment.
• Oversee HR leadership teams and collaborate with legal and campus partners.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

People development

Emotional intelligence

Communication

Education

Graduate degree in a relevant discipline

Job description

The Opportunity

This is a pivotal moment to join Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s executive leadership team. We are seeking an experienced and visionary Vice President, Human Resources (VP HR) to guide KPU through a period of significant change and renewal. Reporting directly to the President and Vice Chancellor, the VP Human Resources is a trusted advisor and key member of the executive team — shaping the future of KPU’s workforce, advancing organizational strategy, and fostering a strong, inclusive workplace culture.
The VP Human Resources provides executive leadership across various positions – Director, HR Systems & Talent Development; the Director, Labour Relations; and the Director, Workforce Advisory & Compensation, as well as the Manager, Campus Security Operations and the Manager, Emergency Planning. This role is both strategic and hands-on, offering the opportunity to influence KPU’s people strategy and support student success, community engagement, and institutional priorities.

As VP Human Resources, you will:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the President, Board, and senior leadership, guiding people strategies that align with KPU’s mission and long-term priorities.
• Champion the employee experience, shaping programs and practices that strengthen engagement, learning, well-being, and a sense of belonging across KPU.
• Lead transformation by modernizing HR practices, introducing innovative approaches, and helping the university evolve through times of change.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership across all HR functions — including labour relations, recruitment, retention, compensation, organizational development, and employee experience.
• Working collaboratively with the Office of General Counsel and other institutional partners to identify and manage legal and organizational risk.
• Provide strategic leadership in complex employment, Human Rights, workplace investigations, regulatory, and labour relations matters, including collective bargaining, grievances, conflict resolution, and building strong, collaborative union relationships.
• Provide oversight and direction for Risk and Campus Safety & Security, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff.
• Foster equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation in all aspects of HR strategy and institutional culture.
• Build strong relationships with faculty, staff, and unions, fostering collaboration, trust, and effective resolution of complex issues in a unionized environment.
• Oversee, support and mentor a diverse HR leadership team, in order to achieve departmental and institutional goals.
• Strengthen connections with the communities KPU serves and collaborate with peer post-secondary institutions across BC and Canada to share expertise and advance best practices.
• Influence institution-wide priorities as part of KPU’s executive leadership team, contributing to a student-focused, community-driven, and inclusive university.

What You Bring

You are a seasoned HR executive who thrives in complex environments and sees opportunity in times of change. You bring both strategic foresight and operational expertise, with a track record of leading transformation, building strong teams, and fostering inclusive workplaces in a complex unionized environment. You are trusted for your integrity, sound judgment, and ability to inspire confidence at every level of an organization.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Holds a graduate degree in a relevant discipline and has at least 10 years of senior HR leadership experience, ideally in the public sector or post-secondary.
• Has a proven ability to lead change, modernize practices, and guide teams through transition.
• Is confident advising Presidents, Boards, and senior leaders on sensitive HR and organizational matters.
• Builds credibility through integrity, consistency, transparency, and fairness.
• Demonstrates strong emotional intelligence: listens, engages, and fosters a respectful, inclusive work environment.
• Is deeply committed to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation, and to creating a workplace where all employees feel valued and supported.
• Brings extensive labour relations experience, including collective bargaining, grievances, and arbitration.
• Has experience developing and empowering high-performing teams, balancing accountability with collaboration and service excellence.
• Brings resilience, adaptability, and the ability to make sound decisions in a complex, unionized environment.

The Location

KPU is a multi-campus institution. The Human Resources offices are located at the Langley campus; however, this position will be based primarily at the Surrey Main campus.

For inquiries or recommendations related to this position, please contact:
Evita Gandhi
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Email: [e-mail]

Salary Information

The above compensation range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position.Typically, initial salary placement is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum.This represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position.In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and approximately halfway of the salary range for a job with consideration given to internal equity.