Job Description

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 Director, Business Partner HR (Corporate portfolios) serves as a strategic advisor and trusted partner to senior executives, aligning corporate HR strategies with business objectives. This role is pivotal in translating enterprise-wide people initiatives into tailored, high-impact solutions that drive organizational performance. The Director provides expert guidance on workforce planning, talent management, organizational effectiveness, and change leadership, ensuring that HR practices are integrated seamlessly into the business. By fostering strong relationships with corporate leaders, this role champions a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the organization.
Main Responsibilities
Strategic HR Partnership & Executive Advisory:

• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders across corporate functions, driving the creation of the people strategies and ensuring alignment with business goals

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with business leaders and HR CoEs

• Advise and coach leaders on what good looks like through talent programs, including talent assessments, succession planning and leadership development, leveraging tools and frameworks from HR CoEs

• Co-own the engagement strategy, action plan and execution of the activities ensuring engagement participation and improvements are demonstrated consistently across the various teams

• Analyze workforce trends (internal & external) using data provided by the CoEs such as attrition, retention and corporate targets to identify gaps and offer actionable insights to business leaders that feed their people strategy and align HR initiatives with organizational targets

• Participate in various business forums to provide updates on HR programs, share insights on workforce trends, and offer strategic HR guidance aligned to the people strategies

• Support resolution of escalations from the Sr. Strategic HR Partners, ensuring timely and effective resolution of sensitive cases

• Set the strategic direction and objectives of the Sr. Strategic HR Partners for corporate portfolios, aligning them with broader HR strategy and vision

Change Leadership & Organizational Design:

• Provide advisory services on Change Management to business leaders, leveraging tools and framework from the HR CoEs to support in implementing and executing the people strategy

• Champion the development of change leadership capabilities with the Sr. Strategic HR Partners, ensuring consistent application of change frameworks

• Own changes to organizational designs by reviewing and approving new positions and changes to structures. Drive business leaders to align with best practices related to organizational design and job architecture, leveraging tools and frameworks from the CoEs

• Lead structured conversations with business leaders to assess organizational effectiveness, identify gaps, and propose solutions that support agility, scalability, and talent optimization

• Track the effectiveness of organizational design and change initiatives through defined metrics and feedback loops, adjusting strategies as needed to ensure alignment

Strategic Alignment & Governance:

• Guide the Sr. Strategic HR Partners in the development of Strategic Roadmaps tailored to their respective portfolios, ensuring each roadmap captures business needs

• Collaborate with HR CoEs to ensure initiatives in the Strategic Roadmaps are supported, resourced, and integrated into broader HR programs

• Oversee governance of the monthly Community forums with Sr. Strategic HR Partners and HR CoEs for the corporate portfolios, providing guidance and alignment across priorities

• Lead quarterly review sessions with the Sr. Strategic HR Partners and the HR Leadership Team to assess progress against Strategic Roadmaps, identify risks or gaps, and define the next set of strategic actions

• Provide regular updates to business leaders on roadmap progress, key achievements, and upcoming priorities

• Establish and maintain a governance framework to track, prioritize, and monitor HR initiatives from Strategic Roadmaps across all business units, ensuring alignment with HR priorities and optimal resource allocation

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. The role requires minimal travel (~15%) across Canada and the United States (US). Due to nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to work in a high-pressure environment, meet deadlines to ensure executive level deliverable, handle pressure, and manage stress.
Requirements
Experience
Human Resources, specifically in Business HR Partnership

• 10 - 15 years of overall relevant experience

• Ability to lead, supervise, coach and mentor employees

• Broad expertise with deep experience in all matters concerning HR

• Work experience within large, complex organizations in a senior leadership role

• Known to provide innovative solutions to complex people issues and follow-through by facilitating or leading solution implementation

• Regarded as an exceptional communicator, clear and concise, influencer and negotiator; able to build and maintain strong partnerships with stakeholders including executive leaders

Education/Certification/Designation

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resource, Business Administration or related fields

• Master's Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, or equivalent*

• Member of a Professional Order such as Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) *

*Any designation for these above would be considered as an asset
Competencies

• Data Insights

• Results Oriented

• Customer Centricity

• Critical Thinking

• Solution Oriented

• Change Management

• Business Acumen

• Knowledge of the Network

• Financial Acumen

• Strategic Advisory

• Coaching & Influencing

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Strong understanding of HR processes

• Excellent knowledge of employment legislation and regulations in both countries

• Bilingualism*

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office

*Any designation for these 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 , most and 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 .
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.
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