Job Description

Position Title: Director, Human Resources
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Work Model: Hybrid - 2-3 days per week onsite
Additional Notes:
Our client, a global, employee-owned consultancy specializes in maritime design, engineering, and technical services, is seeking Regional Director of Human Resources for their North American operations. The Regional HR Director - North America is a key member of both the Regional and Global Business Services (GBS) People Senior Leadership Teams, playing a critical role in shaping and delivering the People strategy across the region. This position is responsible for driving employee engagement, leading the North America HR team, and ensuring the effective implementation of People priorities in alignment with both global strategy and regional business objectives. Acting as a strategic partner to the Regional Leadership Team (RLT), the People Director balances Director-level oversight with hands-on involvement in business-as-usual operations and project delivery, supporting approximately 250 employees across the U.S. and Canada.
Key Responsibilities:
HR Strategy, Leadership, and Coordination

• Collaborate with the People Senior Leadership Team to define and execute the global and regional People strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities.
• Serve as a member of the Regional Leadership Team, representing the People function and contributing to strategic decision-making.
• Define and implement annual regional People priorities and projects, supporting business performance and organizational change.
• Coach and mentor the regional People team to deliver professional, efficient HR services while fostering strong business partnerships.
• Work closely with other Regional People Directors to maintain global consistency and collaboration.
• Support M&A processes, including due diligence and integration from a people and culture perspective, as needed.

Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

• Oversee the regional Talent Acquisition function to ensure alignment with strategic workforce planning.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality candidates in a timely manner and build forward-looking talent pools.
• Participate in senior-level recruitment, including interviews and onboarding processes.

Compensation and Benefits

• Implement and maintain effective regional benchmarking processes to ensure fair and equitable compensation.
• Manage annual salary review cycles and review employee benefits to ensure alignment with organizational goals, employee wellbeing, and cost effectiveness.
• Support global Compensation & Benefits initiatives as appropriate.

Talent Management and Learning & Development

• Advise managers on talent management and learning initiatives and ensure regional alignment with global Talent Development strategies.
• Manage the regional training budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and analysis of spend.

Employee Engagement and Performance Management

• Develop and execute a regional employee engagement plan based on global strategies, engagement survey results, and DEI objectives.
• Lead initiatives and programs to enhance engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, and performance across the region.

HR Operations, Legal Compliance, and Reporting

• Oversee business-as-usual HR operations across the employee lifecycle, ensuring compliance with local legislation and adherence to global HR policies.
• Ensure regional HR policies are current, clear, and effectively implemented.
• Define and report relevant KPIs to the RLT and wider business in collaboration with the global People Systems and Reporting Manager.

Line Management

• Lead, mentor, and coach the North America HR team to foster collaboration, client-oriented service, and high performance.
• Support professional development and training for all team members, promoting a "think global a?? act local" mindset.
• Encourage adoption of global HR initiatives while adapting them to regional needs.

In addition to these duties, the People Director may be required to perform other responsibilities as needed to achieve the objectives of the role.
The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of experience in an HR capacity, preferably within an international organization with a technical focus, and strong regional experience across Canada and the U.S. They will possess excellent stakeholder management skills, including the ability to constructively challenge senior colleagues to achieve optimal outcomes, and the capability to navigate the ambiguity of leading a regional business function within a global matrix structure, escalating issues appropriately when needed. The candidate will have a proven track record in developing and implementing HR strategy, supporting businesses through change processes, and demonstrating a true business partner mindset with commercial acumen. Up-to-date knowledge of HR legislation (cross provincially and multi-state state), policies, processes, and tools across the region is essential, along with excellent verbal and written communication skills. Experience in coaching and developing teams, leading HR functions, working with HR systems, and contributing to M&A processes is highly desirable.
What would make someone stand out:

• Demonstrated success leading HR functions in complex, international, and technically focused organizations, particularly across both Canada and the U.S.
• Proven ability to influence senior leadership, driving strategic decisions and positive organizational change with a business partner mindset.
• Hands-on experience managing full HR operations while also contributing to high-level strategy, showing both leadership and execution capabilities.
• Track record of leading and developing high-performing HR teams, with strong coaching, mentoring, and talent development skills.
• Experience in mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, integration, and change management from a people and culture perspective.
• Must be Security Clearance Eligible

Interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to Emily at
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Skills Required