Manager of People & Culture

Town of Canmore•Canmore, AB

78d•CA$143,907 - CA$151,915•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager of People & Culture leads a team in delivering core human resources (HR) functions (disability management, employee and labour relations, employee records, HR information and health & safety management systems, learning and development, leaves and accommodations, onboarding, payroll, performance management, reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, recognition, total rewards), while driving evidence-based people and culture strategies for the Town of Canmore. Reporting to the General Manager (GM) of Corporate Services, the Manager of People & Culture provides strategic leadership for the Town’s workforce functions, ensuring the capability, capacity, and culture required to deliver high quality services. As a trusted advisor to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and senior leaders, the Manager aligns people, culture, and workforce strategies with organizational priorities, values, and legislative requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labour Relations, Organizational Development, or a related discipline
CPHR designation (Chartered Professional in Human Resources) in good standing
A minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience across core HR functions, including employee relations, total rewards, learning and development, workforce planning, HR systems/records, and leaves/accommodations
Demonstrated experience providing strategic, evidence-based advice to senior leaders on workforce risk, organizational culture, and people strategies
Proven ability to lead and develop a high-performing HR team, including establishing priorities, service standards, and accountability measures
Strong working knowledge of applicable employment legislation (Alberta Employment Standards Code, OHS Act, Regulation & Code, WCB Act, Human Rights Act, Labour Relations Code, POPA, ATIA, federal payroll legislation) to deliver compliant HR governance and risk-informed advice
Experience operating in a primarily non-union environment, with demonstrated ability to support and advise unionized groups (collective agreement interpretation/application, grievance processes, and complex employee relations)
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing executive-level briefings, reports, recommendations, and presentations

Nice To Haves

Graduate education (e.g., MBA, MPA, Master’s in HR/Industrial Relations/Organizational Development) or equivalent advanced training
Public sector and/or municipal experience, including preparing materials for senior leadership and Council
Formal training in workplace investigations and conflict resolution (e.g., investigations certificate, mediation training)
Change management certification or demonstrated experience leading organizational change (e.g., HRIS modernization, culture initiatives)
Compensation/classification expertise (job evaluation, market benchmarking, total rewards strategy, governance for reclassifications)
Health & Safety leadership training and experience providing governance for a corporate H&S management system (due diligence, audits/inspections, incident analysis)
Demonstrated capability in people analytics, workforce dashboards, and HR data governance to support evidence-based decision-making

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership to the People & Culture team ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of core HR functions
Fosters operational agility across processes, technologies, and operations to meet changing organizational needs
Ensures HR practices, decisions, and documentation comply with applicable legislation, policies, and collective agreements
Provides expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, grievances, and progressive discipline, ensuring fair, consistent, and defensible processes, with escalation for high-risk, precedent-setting, or organization-wide issues in accordance with corporate governance expectations
Manages the People & Culture budget and oversees vendor and consultant relationships to deliver value and results
Establishes and stewards an integrated People & Culture strategy aligned with organizational priorities, legislative requirements, and long-term needs
Provides corporate-level oversight and strategic advice to the CAO and ELT on workforce risks, and opportunities, supported by evidence-based analysis and scenario planning, aligned with corporate priorities and risk direction
Leads and develops the People & Culture team to deliver high quality, client-focused services, and strategic outcomes
Provides recommendations, reports, and strategic materials to Administration and Council
Maintains effective working relationships with unions, external partners, and regulatory bodies to support organizational outcomes and compliance
Fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement with a strong emphasis on providing high quality services at scale
Champions a values-based culture by partnering with ELT to strengthen behaviours, practices, and systems that reinforce the Town’s desired culture
Using data from employee engagement surveys and other organizational feedback sources, designs and implements initiatives to strengthen employee experience, wellbeing, and psychological safety
Leads organization leadership development and performance management frameworks that build accountability, capability, and continuous improvement
Integrates equity, inclusion, and belonging considerations into workforce planning, people policies, and leadership practices
Leads a multi-year workforce and succession planning approach, including critical role identification, talent pipelines, and capacity planning to ensure continuity of leadership and operations
Oversees inclusive recruitment and selection strategies that strengthen the Town’s ability to attract and retain a skilled and diverse workforce
Oversees learning and development programs that build technical capability, career pathways, and organizational bench strength
Strengthens internal talent mobility and knowledge transfer to support retention and organizational resilience
Supports organizational design initiatives to ensure structure, roles, and capabilities are aligned to current and future service needs
Leads the Town’s total rewards strategy, balancing attraction and retention needs with stewardship of public resources
Ensures pay and benefit programs are internally equitable, externally competitive, and responsive to Canmore’s labour-market and cost-of-living realities
Provides oversight for job evaluation, classification, and reclassification processes to ensure roles are appropriately valued and consistently applied
Leads compensation benchmarking, including external market review and participation in annual municipal surveys, translating findings into recommendations
Leverages, expands, and improves people-based data
Oversees HR systems, reporting, and analytics by establishing organizational direction, standards, and priorities in partnership with Information Technology
Provides leaders with evidence-based insights on workforce trends by monitoring and analyzing key metrics (e.g., turnover, recruitment outcomes, labour market movement, and benefit cost drivers) to inform strategic adjustments
Integrates workforce analytics into strategic planning, budget development, and service delivery decision-making
Provides strategic oversight to ensure health and safety programs are compliant and effective
Ensures effective oversight of the health and safety management system
Promotes employee wellness initiatives that strengthen mental health, resilience, engagement, and sustained performance
Understands and carries out responsibilities outlined for Senior Leaders, Supervisors and Workers in the Health and Safety Corporate Directive
Demonstrates commitment to a healthy and safe workplace for employees, visitors, other workers, and stakeholders
Participates in safety inspections, audits, and incident analyses to ensure compliance with the Town’s Health and Safety Management System