Senior Director, Early Talent & Innovation Programs

RBC•Toronto, ON

1d•Onsite

About The Position

As Senior Director, Early Talent & Experience for Technology & Operations, you will lead the strategic design and execution of integrated Talent and Experience programs that establish RBC T&O as a competitive leader in attracting, developing, and retaining world-class technology talent. This role combines strategic talent planning with operational program delivery excellence, requiring you to translate T&O’s talent imperatives into measurable business outcomes and organizational capability. You will lead and develop a substantial multidisciplinary team providing strategic vision, mentorship, and accountability structures that drive organizational excellence and career advancement. You will execute programs across early talent acquisition, technical capability development, retention, and organizational culture - all strategically aligned to T&O’s roadmap and Talent Strategy while serving as a key strategic advisor to senior leadership on talent priorities and organizational transformation.

Requirements

5+ years proven experience collaborating and advising senior executives while leading and executing strategic projects / programs, including matrix/dotted-line reporting structures
Proven track record in building and leading diverse teams
Experience managing multi-million-dollar portfolios, including funding/budget management
Experience in strategy translation—converting enterprise objectives into actionable programs / initiatives
Strategic acumen in talent management, organizational design, or innovation ecosystems

Nice To Haves

Experience leading innovation centers, labs, or hub-based organizational models through different maturity phases
Deep knowledge of Canadian tech ecosystem and academic partnerships
Background in fintech, technology, or transformation-focused environments
Track record of building employer brand and driving organizational culture change
Experience serving as a culture carrier and embedding organizational values across distributed teams

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted strategic partner and advisor to T&O executives on talent priorities, organizational transformation, and people-related business outcomes, directly influencing strategic decision-making on early talent investments and learning
Shape T&O’s enterprise early talent strategy, translating organizational imperatives into integrated programs that drive competitive advantage and support long-term business objectives
Drive organizational transformation initiatives through early talent strategy, leadership development pathways, and capability-building programs that advance enterprise goals
Partner strategically with HR, Recruitment, and Corporate Communications leadership to establish differentiated employer brand positioning and value proposition that attracts and retains competitive technical talent in high-demand markets; strengthen the brand in the market through university partnerships, industry engagement and early talent community presence.
Foster cross-functional partnerships with enterprise stakeholders to ensure talent strategy coherence across T&O and RBC, amplifying program impact and organizational reach
Shape and execute a comprehensive, enterprise-wide early talent and experience strategy that position Tech@RBC as a premier destination for world-class technology talent, directly supporting organizational capability and competitive advantage
Direct strategic talent and experience program portfolio aligned to T&O’s and AI Group’s technology roadmap and critical capability requirements (AI/ML, cloud, data engineering, cybersecurity).
Design and oversee T&O’s early talent pipeline strategy, including co-op and New Grad programs with measurable business outcomes tied to talent conversion, retention, and organizational capability development
Drive enterprise-level workforce planning and capability forecasting that informs long-term talent strategy and organizational transformation initiatives
Design strategic employee experience programs that differentiate RBC T&O and AI Group as an employer of choice, embedding career acceleration, innovation culture, and continuous growth opportunity into organizational programs
Direct the development and execution of enterprise-scale employee recognition programs that reinforce organizational culture, drive engagement, and strengthen retention of high-performing talent
Build and deploy strategic initiatives that enhance employee experience, strengthen organizational culture, and position RBC T&O and AI Group as a destination employer for technology talent
Establish advanced talent analytics and workforce intelligence capabilities delivering predictive insights on early talent attraction, retention, capability development, and experience, informing strategic decision-making across the enterprise
Implement metrics-driven governance around critical talent KPIs with real-time insights and executive reporting that demonstrates program performance, business impact, and return on investment
Drive continuous optimization of talent programs through advanced analytics, data-driven insights, and strategic experimentation, translating findings into enterprise-wide capability enhancements
Lead and develop a substantial multidisciplinary team establishing clear strategic vision, accountability structures, and performance expectations
Build high-performance organizational culture characterized by strategic orientation, operational excellence, and measurable accountability, fostering an environment that attracts and develops emerging leaders
Provide strategic mentorship and leadership development to team members, identifying and cultivating emerging talent leaders and building organizational bench strength for future enterprise leadership

Benefits

bonuses
flexible benefits
competitive compensation
commissions
stock where applicable
Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities
Ability to make a difference and lasting impact
Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team
A world-class training program in financial services
Flexible work/life balance options
Opportunities to do challenging work