Executive Director – People & Operations

Alberta Innovates is seeking an Executive Director, People & Operations who be responsible for developing and executing the corporate human resource management strategies and operations to support the realization of organizational strategic priorities, ensuring services are delivered effectively and efficiently in accordance with established regulatory, legislative, quality and performance standards and within expected budgets.

Reporting to the Associate Vice-President, People and Culture, this role will manage the Human Resources team in the day-to-day operations, and work with the Senior Management Team and mid-level management, as well as with government ministry department contacts, vendors, consultants, industry partners, academic partners and other external stakeholders.

As a full-time permanent role based in our Edmonton Research & Development Park office, the successful candidate can look forward to a competitive pay, generous employment benefits package, and opportunity to work within a great team environment.

We are game changers

Alberta Innovates is a provincially funded corporation with a mandate to deliver 21st-century solutions for the most compelling challenges facing Albertans. We do this by building on our province’s research and technology development strengths in the core sectors of health, environment, energy, food and fibre, and platforms such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and omics. We are working with our partners to diversify Alberta’s economy, improve our environmental performance and enhance the well-being of Albertans through research and innovation.

Our subsidiary, InnoTech Alberta, offers a diversified range of scientific engineering and technological research and testing capabilities, and the facilities to support technology scale-up. Our multidisciplinary team has the depth of experience to work across all sectors, from energy to health to food and fibre. InnoTech Alberta offers you access to research talent, technical expertise, and unique facilities that can help accelerate technology development that serves both the private and public sector.

Here's some more information about the position:

Job Details

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Oversees the development and implementation of short- and long-term corporate HR plans and strategies, establishing priorities, developing goals, performance indicators and implementation tactics, ensuring alignment with corporate strategic priorities, evaluating emerging issues and impacts to business operations and adjusting HR management activities and programs accordingly.

2. Oversees the management of staff activities, ensuring team and individual goals and objectives are established, monitoring productivity, work quality, deliverability of results and adherence to policies and standards, determining organizational structure/skill requirements, and managing recruitment, performance career/ skill development, training and succession planning activities.

3. Provides guidance and counsel to leadership/senior managers on HR management activities and issues, interpreting policies and regulatory /legislative requirements, ensuring processes/requirements are understood, resolving contentious issues, providing insights and recommendations, facilitating desired outcomes and identifying opportunities for improving processes and influencing decision-making.

4. Manages division operational, capital and staff budgets and reporting activities, identifying budget requirements, preparing forecasts, explaining variances, authorizing expenditures within budget and approved limits, and ensuring the timely submission of required internal and external reports and financial documents.

5. Develops opportunities to enhance human resource management practices and program delivery, identifying gaps and inefficiencies, conducting best practice research and analyses, preparing business cases, initiating projects and initiatives and influencing desired outcomes.

6. Ensures HR management and administrative processes, policies and protocols are established and monitored for adherence and effectiveness, identifying issues and potential areas of vulnerability and risk, and recommending approaches to resolve issues and improve processes, programs and practices.

7. Develops collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders, peers and colleagues to understand business activities and issues, gather feedback on effectiveness of HR services delivered, collaborate on projects and initiatives, and identify opportunities to leverage resources, remove roadblocks and influence outcomes.

8. Develops and maintains relationships with external stakeholders, industry colleagues, government representatives, consultants and outside service providers to remain current on industry best practices, emerging trends and shifts in regulatory/legislative requirements, facilitate contract negotiations, and ensure issues are resolved and quality and performance expectations are effectively managed.

Qualifications and skills we are looking for:

• Undergraduate Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration or related field.
• Minimum 15 years human resources management experience
• 5 to 10 years progressive management experience at a senior level
• CPHR Designation
• Preferably with labour relations and collective bargaining experience
• Strong understanding of Human Resource Management concepts and processes.
• Ability to manage key/strategic stakeholder relationships, generate respect and trust from a diverse group of stakeholders and to mediate win-win solutions.
• Strategic planning and priority management skills.
• Leadership and influencing skills.
• Exceptional verbal, written, listening and interpersonal skills to convey concepts and information.
• Facilitation and presentation skills.
• Business management oversight and acumen and business case development skills.
• People management, coaching, and career development skills.

Why Alberta Innovates?

We offer our employees opportunities to work on projects that will expand their skill sets while witnessing the visible impacts of their efforts. We value the development of our employees and create opportunities for working in capacities that allow new skills to be learned. We know that the wellness of our team is the most important part of our business, so we offer a strong benefits package and generous vacation and paid time off programs to promote work-life balance. 

At Alberta Innovates, we respect diversity and embrace an inclusive culture. We value uniqueness and different perspectives as they play a critical role in our success. To achieve this, individuals are selected based on qualifications, merit, and abilities and we encourage applications from all backgrounds to apply.  

The final candidate will be required to provide credible references and undergo a security clearance. Because we intend to fill this role as soon as possible, this competition closes as soon a suitable candidate is found.  Qualified and interested candidates are therefore encouraged to apply immediately.

ALBERTA INNOVATES IS COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUITY IN EMPLOYMENT AND ENCOURAGES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. WE WISH TO THANK ALL APPLICANTS FOR THEIR INTEREST. HOWEVER, ONLY THOSE INVITED FOR AN INTERVIEW WILL BE CONTACTED.