Human Resources Business Partner – Labour Relations

General Description

Reporting to the Executive Director, the person in this role acts as a key HR partner with strong expertise in labour relations. They contribute to the overall management of human resources issues within a context of organizational change, while providing strategic and operational guidance to leadership and managers.

They support the continuation of negotiations for the organization’s first collective agreement, promote the alignment of management practices, contribute to the ongoing development of the HR function, and help foster an internal culture based on collaboration, clarity, consistency, and knowledge sharing.

The position serves as a strategic partner to the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, and leadership team. In collaboration with department leads and various internal and external partners, the successful candidate will provide recommendations aligned with the organization’s priorities and support decision-making.

Context and Key Challenges

The person in this role will play a critical role at a defining moment for the organization. They must quickly establish credibility within a unionized environment, build trust with stakeholders, and contribute to a major initiative: negotiating and implementing the organization’s first collective agreement.

They will also support an organization seeking to clarify and harmonize several management practices while continuing efforts to make health and well-being a priority. In a context where HR tools, processes, and systems are still being formalized or modernized, the successful candidate must combine professionalism, sound judgment, political awareness, and strong coaching abilities.

Finally, the implementation of the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, particularly the internal objective of creating a more agile, transparent, and collaborative organizational culture, will require the ability to support change, structure practices, and evolve ways of working.

Main Responsibilities

Labour Relations and Organizational Support

• Support the current Executive Director, the incoming Executive Director (expected to begin in late 2026), and the leadership team in implementing organizational changes while ensuring consistency, communication, and engagement;
• Lead and coordinate the negotiation strategy for the first collective agreement, support the consultant acting as spokesperson at the bargaining table, and coordinate the implementation of related issues;
• Ensure rigorous interpretation, consistent application, and compliance with the collective agreement across the organization, while proactively managing grievances and disputes;
• Advise leadership and managers on labour relations matters, application of workplace practices, and the evolution of management frameworks;
• Facilitate sensitive conversations, clarify expectations, and recommend approaches that are consistent, fair, and structured;
• Develop concrete actions to foster more agile, transparent, and aligned collaboration as part of the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan.

HR Operations and Practice Development

• Contribute to the continued structuring of the HR function, including improving tools, forms, and processes, and documenting practices;
• Assess training needs and coordinate professional development initiatives, including compliance with Quebec’s 1% training law;
• Contribute to optimizing manual processes and support reflection on HR indicators, tracking tools, and organizational resources;
• Handle certain day-to-day HR responsibilities as needed and collaborate with relevant internal partners;
• Support teams and leadership in implementing organizational changes.

Human Resources Management and Organizational Climate

• Act as an HR generalist overseeing the full employee lifecycle;
• Support the harmonization of management practices to ensure greater consistency and fairness throughout the organization;
• Support managers with relational, organizational, and change-management challenges;
• Contribute to a more agile, transparent, and collaborative workplace culture through structured knowledge sharing, governance clarification, and evolving work practices;
• Oversee the full recruitment cycle, from defining needs through onboarding, ensuring best practices at every stage;
• Develop and monitor HR indicators to support strategic decision-making by leadership.

Systems and Process Modernization

• Support the implementation and evolution of the new payroll system and alignment of administrative and HR processes, in collaboration with internal teams and external providers;
• Manage employee benefits programs, including group insurance, RRSPs, and employee assistance programs (EAP), in collaboration with Finance, Administration, and Digital Transformation teams;
• Provide recommendations to optimize processes, data quality, and employee experience.

Organizational Life, Collaboration, and Committees

• Actively participate in the leadership committee;
• Play a leading role on the Occupational Health and Safety Committee;
• Contribute to other internal collaboration spaces related to workplace culture, engagement, recognition, and organizational life;
• Support organizational culture transformation through the community garden project;
• Lead the tactical implementation of the strategic plan’s priorities related to collaboration, continuous improvement, and internal engagement.

Candidate Profile

Education and Experience

• University degree in human resources, industrial relations, business administration, labour law, or a related field;
• Significant experience (5–8 years) in an HR role with a strong labour relations component;
• Proven experience working in a unionized environment or the ability to operate credibly within such a context;
• Experience supporting managers, harmonizing practices, and working through organizational change;
• In-depth knowledge of Quebec labour laws, employment obligations, and practices applicable to unionized workplaces;
• Experience in the cultural sector, public sector, nonprofit sector, or socially engaged environments is an asset;
• Membership in the Ordre des CRHA is an asset.

Skills and Personal Qualities

• Excellent knowledge of labour relations and unionized environments;
• Ability to combine strategic thinking, operational rigour, and practical judgment;
• Professional confidence, sound judgment, and the ability to provide clear direction in complex situations;
• Ability to facilitate difficult conversations, influence tactfully, and move initiatives forward;
• Strong political awareness, interpersonal skills, and contextual intelligence;
• Ability to work independently while engaging the appropriate internal and external expertise when needed;
• Adaptability, flexibility, and comfort working in a human-centered, evolving environment;
• Strong analytical and organizational diagnostic skills to understand human, structural, and relational challenges;
• High level of discretion, confidentiality, and integrity when handling sensitive situations;
• Strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, representation, and collaboration.

What the Organization Offers

• A key role at the heart of a recognized cultural organization undergoing meaningful transformation;
• A concrete opportunity to influence labour relations, management practices, and organizational culture;
• A stimulating mandate within a context of growth, consolidation, and change;
• Close collaboration with a committed team and engaged internal and external partners;
• Group insurance from the start date;
• Employer-contributed RRSP after one year;
• Up to 10 sick days;
• 15 paid statutory holidays;
• 3 weeks of vacation;
• Hybrid work model (currently 2 mandatory office days per week, with increased presence of up to 4 days during onboarding).

Representation and Inclusion

The organization is actively committed to strengthening diversity and improving representation within its teams. Applicants are encouraged to voluntarily identify whether they belong to one of the designated groups: Indigenous peoples (First Nations—with or without status—Métis, or Inuit), visible minorities, Deaf persons, and persons with disabilities.

Individuals seeking accessibility support or assistance during the recruitment process may complete an accessibility request.

Application Process

For questions regarding the selection process, interested candidates are invited to contact the recruitment team:

Sanmohini Pellerin
sanmohini@rhum.hr

Applications will be reviewed with care and confidentiality. The organization is committed to a structured, human-centered recruitment process aligned with its values.