Human Resources Leader - Canada

Human Resources Leader, Canada

We are seeking a Human Resources Leader for Canada who will play a key role in shaping the talent strategy that supports our continued growth and success. This role offers a unique opportunity to partner directly with business and HR leaders to understand organizational priorities, anticipate future needs, and build the talent, structure, and programs that position our teams for long-term success.

Working as part of a collaborative North American HR team, the HR Leader will focus on aligning HR programs and operations with business objectives, enabling leaders to deliver results through engaged, capable teams. The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of how the business works, strong judgment, and a hands-on approach to implementing solutions that make a lasting impact.

If you are an experienced HR professional who thrives at the intersection of leadership, business performance, and organizational growth and are motivated by building for the future, we invite you to apply.

Specific duties include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Build trusted relationships with leaders and employees across Canada, offering sound judgment and actionable guidance on workforce and organizational matters.
• Understand business goals and partner with leaders to translate them into practical talent and organizational initiatives that enhance results.
• Lead end-to-end recruitment to attract top talent, ensuring a positive and efficient experience for candidates and hiring teams.
• Act as a trusted advisor on employee relations and performance management, helping leaders address challenges with fairness, empathy, and a focus on outcomes.
• Implement effective performance practices including goal setting, feedback, and development planning that strengthen accountability and growth.
• Coach and support HR managers in addressing performance issues, balancing business needs with risk management and employee experience.
• Support workforce and succession planning discussions to identify future talent needs and ensure leadership continuity across Canadian offices.
• Maintain a strong understanding of Canadian employment legislation and ensure all HR policies and practices remain compliant and current.
• Identify and implement development and training initiatives that enhance leadership capability and technical excellence.
• Use data and insights to assess program effectiveness, identify trends, and inform continuous improvement.
• Oversee onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring positive transitions and capturing feedback to improve retention and engagement.
• Proactively design and champion initiatives that strengthen engagement, connection, and team member retention.
• Support enterprise HR projects and initiatives that contribute to the broader organization’s success.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in a similar Human Resources leadership role.
• Proven success supporting multiple offices or regions, either as a sole practitioner or within a distributed HR structure.
• Experience working in the AEC industry or professional services is preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with MS Office products including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. HR certification is a plus.
• Fully bilingual in English and French, with excellent verbal and written communication skills in both languages is strongly preferred.

Additional Attributes

• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect organizational goals to workforce decisions.
• Collaborative, approachable, and solutions-oriented with a bias toward action.
• Balanced thinker—able to move fluidly between strategy and hands-on delivery.
• Self-directed and organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Positive, growth-minded, and energized by challenges and innovation.
• Committed to creating an environment where people can do their best work and see a clear path to growth.
• Excellent communicator and relationship builder who earns trust and drives alignment through clarity and consistency.

Location: Based in Toronto or Montreal (Hybrid)

Anticipated Travel: 25%

About Us:

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.