Senior Manager, People, Engagement, and Learning

Senior Manager, People, Engagement, and Learning

Terms: Full-time, Permanent

Location: Remote in Canada, Except Quebec

Salary: $90,000 – $105,000 (dependent on experience)

MakeWay is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Manager, People, Engagement, and Learning to contribute to the people strategies that support our mission of helping nature and communities thrive together. The People, Engagement, and Learning (PEL) team is MakeWay’s Human Resources (HR) team. This key leadership role will oversee HR initiatives for our diverse, nationwide team of over 275 changemakers working primarily across MakeWay Charitable Society, home to over 60 innovative community-led projects.

As the Senior Manager, you will act as a strategic advisor and trusted leader, collaborating with senior leaders and employees to implement equitable, people-centred ‘HR’ practices that align with MakeWay’s values. If our values resonate with you and you’re ready to lead, learn, and grow within a team that shares knowledge and cares deeply, we encourage you to apply. Join us and make a difference!

MakeWay builds partnerships and solutions to help nature and communities thrive together. We are made up of two legal charitable entities: MakeWay Charitable Society, a shared platform home to over 60+ innovative community-led projects staffed by 200+ change makers; and MakeWay Foundation where 90+ people are advancing place-based programs that support Indigenous-led solutions and conservation in the North, Pacific, Manitoba, and beyond via grant-making, funder collaboratives and other tools.  Our people, projects, and partners are based across the country.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide expert advisory, coaching, and mentorship to leaders and employees across MakeWay’s Shared Platform and MakeWay Foundation, supporting a diverse range of projects through the full employee lifecycle and HR best practices.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on employee relations, providing guidance, transformative approaches, and resolution strategies rooted in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Utilize a trauma informed approach to address sensitive processes, including verbal and written notices and involuntary releases.
• Stay abreast of HR compliance to ensure that policies, procedures, and reporting is compliant, consulting with legal advisors when necessary.

• Participate or lead in development, implementation, delivery, and communication of organization wide PEL projects and initiatives across MakeWay (for example: HR compliance, risk mitigation, policy development and implementation).

• Co-develop culturally appropriate resources and trainings to engage leaders and employees with good people practices.
• Facilitate onboarding with new leaders on the Shared Platform, providing them with an overview of the PEL function and supports provided, including information on basic HR practices.
• Partner with teammates, including Managers on the Shared Platform to contribute to operational improvements.
• Lead, mentor, and manage direct report(s), fostering their professional growth, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, and building a strong team culture.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of employment contracts, ensuring compliance with labour laws across the country and organizational policies.

Who You Are:

• Emotional Intelligence and Communication Excellence: High level of emotional intelligence, patience, and integrity. Ability to distil and disseminate complex information and solutions to employees in meaningful and relational ways.

• Strategic Leadership in Human Resources: Shapes and guides HR strategies that align with organizational goals, fostering meaningful connections and a culture of collaboration, excellence, and innovation. Builds trust through thoughtful decision-making, skilfully navigating complex challenges while balancing the needs of MakeWay and the well-being of employees

• HR Collaboration and Project Management: Excels in cross-functional collaboration, strategic problem-solving, and project management. Delivers HR initiatives with precision and attention to detail.

Experience You Bring:

• CPHR designation or member of an HR professional body.
• Minimum seven years’ experience in human resources, including 4+ years in a leadership role.
• Strong experience in employee relations, mediation, conflict transformation and a full suite HR advisory.
• In-depth knowledge of HR policies, practices, procedures, and HR compliance standards across the country.
• Knowledge and experience working with legislation across all provinces and territories.
• Strong HR Operations background.
• Experience with trauma informed practices in people care and advisory.
• Extensive expertise in identifying and forecasting broad issues affecting employees and leaders, and collaborating to develop compliant, people-centred solutions.
• Experience working in a Human Capital Management System.

It Would Be a Bonus if You Have:

• Experience in a business partner/HR advisor model.
• Experience in virtual/remote settings with HR advisory and support. 
• Experience in the charitable/non-profit sector at a national level.
• Experience working directly or in relationship with Indigenous organizations and communities.
• Experience with HR data analytics, collection, documentation, and reporting.

If you are interested in this role but are unsure if you qualify, send us your application anyway and tell us about why you can be a good fit for this position. We’d love to hear from you! 

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to have an impact on communities from coast to coast to coast.
• Full time annual salary of $90,000 – $105,000 (dependent on experience you bring).
• Comprehensive employer-paid extended health, vision, and dental benefits package, including an annual $300 Health Spending Account starting on your first day of employment.
• Year-end RRSP contribution.
• Pregnancy and Parental/Adoption Leave top up (subject to eligibility).
• Four weeks’ vacation plus statutory holidays. MakeWay has implemented a Substitution Statutory Holiday policy which allows employees the flexibility to substitute another day for a statutory holiday.
• Winter office closure and 9-day summer fortnight program.
• 10 sick and personal days.
• Flexible work environment with remote working.
• An active Indigenous Employees Network.
• Committed colleagues and a culture of collaboration, caring, and learning.
• High level of responsibility and autonomy.
• Opportunities and support for professional learning, including an annual $500 professional development fund, in house training, and professional membership coverage.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter by clicking "Apply Now" below. In your cover letter, please share what excites you about this role and how your skills, experiences, and passions make you a great fit for the MakeWay Team. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the role will remain open until filled.

Hiring Process:

1. Application Submission: Candidates submit applications.
2. Application Review: Our Sr. Talent Advisor reviews applications and works with the Hiring Manager to shortlist of candidates to invite to the phone screen stage.
3. Phone Screen: Our Sr. Talent Advisor will conduct 30-minute phone calls with shortlisted candidates.
4. Interview 1: Candidates selected to move forward from the phone screen will participate in a first interview.
5. Interview 2: Candidates selected to move forward from Interview 1 will participate in a second interview.
6. Offer and References: Our Sr. Talent Advisor will conduct 2-3 professional references and extend a verbal and written offer to the selected candidate.

Please note: Interview 1 and 2 will be panel interviews conducted online through Microsoft Teams. They will be compensated at $75/interview and interview questions and information on the interviewers will be provided 24 hours in advance. 

MakeWay is strongly committed to equity and creating a diverse workplace community. We recognize that our recruiting and hiring processes are key to this commitment. We strive to reflect the diversity of our society on our teams and to provide a respectful workplace and equal working opportunities for all employees and applicants. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. If you require accommodations or support at any point during the application or hiring process, please contact us at careers@makeway.org.

Our sincerest appreciation to all those expressing interest in the position, however,

only those applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Thank you!