People and Culture Programs Specialist

Position Purpose

The People and Culture Programs Specialist is responsible for the development, coordination, and delivery of programs and initiatives that enhance the employee experience, strengthen organizational culture, and advance strategic People, Safety and Culture (PS&C) priorities across the CRD. Operating with a high degree of independence and professional expertise, the Specialist: collaborates with internal and external partners, provides program leadership, and delivers services that support a positive, inclusive, and accessible workplace culture; and leads implementation of initiatives related to employee engagement, accessibility, learning and development, onboarding, and culture building, ensuring alignment with the strategic plans and initiatives led by the PS&C division.

Key Accountabilities/Position Outcomes

• As a self starter, works with the Manager to develop and implement key strategic initiatives within the CRD’s strategic plans and initiatives which are overseen and led directly by the People, Safety & Culture (PS&C) division, including the CRD’s PS&C Strategic Plan inclusive of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategic initiatives, and the CRD’s Accessibility Plan.
• Works closely with PS&C staff to design, coordinate, and deliver human resources programs and services that support belonging and inclusion, culture, engagement, accessibility, and employee experience.
• Provides leadership and support for the CRD’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), including coordinating meetings, preparing materials, and tracking and following up on actions, feedback, and advisory input.
• Supports the implementation of accessibility initiatives and ensures alignment with legislative requirements and organizational commitments.
• Applies a change management lens to organizational change initiatives and programs.
• Builds strong relationships to understand business needs and provide guidance to employees and leaders with a service minded approach.
• Engages employees by designing, implementing and facilitating online, in person, and hybrid workshops, discussions, trainings and events to support learning, culture, and organizational development.
• Partners with PS&C staff, Corporate Communications and Engagement, and employees across the CRD to develop communications and plan and implement special events.
• Develops and delivers employee experience focused content for internal communication channels.
• Prepares presentations, reports, and briefing materials to provide senior leadership with information needed for effective decision making.
• Supports the development and implementation of metrics and evaluation tools to measure progress toward strategic goals and objectives.
• Tracks, analyzes, and reports on program outcomes to support continuous improvement.
• Provides leadership and management of employees and contractors within the area of responsibility, including: hiring, promotion, demotion, and other personnel matters; discipline and discharge; representing management in the grievance procedure; providing input into labour relations matters; representing management on committees; maintaining employer confidentiality; supporting and implementing corporate and legislated policies, procedures, and practices

Additional Information

Assets include:

• Previous experience working in a unionized government or public sector organization
• Certified Human Resources Professional (CPHR) certification
• Previous experience working in Human Resources
• Lived experience with accessibility would be an asset

Qualifications

Certifications

Role Specific Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Highly organized with proven ability to set and manage priorities, balance competing demands and provide timely responses to urgent issues.
• Experience leading projects end-to-end, including design, development, implementation and reporting of initiatives. Highly effective communicator (verbal and written) that clearly conveys information and ideas to individuals and groups in a manner that engages and helps them understand and retain the message.
• Working knowledge of relevant legislation such as employment standards, accessibility and human rights legislation.
• Ability to understand and contribute to the development and revision of policies and human resources procedures.
• Familiarity with foundational equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility concepts and how to apply them to a local government environment.
• Working knowledge of best practices in accessibility and a willingness to learn, including those related to  built environments, accommodations processes, communications and service delivery.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build partnerships and effective working relationships at all levels of an organization to achieve desired outcomes.
• Strong presentation, facilitation and public speaking skills for in-person, online and hybrid environments.
• Skill in resolving conflicts in a respectful and productive way.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint.
• Ability to reliably track data and synthesize qualitative and quantitative information into reports for a variety of audiences.
• Ability to adhere to strict confidentiality as expected in a Human Resources office.
• Willingness to exemplify the CRD Cultural Traits – Serve the Customer, Work Collaboratively, Own the Outcome, Lead the Way, Embrace Change and Develop Leadership Excellence.

Leadership Profile

CRD Leaders are champions for creating an accountable, high performance, service-oriented organization that makes a difference in our community.  They pay attention to shifts and trends in an ever-changing and complex environment and think strategically to serve residents, businesses and local governments today while developing a sustainable organization for the future.  The following is a leadership summary for this position.

Professional/Individual Contributor Level 2 (P2)

Leaders at this level generally use their knowledge and skills in their discipline to identify and solve problems in their work area, analyze and assess solutions, and respond to non-standard requests and moderately complex problems from clients with moderate direction from a supervisor.  They work within a team, prioritizing and organizing their own work and controlling costs in their own area to contribute to the overall achievements of the team.

While CRD Leaders are accountable to all Leadership Competencies, the competencies listed below have particular relevance to this position. Click here for a complete definition of our Leadership Levels and Competencies.

Leadership Competencies