Manager, Labour Relations

destinationone Consulting | Direct Placement

Manager, Labour Relations

Vancouver (NW Shaughnessy / East Kitsilano / Quilchena), Canada | Posted on 09/26/2026

• Country Canada

Job Description

Manager, Labour Relations

KIRAH Executive Search & Leadership Advisory has been retained by the Vancouver School Board to lead the search for its next Manager, Labour Relations .

This is a key leadership appointment within VSB’s Employee Services Division and an opportunity for an accomplished labour relations professional to take meaningful ownership of day-to-day labour relations operations within one of Canada’s largest and most diverse public school systems.

Reporting to the Director, Labour Relations, the Manager will provide operational labour relations leadership, trusted advice, and practical guidance across a complex and highly unionized public education environment.

The successful candidate will bring strong technical labour relations capability together with sound judgement, confidence, responsiveness, and a genuine ability to coach and develop others.

For a highly credible Senior Labour Relations Advisor or an experienced labour relations professional ready to step into broader leadership responsibility, this opportunity may represent a particularly attractive career progression.

About the Vancouver School Board

The Vancouver School Board is one of Canada’s largest and most diverse public school systems.

VSB serves more than 50,000 students across approximately 110 schools and programs and is supported by more than 7,700 employees.

The District serves a highly diverse urban community and is committed to equity, inclusion, accountability, continuous improvement, and creating learning environments where every student can succeed and experience a strong sense of belonging.

Its work recognizes the importance of Indigenous ways of knowing and learning and takes place on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwimxw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).

As a large public-sector employer operating within a highly unionized environment, VSB requires labour relations professionals who can provide practical, consistent, credible, and responsive advice while navigating complex employment and organizational matters.

The Leadership Opportunity

Reporting to the Director, Labour Relations, the Manager, Labour Relations will serve as the day-to-day operational leader within VSB’s Labour Relations function.

The Manager will support:

• collective bargaining
• collective agreement administration and interpretation
• grievances
• performance management
• workplace investigations

The role also provides leadership to Labour Relations Advisors and Coordinators while working closely with District leaders, unions, employees, and other stakeholders.

This is a hands-on leadership position.

The successful candidate must be capable of independently managing significant labour relations matters, exercising practical judgement, and understanding when an issue should be escalated.

The Manager will also play an important role in strengthening the consistency, responsiveness, capability, and succession readiness of the Labour Relations team.

The Leadership Mandate

Operational Labour Relations Leadership

The Manager will:

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership across the Labour Relations function.
• Independently manage significant labour relations files.
• Provide practical and defensible advice to District leaders.
• Support the Director, Labour Relations on complex and higher-risk matters.
• Help ensure important files progress in a timely and organized manner.
• Maintain strong documentation and professional standards.
• Exercise sound judgement regarding when matters should be escalated.

Collective Agreement Administration

The successful candidate will:

• Support administration and interpretation of VSB’s collective agreements.
• Advise leaders regarding employee and labour relations obligations.
• Support collective bargaining activities.
• Assist with grievances, mediation, arbitration, and related processes.
• Promote consistency in the application of collective agreement provisions.
• Identify recurring issues and opportunities to strengthen labour relations practices.

Investigations, Discipline, and Performance Management

The Manager will provide leadership and advice concerning:

• workplace investigations
• performance management
• complex employee relations matters
• risk and documentation
• appropriate escalation of significa