Employee Relations Specialist

The Team you are Joining – Who We Are:The Halton Regional Police Service contributes to the safety and well-being of more than 620,000 residents in Halton Region which includes the Towns of Milton, Halton Hills and Oakville, and the City of Burlington. It is our continual pursuit of excellence that keeps Halton at the forefront of policing and as a leader in the public safety arena. Through upstream approaches, partner collaboration, training, community engagement and a strong focus on inclusion and diversity, we have been able to maintain Halton’s status as the safest Canadian municipality with a population of 100,000 or more. This is exemplified through deep collaboration between our growing team of over 1,100 members and our residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments. About the Role – How you will Contribute to the Service: Join Our Team as an Employee Relations Specialist Are you passionate about creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed? We’re looking for a dynamic Employee Relations Specialist at Halton Regional Police Service to play a key role in shaping our people-first culture. In this role, you’ll partner with leaders and employees across the organization, providing expert guidance on policies, employee relations, performance management, recruitment, and career development. You’ll help drive initiatives that strengthen engagement, enhance communication, and support professional growth. If you’re a strategic thinker who thrives on building trust, solving challenges, and making a real impact, we want to hear from you Here’s what you’ll get to do: Conduct thorough, confidential investigations into workplace complaints under the organization’s Harassment Procedure and applicable legislation, preparing clear, well-documented findings and recommendations. Provide advice, coaching, and guidance to staff, commanders, and managers on a broad range of employee relations matters, including performance management, absenteeism, workplace conflict, human rights, and disciplinary processes. Interpret and apply organizational procedures, collective agreements, and relevant legislation (ESA, OHSA, Human Rights Code, CSPA) to support consistent, compliant, and informed decision-making across the organization. Coordinate and make recommendations on family status accommodation requests, ensuring compliance with legislation, case law, and internal procedures, while balancing organizational needs. Coordinate the organization’s performance appraisal process, ensuring consistency, fairness, and alignment with organizational goals, and providing training or guidance to leaders, as required. Advise on complex recruitment and staffing matters, including human rights considerations, complaints, and selection processes, ensuring compliance with legislation and corporate procedures. Develop, deliver, and facilitate training, presentations, and resources for staff and leadership on key workplace topics, such as harassment prevention, respectful workplace, conflict resolution, and performance management. Research, review, and assess HR procedures, programs, and best practices across public and private sectors; draft and update internal HR procedures and procedures in consultation with leadership and relevant stakeholders. Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external partners; represent the HR department and the organization at community events, industry working groups, and external committees, promoting HRPS values and initiatives. Provide support on organizational change initiatives, workforce planning, and employee engagement strategies to support the effective delivery of HR services, as needed. Other related duties as assigned. What you’ll Bring to the Role: Education, Certifications and Qualifications: We are seeking a candidate who has completed a three-year college diploma in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or possesses a combination of relevant education and experience. A CHRL designation is considered an asset. Previous Experience, Knowledge and Skills: Our ideal candidate must possess a minimum of 3 to 5 years of progressive Human Resources experience, with a strong focus on employee relations and conducting workplace investigations. The successful candidate will also have a strong understanding of labour relations practices, including effective relationship management with unions. They will have proven experience conducting disciplinary investigations, resolving grievances, and interpreting and applying employment legislation, collective agreements, and grievance/arbitration procedures. A thorough knowledge of relevant Ontario employment and labour legislation—such as the Employment Standards Act, 2000, Labour Relations Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, and Occupational Health and Safety Act—is essential. Exceptional communication, negotiation, mediation, and conflict-resolution skills are required, along with demonstrated ability to advise and build rapport with management, employees, and union representatives at all organizational levels. The ideal candidate will exhibit strong analytical thinking, sound judgment, and the ability to handle confidential matters with professionalism. Additional qualifications include computer literacy in all MS Office applications (HRIS experience is an asset), process development experience, and the ability to conduct thorough interviews, investigations, research, and report writing. Experience facilitating conflict resolution, providing coaching support to managers, and applying alternative dispute resolution techniques (conciliation, mediation, negotiation) is highly valued. Broad knowledge across multiple areas of human resources—including talent and performance management, employee relations, disability management, engagement, and compensation—is also preferred. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered. Note: The successful applicant will need to pass a background check to the satisfaction of the Halton Regional Police Service which will include reference checks with previous employers, verification of educational achievements, and a criminal background screen. What We Offer: We offer the opportunity to join a progressive work environment with a leading police service. Our Service is committed to the values of Trust and Respect, Integrity, Accountability, Excellence, Teamwork and Justice. We provide our employees with a competitive salary which includes but is not limited to training and development opportunities, onsite fitness opportunities, access to wellness resources and participation in a defined benefit pension plan – Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement System (O.M.E.R.S.). This position is based out of our Oakville Headquarters facility which is located at the QEW and North Service Road West.  Salary Range: $104,553.00 to $116,170.00. per annum How to be Considered for This Exciting Opportunity: Apply today and help us make our workplace one where everyone can grow and succeed together. Please apply online with a resume and a detailed letter outlining your experience and skills and how they relate to this role with the Service. quoting Competition 01-C-26 by January 27, 2026. All applications must be submitted to the Service’s on-line system to be considered for this vacancy. **Various skills assessments may be administered as part of the selection criteria. The Halton Regional Police Service strives to be an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to fairness and equity in employment and our recruitment and selection practices. We encourage and welcome applications from all who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization. Should you require an accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and/or the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) during any stage of the recruitment process, we will work with you to remove any barriers. Please do not hesitate to let us know by contacting us for assistance at civilianrecruiting@haltonpolice.ca. We thank all applicants for their interest in joining our organization. Only those who are selected to advance through the recruitment process will be contacted by our team.