Director of People

Become a changemaker with Islamic Relief Canada Join our team and work towards our mission to mobilize Canadians to transform more lives around the world in the most trusted manner.

About The Department
The People & Culture Department at Islamic Relief Canada (IRC) strives to create a work environment that fosters collaboration, innovation and excellence. We are dedicated to creating a positive, inclusive, and productive workplace culture, ensuring that all employees feel valued and supported. We handle a wide range of people functions, including recruitment and onboarding, employee relations and engagement, training and development, performance management, and compliance with labour laws and regulations.

By joining our People & Culture team, you will be part of a collaborative and supportive environment where your contributions directly impact the well-being and success of our staff, enabling us to better serve the most vulnerable communities around the world.

Job Purpose
Islamic Relief Canada is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of People & Culture to lead our efforts to build a people-first culture and strong HR foundations. This role is a strategic leadership position focused on creating an inclusive, engaged, and high-performing workplace that is rooted in IRC's values of sincerity, compassion, social justice, custodianship, and excellence.

Reporting to the CFO, the Director of People & Culture will oversee all aspects of our people operations, from recruitment and resourcing to staff wellbeing and engagement. This role will also serve as an essential member of IRC's senior leadership team (SLT), supporting in making strategic decisions for the organization.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience with all areas of people and culture and a passion for humanitarian work. This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by supporting IRC's staff base to drive the organization's mission of transforming lives around the world.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership

• Translate organizational strategy into actionable People & Culture goals and measurable outcomes
• Represent People & Culture in SLT discussions and cross-functional planning
• Lead change management efforts with compassion, communication and clarity
• Contribute to organization-wide strategy discussions with a people-focused lens

Culture and Employee Engagement

• Champion the organization's mission, vision, and values, and embed them into day-to-day operations
• Lead initiatives to strengthen employee engagement, collaboration, and common purpose
• Keep a pulse on staff morale through various channels to feed back to leadership team members, and act on emerging trends
• Lead by example and promote open communication and values-driven decision-making

Team Management and Cross-Team Collaboration

• Promote a "one-team" mindset across departments
• Collaborate with other departments to develop people strategies, align goals, and support organizational objectives
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives, providing people insights, and contributing to strategic planning and decision-making
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance culture within the People & Culture team, promoting effective communication, teamwork, and accountability
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and development opportunities to the People & Culture team
• Set performance objectives, provide regular feedback, and support professional growth

Talent Strategy

• Lead talent strategies to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent
• Support long-term workforce planning in collaboration with SLT
• Develop succession plans for key roles and implement retention strategies for high-potential staff
• Manage recruitment, performance, and compensation programs

Operational Oversight

• Oversee all aspects of HR operations with a strategic, people-centric lens, and hold accountability for HR service delivery and standards
• Ensure consistency and equity across benefit plans and compensation structures
• Oversee compensation strategy and conduct regular reviews to ensure fairness and competitiveness in pay
• Develop and implement organizational strategies for performance management
• Lead the design and implementation of a learning and development framework for staff, including technical training, leadership development, and mentorship
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and reporting for staffing and people programs
• Ensure compliance with policies and regulations, and keep abreast of legislative changes and trends

Experience
Qualifications & Competencies

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field; CHRP/CHRL/CHRE designation (or eligibility) is an asset.
• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in People & Culture, including leadership of HR teams and multiple people functions
• Demonstrated experience in culture-building, organizational development, and leading change initiatives
• Strong knowledge of Canadian employment legislation, including ESA, OHSA, human rights, AODA, privacy, and related labour standards
• Experience developing and managing compensation structures, performance management systems, and learning and development programs
• Comfortable using HR systems and analytics to guide decisions, identify trends, and measure impact
• Experienced in using HRIS platforms like Workday

Knowledge, Skills And Attributes

• Strong communicator with emotional intelligence to build trust, inspire teams, and collaborate across all levels of the organization
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable people strategies
• Sound judgment and ability to navigate sensitive situations with discretion
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on operational excellence
• Strong leadership and team management abilities, including building and developing high-performing teams
• Continuous improvement mindset, with a track record of process improvement
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, equity, and values-driven culture development
• Alignment with Company's mission and values of sincerity, compassion, social justice, custodianship, and excellence

Starting Salary
$120,000.00

Please note: The posted starting salary is intended to provide potential candidates with a general understanding of the compensation associated with the position. The actual salary offered will start at this figure, with adjustments possible based on individual qualifications and other relevant factors.