Manager, Human Resources

Welcome to Gordon Food Service We are excited that you are thinking about opportunities with us, and we have an amazing story to share. Here's a quick glance of who we are and the impact you could have on the food service industry. There's a seat at our table for you...

What We Offer:

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, and EFAP Benefits after 30 days of employment
• FULL flex benefits program
• Company matching RRSP
• Family culture
• Advancement opportunities
• Profit Sharing
• 128 year, family owned and operated company history

Position Summary:

As the Human Resources Manager, you will lead a small team of HR professionals in Edmonton, managing day-to-day services in a fast-paced, high-energy environment. You will act as a key member of the Prairies HR team, reporting directly to the Regional HR Director and serving as a strategic partner to local leadership.

In partnership with the HR team, you will coordinate best practices in employee relations, total rewards, and succession planning. A primary focus of this role is the coaching and development of our leaders , ensuring they have the tools and skills to foster a high-performance culture aligned with Gordon Food Service (GFS) values.

Essential Functions:

Leadership Coaching & Development

• Leader Development: Educates and consults with leadership on the Performance Management process; coaches leaders on employee relations, performance, and policy issues.
• Coaching & Mentorship: Serves as a strategic coach to division leaders, helping them navigate complex people challenges and team dynamics.
• Training Facilitation: Partners with the Learning & Organizational Development specialist to facilitate leadership training; monitors completion and effectiveness through periodic audits.
• Culture Stewardship: Plans and implements employee events and initiatives that perpetuate the unique GFS culture.

Team Leadership & Departmental Management

• Staff Leadership: Directly supervises, mentors, and develops the Edmonton HR staff, serving as a role model and resource for their professional growth.
• Insights & Reporting: Assists the Regional HR Director by providing insights and interpretation of HR metrics, including turnover, new hire data, diversity initiatives, and other key performance indicators.

Talent & Recruitment

• Collaboration: Collaborates closely with the Prairies Talent Acquisition Specialist on recruitment matters, ensuring the division has a proactive hiring plan to meet operational needs.
• Onboarding: Oversees all aspects of the orientation and onboarding experience to ensure new hires are successfully integrated into the division.

Employee Relations & Total Rewards

• Employee Relations: Responds to and investigates employee complaints, determining appropriate courses of action and promoting our "Open Door" policy.
• Compensation & Benefits: Ensures leaders understand and implement GFS compensation practices, including annual increases and bonus payouts.
• Health & Wellness: Supports the administration of Workers' Compensation, disability claims, and benefit enrollment, while educating the team on wellness initiatives
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strategic Partnership & Collaboration: Collaborate closely with the Regional HR Director to share insights, observations, and key learnings regarding the Edmonton division to ensure regional alignment and proactive problem-solving.
• Strategic Leadership: Strong grasp of business and management principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership techniques to effectively coordinate people and resources.
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify complex problems, evaluate options, and implement effective solutions, with a high sensitivity to identifying potential issues before they escalate.
• Interpersonal & Communication Excellence: Highly developed active listening, negotiation, and social perceptiveness skills to bridge differences and understand team dynamics.
• Decision-Making & Judgment: Skilled at considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most effective path for the organization.
• Regulatory Expertise: Strong knowledge of applicable employment laws, government regulations, and principles for providing high-quality personal and customer service.

Equipment / Tools / Technology

• Digital Proficiency: Expert use of Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar) and standard office hardware.
• HR Systems: Proficiency with Workday, iCIMS, or similar enterprise-level HRIS and Talent Management platforms.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field is preferred.
• Certification: CPHR (Chartered Professional in Human Resources) designation is highly preferred.
• Experience: Five or more years of progressive Human Resources experience, with at least two years in a leadership or management capacity.
• Technology: Proficiency with Workday and Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs).
• Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR), Professional Human Resources (PHR) certification, CHRP or CHRL preferred.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for the next stage will be contacted. Gordon Food Service is an equal opportunity employer who strives to provide an inclusive work environment that involves everyone and embraces the diverse talent of its people. All qualified applicants and employees will receive consideration for employment, or in terms or conditions of employment, without regard to any enumerated or analogous grounds of discrimination, including race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, sexual orientation or status as a qualified individual with disability.

If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit your request to and use the words "Accommodation Request" in your subject line.