Vice President, People

Job Description

VICE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE & CULTURE

Who We Are

NorQuest College is the largest Community College in Alberta. Located on traditional lands referred to as Treaty 6 territory, we serve 12,573 full-time and part-time credit students, and 7,894 non-credit or continuing education students, including assessment examinations.

NorQuest has always been shaped by the people and communities we serve. Our alignment between people and place defines our capacity for social, economic, and cultural impact beyond our campus. will unite NorQuest with the communities we serve. We will accomplish this goal, in part, by continuing to deliver workforce-relevant education. This extraordinary place is devoted to changing lives, fulfilling dreams, and creating belonging for everyone.

At NorQuest, ensuring we create an engaging, supportive, and vibrant culture is a top priority. We demonstrate this by empowering over 1,300 staff to serve learners and help them achieve their goals. We have demonstrated this commitment by being named one of .

NorQuest is a place of connection; a hub for business leaders and innovation; a catalyst for research focused on society’s biggest challenges; and a vital partner to government, industry, and our community.

At NorQuest, we also concentrate on culture because we elevate our learners and our community when our people are doing their best, most gratifying work. Today, our culture is shaped by…our purpose, our nine “Qs,” or values that guide how we behave—and our commitments to anti-racism, and to equity, diversity, and inclusion. It’s also shaped by the practical changes to our processes and systems that we’ve made and intend to make. In 2020, NorQuest earned recognition as , by Waterstone.

NorQuesters can engage in work they are passionate about, constantly learn, try new ideas, and know that being bold is sought-after behavior.

The Role

The Vice President, People and Culture inspires and cultivates a strong culture of growth and leadership designed to attract and retain the best talent. They will have the focus, vision, and experience in providing strategic leadership and direction to all facets of people and culture in a values-driven environment that leads the way in embracing and advancing meaningful progress surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion. This position will constantly be looking at the horizon, identifying opportunities for innovative ways to elevate strategic organizational development and human resources approaches that position NorQuest to be a purpose-driven employer of choice.

The Vice President, People & Culture will provide values-based and inspirational leadership to the People & Culture team by providing clear direction while removing barriers to success and supporting the engagement, growth, and development of the portfolio at individual and team levels. Through the work of their team, they will support the college in developing organizational culture, providing exceptional and inclusive employee experiences, and achieving organizational outcomes through proactive, collaborative and service-oriented partnership and support.

How You'll Make a Difference

The Vice President provides oversight of the People & Culture portfolio, ensuring alignment with NorQuest’s values and purpose. This position is responsible for the ongoing development of Talent Management and Organizational Culture, leading to strong organizational outcomes and exceptional employee experiences. The Vice President, People & Culture supports NorQuest’s focus on being an adaptive and inclusive organization through a people-first approach and is genuinely committed to transforming lives by creating a sense of belonging and a psychologically safe place for everyone.

This pivotal role reports to the President and CEO and works as a partner to the Executive team and senior leaders by advising on organizational policies and practices. Using an evidence-based and data-driven approach, the Vice President will support the development of metrics to support data-informed decision-making by leaders at the college. This role ensures that the Executive team is well informed and is provided with the appropriate guidance and stewardship to enable the college to make effective decisions and take necessary calculated risks to move the college forward. This person will keep a pulse on continuous development and improvement of processes, systems, data analytics, and opportunities.

The Vice President interacts with the Board of Governors, especially as it relates to supporting the Human Resource Committee in supporting the President and CEO role; and the Governance Committee as related to managing organizational risks. The position participates as a resource to the Board to provide information as required, such as: legislated changes, the college’s risk matrix, Occupational Health and Safety reporting, and action plans.

The Vice President, People & Culture develops and leads portfolio strategy ensuring alignment with legislation, policies, procedures, and collective agreements. This role represents the college externally and through relationships with HR leaders of other post-secondary institutions (PSIs), ensuring approaches consider the role and relationships NorQuest holds in the greater post-secondary landscape. This position will also support the college in proactively managing organizational employee and labour relations.

How Your Success Will Be Measured

You can be confident of your success if, within your first year, you can:

Develop an informed vision and strategy for the workforce of the future for NorQuest College; Establish service level standards for People & Culture; Determine workforce readiness and service level statistics that are benchmarked from other organizations; Host town hall meetings with all NorQuest College employees; Envision how NorQuest’s People & Culture programs will keep current with global trends and lead in the areas of culture, workstyles, employee engagement, and ED&I; Establish an efficient and prioritized work plan for all People & Culture programs, including collective bargaining; Cultivate trusted and collaborative working relationships with VP-level colleagues and gain an understanding of their work; and Nurture and maintain connections with counterparts across the post-secondary sector.

What You Will Bring to the Role

Visionary - Provide a strategic vision of the future of HR at NorQuest, based on industry trends and the organizational mission and values, to guide NorQuesters to contribute to the overall goals and objectives effectively. Culture Champion - Lead the organization to fully activate NorQuest’s Grow-Lead-Contribute Touchstones, live our intentional values – our Qs - and get up every morning to advance our Purpose and our Strategy. EDI - Demonstrate NorQuest’s commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion across the organization; identify opportunities to increase inclusion of all under-represented group members in organizational policies and practices; in partnership with the Equity Office, develop and implement the EDI vision and strategy in alignment with organizational values; keep up to date with regulatory and policy developments related to employee equity and inclusion matters and stay abreast of best practices and trends in the field to update organizational efforts. Leadership - Act as a leader, coach, mentor, and positive role model with the ability to initiate, influence, motivate and delegate; demonstrate managerial courage and credibility as a leader; develop direct reports through regular coaching, career planning, and proactive performance management; and lead the development of the negotiation strategy for collective bargaining with the Faculty Association and AUPE. Develop People and Advance Learning – Demonstrate authenticity, vulnerability, and humility and receive feedback openly; lead with a focus on NorQuest’s current employees and future leaders; create a culture where people embrace the learnings from both successes and failures; advance our learning and leadership system; and support the organization in 3 focus areas: Advance Equity, Adapt & Innovate, and Create Brave & Safe Spaces. Focus on the Future – Remain current with emerging academic, industry, and relevant external environment trends affecting their department and anticipate shifts in NorQuest’s overall business strategy due to changing external factors and proactively respond. Execute on Plans – Drive key business processes to optimize business performance; demonstrate sound judgment and business and financial acumen in decision-making; and empower and coach decision-making at the appropriate level. Innovate & Lead Change – Question current practices and the status quo and make changes to improve processes and systems across the organization; shift the thinking about how the College will operate in the future; and support a culture of innovation which includes showing openness and building excitement around new possibilities and opportunities. Connect & Collaborate – Take the initiative to seek out and build strategic partnerships and key relationships with external stakeholders; demonstrate and maintain leadership presence throughout the entire organization; build trust through demonstrated objectivity and consistency; and listen to others and exchange information proactively across teams to create cross-enterprise integration.

The ideal candidate for this role will have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in a senior human resource position with at least 5 years of senior management experience within a complex, multi-disciplinary and evolving organization. Experience in labour relations, including collective bargaining, and managing the administration of collective agreements within a complex union environment is desirable. Experience working in a post-secondary environment and/or a complex public sector environment is preferred. A university degree in Human Resources or equivalent (though a master’s degree in a related field is an asset) and a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation is required. A combination of education and experience will be considered.

COMPENSATION: The salary range for this position will be reflective of your education and experience.

There is immediate access to our great pension and benefit programs. Our benefits focus on wellness and personal and professional growth, providing flexibility to meet the needs of NorQuesters. We provide culture and learning opportunities, staying connected to our communities and values.

If this opportunity inspires and delights you, and your expertise will shine in this role, we invite you to send your cover letter and resume to .

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

NorQuest College is on a journey to become an inclusive, anti-racist, and decolonized organization. NorQuesters are trailblazers – we are curious, creative, and innovative - our lived experiences are honoured, creating accessibility and a sense of belonging for everyone.

illustrates that our strength and our difference comes from who is included, and along with our students, we are learning and growing to listen deeply and say what we feel.

NorQuest College is committed to being an employer of choice for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people by recognizing, respecting, and supporting Indigenous people's self-determination through the institution’s work in decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenization.

COMPETITION NUMBER: 2023-4316

CLOSING DATE: Open until suitable candidate found.

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