HR Strategic Business Advisor

HR Strategic Business Advisor
PRIMARY PURPOSE
As Human Resources Strategic Business Advisors (HR SBA), we partner with colleges and units across campus to support strategic people initiatives focused in the University Plan 2025 in being the university the world needs (nīkānītān manācihitowinihk; ni manachīhitoonaan).

NATURE OF WORK
Our Human Resources Strategic Business Advisor (SBA) group is part of the Human Resources portfolio. Within our team structure, HR SBAs and HR Coordinators report directly to one of our five Senior HR SBAs, while the team collectively reports to the Manager, HR Advisory services. HR SBAs work closely with leadership, faculty and staff in our assigned colleges or units.

Our success depends on our ability to demonstrate a combination of strong university acumen, HR functional knowledge and a strategic mindset to participate in the development and implementation of people strategies for the colleges and units.

SBAs are assigned to support specific colleges and units. Within these assigned areas, we partner with college and unit leaders by understanding their values, culture, challenges and operational needs. We work collaboratively with our specialist groups in the Human Resources portfolio, which includes employee & labour relations, total rewards and talent management, to help achieve people strategies and outcomes both institutionally and across the different colleges and units.

Relationships are at the heart of what we do and its critical that our SBAs are comfortable and effective in working across multiple, diverse and, at times, challenging stakeholder groups. From academics to administration, research to operations, we work with all groups in identifying, planning and implementing people practices to advance the mission of the university.

As SBAs, we regularly address complexities in the delivery of services and are required to manage emerging and unpredictable events in a sensitive and timely manner. We regularly work with leaders when implementing difficult and challenging decisions, often during periods of change. As a result, we must have well developed organizational and project management skills and may be required to work outside of the university’s regular operating hours, which we balance with professional flexibility.

The HR SBA role comes with opportunities to collaborate with leadership, faculty, staff and colleagues across a variety of platforms, work in support of operational and academic initiatives and further our careers through professional development and continuing education.

ACCOUNTABILITIES
College/Unit Support

We support the implementation and delivery of integrated human resource strategies that assist colleges and units in achieving their goals, priorities, and operational objectives;

We support leaders by providing strategic guidance, and creative solutions which assist in the development of initiatives in areas such as talent acquisition, career engagement, problem solving, labour relations, organizational development and change management, to assist the college and unit in meeting its strategic goals;

We work with leaders to identify areas of specific focus in which to provide specific HR support and development.

Functional Expertise & Collaboration

We establish and maintain strong working relationships with a variety of constituents across campus, including college staff, central office colleagues, and service centre partners to ensure success in meeting the college’s and university’s strategic and operational goals;

We contribute to the development of the Human Resources portfolio through leading and/or participating in projects to advance the tools and supports delivered by HR to colleges and units across campus;

We partner with our colleagues in functional specialist groups to develop a depth of university specific skill and knowledge in areas such as labour relations, talent management, career engagement, wellness, organizational design and diversity and inclusion;

We ensure that exposure to risk and liability is mitigated by ensuring compliance with and providing strategic guidance related to collective agreements, labour legislation,…