Director, Employee Relations, HR​/Recruitment

Position: Director, People
We are looking for the visionaries, the change-makers, and the self-starters who are seeking more from their career. Change begins with the small decisions we make, each day, to support each other, and strive to create inspiring, incredible educational experiences for all students, no matter where they are, or how they learn. In choosing a career with Yorkville University, you will have the opportunity to push boundaries, flex your creativity, and inspire positive change for so many people.

Our core values put the student experience at the center of what we do, reflecting who we are, and aspire to be. If you want to shine a light on academic excellence, be empowered to make an impact on the transformation of the Canadian post-secondary education landscape, and work collaboratively beyond levels, join us.

Who we need
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, we are looking for a Director, People to join us at Yorkville University and Toronto Film School for a 12-month contract with the possibility of a permanent appointment upon successful completion. As a senior ambassador for People programs and strategies, you will be pivotal in overseeing key people and culture initiatives and daily operations. You will develop trusting relationships and foster collaboration across the university, working closely with academic and business leaders.

You will identify priorities, set direction, deliver solutions, and remove barriers so faculty and employees can do their best work in service to our students. You will serve as a strategic advisor for people and culture initiatives at both the regional and national levels.

This is a full-time role, currently following a hybrid model working both on-site at our downtown location and remotely.

Who you are
You may be a Senior HR Business Partner ready to step into broader leadership, or a Director seeking expanded ownership and decision-making authority across a diverse portfolio. Either way, you want to join an innovative, inclusive, and rapidly evolving private university as an individual contributor on an influential, enthusiastic national People Team. You bring extensive experience partnering with leadership and an exceptional ability to build relationships at all levels.

You thrive in a matrixed organization, either in the corporate or public sector, and work confidently with knowledge workers to drive results.

What's in it for you
Strategic influence. You want to shape how a national, multi-campus university optimizes its people practices. In this role, you will lead an entire portfolio with full strategic and operational ownership. You will partner directly with the C-suite, academic leaders, and campus operations to advance institution-wide priorities. You will elevate workflows, strengthen decision-making frameworks, and enhance cross-campus alignment, advancing a more efficient, connected, and future-ready organization.

Meaningful impact. You are energized by the complexity and purpose-driven mission of higher education. You will serve as a trusted advisor who balances institutional priorities with an engaged and supported employee experience. You will guide leaders through people decisions grounded in data, insight, and sound judgment and influence outcomes at scale across multiple campuses. You will work on complex initiatives that expand your strategic, operational, and change leadership capabilities.

Career growth and professional stretch. Yorkville University and Toronto Film School are progressive institutions committed to reimagining post-secondary learning. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, you will gain unparalleled exposure, strategic insight, and mentorship. If you are coming from the public sector, this role provides meaningful exposure to the private post-secondary environment with the opportunity to see impact quickly within an agile, outcomes-driven environment.

Joining us now means contributing to work that matters, building advanced competencies, and accelerating your career within a dynamic and evolving university.

As our new Director, People, you will focus on:

Leadership alignment.  You will partner with academic and business…