Director, Strategic Human Resources Business Partner

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (the “Port Authority”) is responsible for the stewardship of federal port lands at the Port of Vancouver (the “Port”). Its mandate is to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver, while protecting the environment and considering local communities. The Port Authority is governed by an independent Board of Directors and is accountable to the federal minister of transport under the Canada Marine Act.

Employing almost 500 people, the Port Authority operates in an environment that has a much more complex strategic agenda than its headcount alone would indicate. As one of the world’s most diversified ports and a significant part of British Columbia’s and Canada’s dynamic gateway for trade and tourism, the Port of Vancouver generates an estimated $9.7 billion in GDP and represents a major economic force that underpins the strength of the Canadian economy through international trade. The Port Authority has a very strong relationship with its employees, most of whom are represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 517.

Primarily reporting to a new Vice President, People, Process, & Performance with matrixed relationships to the Vice President, Infrastructure and other members of the executive team, the new Director, Strategic Human Resource Business Partner (the “Director”) will assess the existing structure and employees, build a forward-looking five – ten year workforce plan and develop a robust human resources business partner function to support departments across the organization. The Director, in this newly created role, will play a key role in the redesign of the department that will also incorporate communities of expertise and HR operations.  The Director will factor into their workforce planning all of the infrastructure projects currently under construction and in planning, as well as the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) mega project that is anticipated to add 150 to the Port Authority’s headcount. These projects, especially RBT2, also have significant impacts on workforce planning across the entire organization. A key element of the role will be determining whether positions should be filled by Port Authority employees or contractors/consultants, as projects will have finite timelines.

As the ideal candidate, you are an accomplished HR operations specialist who possesses experience in a complex organization in the public and/or private sector, with significant exposure to working in a unionized environment with experience in working in an HR operating model that incorporates communities of expertise and HR business partners. You will play a major role as the Port builds capacity to support current and future growth, and therefore, you must be a forward-thinking and inspirational people leader with a track record of working towards a progressive people-focused department.

This is a compelling opportunity to join a high-performing and motivated Port team in promoting positive and lasting change in an organization where the results of one’s work can be seen directly as the Port transforms its culture and engages its workforce towards an exciting future. The organization has grown significantly over the last decade as it has successfully contributed to and facilitated growth in the Pacific Gateway, and this opportunity provides the potential to contribute to further growth in Canada’s largest and most dynamic port.

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is dedicated to employment equity and a workplace reflective of the diversity of its community.