Director, People & Culture
Director, People & Culture
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Job Description
About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the worlds largest urban innovation hubs.
MaRS supports promising high-growth companies to scale their businesses globally while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health Cleantech Finance Transportation AI and others. In addition to helping start-ups launch grow and scale the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration commercialization of discoveries and driving ideas to impact.
MaRS is the place where you can play ameaningful role in our innovation economy.
We understand qualifications on a job posting can be daunting. If youre passionate about the role and believe you can make a meaningful impact we want to hear from you even if you dont meet every listed qualification. Were always looking for great talent to join our team on planet MaRS.
We actively encourage all candidates including equity-deserving communities including those who identify as BIPOC racialized women people with disabilities and people with diverse gender identities expressions and sexual orientations.
We want you to be comfortable being your most authentic self throughout our recruitment process. Please reach out to if theres anything we can do to make your experience more accessible and inclusive including accommodations. Include Accessibility Request in your subject line.
About the Position
The Director of People and Culture reports to the CEO and works with senior leaders and their teams to enable their business strategy in ways that align with MaRS values and mission. This role leads a team that delivers operational excellence cultivates exceptional employee experiences and delivers innovative programs.
Key Responsibilities
Business Partner
- Works alongside senior leadership to understand their business strategy identify the people implications and enable business outcomes by:
- Designing effective organization structures with clear roles and responsibilities and ensuring competitive equitable compensation practices
- Leading workforce planning to manage headcount talent acquisition turnover and ongoing organizational development
- Managing employee relations and supporting leaders on performance management in ways that align with the MaRS values
- Trusted advisor to leaders to support and elevate their leadership capability
- Collaborating with other corporate functions to remove barriers and accelerate decisions
People Programs & Initiatives
- Oversee the team responsible for the design development and implementation of innovative people programs that promote the MaRS values including:
- Performance Management Goal setting Performance Check-ins Year End Reflection
- Total Rewards base pay variable pay benefits programs wellbeing
- Employee Experience flexible workplace practices productivity
- Employee Engagement survey and action planning
- Succession planning - leadership and critical roles
- Career Development - Learning & Leadership Development
- Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility and Belonging
- Other organizational design and development initiatives as needed
People Operations
- Leads the team who manages the day to day operations including: Payroll Benefits administration HRIS and analytics with a constant focus on automation and process simplification
- Ensures legislative compliance with progressive policies
- Oversees relationship management and is the escalation point for several vendors and contract negotiations (e.g. BambooHR Pivotal Payroll. Canada Life League Telus Health RBC)
Team Management
- Leads a team of three
- Manages departmental budget
- Defines the teams strategy objectives and key results and coaches for performance
- Coaches team members to learn grow and develop their careers
- A mentor to many across the organization at all levels to facilitate career development and growth
Talent Ecosystem
The successful candidate may have the opportunity to:
- Activate connections for MaRS with the broader ecosystem to bring best practices forward to drive innovation and help ventures and partners grow scale and thrive
- Contribute to articles and media content
- Participate on panels and public speaking engagements as appropriate
- Serve as an advisor to select high potential companies on talent-related topics
Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent work experience
- Masters degree MIRHR MBA etc. nice to have
- Coaching designation an asset
- CHRP an asset
- 10 years working in People and Culture with deep domain knowledge in employee relations talent management compensation benefits talent acquisition performance management engagement diversity equity and inclusion
- 3 years leading a team
- Experience working at a technology start-up or early growth company an asset
- Experience working at a not-for profit or charitable organization an asset
- Employee Relations
- Strong consulting advisory and influencing skills
- Relationship Management
- Payroll process oversight and compliance
- Strategy design change enablement and communications
- Conflict Management facilitation
- Data-based decision-making and talent analytics
- Strong knowledge in Ontario compliance and legislation (e.g. Employment Standards Occupational Health and Safety AODA etc.)
- Coaching skills
- Financial acumen
- HR Systems management and implementation
Applications will close at 5pm EDT on July 11 2025.
Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada and reside in Ontario.
Salary Range: $130000 - $150000 up to a 15% discretionary incentive extended healthcarebenefits lifestyle spending account GRRSP matching and paid time-off.
#LI-MDD
Required Experience:
Senior Manager
Employment Type
Full-Time
