Human Resources Business Partner

Human Resources Business Partner

Region: Western Canada and the United States

Business Area: Environmental Laboratory Operations

Position Type: Full-time

Reports To: Senior HR Business Partner

Travel: Up to 10% across Canada and the United States

Position Summary

Our client is seeking a Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) to provide strategic and operational HR support across multiple laboratory operations in Western Canada and the United States.

The HRBP will collaborate with leaders to develop and execute people strategies that strengthen business performance, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and workforce capability. The role will provide expertise in employee and labour relations, talent management, workforce planning, leadership development, change management, and HR compliance.

This position will also lead a team of HR Coordinators responsible for delivering consistent, high-quality HR support.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted partner to leaders, providing strategic HR guidance that aligns workforce initiatives with business priorities and operational goals across multiple laboratory locations.
• Build strong partnerships with leaders to understand current and future workforce needs and recommend solutions that improve operational effectiveness.
• Monitor workforce trends and key performance indicators to identify risks and opportunities that could affect business performance.
• Support workforce planning and talent discussions to ensure assigned client groups have the capabilities, talent, and succession plans required to meet business objectives.
• Represent HR in business meetings and serve as the primary HR contact for assigned client groups.
• Coach leaders on performance management, employee engagement, accountability, leadership effectiveness, and talent development.
• Support employee-development initiatives and facilitate training programs that strengthen leadership and employee capabilities.
• Provide guidance on employee relations matters, including performance and attendance management, workplace conflict, accommodations, investigations, disciplinary action, and terminations.
• Assess organizational changes and develop change-management strategies that support employee engagement and successful implementation.
• Analyze workforce data and HR metrics to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, translating findings into actionable recommendations.
• Translate HR policies and procedures into practical business guidance, ensuring consistent application across regions in partnership with the broader HR team.
• Partner with Centres of Excellence to implement HR initiatives and programs tailored to business needs.
• Lead employee and labour relations matters while balancing employee experience, business requirements, legal compliance, and collective agreement obligations.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and ongoing development to a team of HR Coordinators, fostering engagement, accountability, and high performance.
• Lead the HR Coordinator team in delivering consistent, high-quality HR administrative and employee-support services across Canada.
• Act as the primary escalation point for process-related inquiries, providing guidance, decision support, and issue resolution.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, Centres of Excellence, and HR Operations to drive consistency, compliance, and service excellence across the organization.
• Help team members identify and pursue their career goals through development planning, coaching, mentoring, and exposure to growth opportunities.
• Create a culture of continuous learning by building the HR Coordinator team’s knowledge, capabilities, and confidence to support employees and leaders effectively.

Required Skills

• Strong knowledge of human resources principles, practices, and employment legislation.
• Demonstrated labour relations expertise, including collective agreement interpretation, grievance management, and union partnership.
• Advanced employee relations capabilities, including workplace investigations, conflict resolution, risk mitigation, and corrective action management.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to align HR strategies with operational and organizational priorities.
• Effective coaching and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and trust with leaders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and data-literacy skills, including the ability to translate workforce metrics into actionable business insights.
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, lead through change, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms, Microsoft Office applications, and workforce-reporting tools.
• Demonstrated discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive and confidential information.

Core Competencies

• Business Acumen: Understands operational drivers, financial considerations, workforce impacts, and business priorities to deliver value-added HR solutions.
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates future workforce needs and develops proactive people strategies that support organizational objectives.
• Influence and Consultation: Builds credibility and trust while influencing decisions and strengthening leader accountability.
• Labour Relations and Conflict Resolution: Manages unionized workplace matters through relationship management, issue resolution, grievance administration, and collective agreement interpretation.
• Change Leadership: Helps leaders and employees navigate organizational transitions and uncertainty.
• Leadership and Talent Development: Builds capability through coaching, mentoring, feedback, and development planning.
• Collaboration: Develops strong partnerships across business functions and HR teams to achieve shared goals.
• Decision-Making and Judgment: Assesses risk and makes balanced decisions aligned with organizational values and objectives.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve processes, service delivery, employee experience, and organizational effectiveness.
• Accountability and Execution: Takes ownership of outcomes and consistently delivers high-quality results.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field.
• CHRP or CHRL designation.
• Seven to ten years of progressive HR experience, including experience as an HR Business Partner supporting operational leaders in a multi-site organization.
• Three to five years of experience supporting a unionized workforce and administering collective agreements in a labour relations environment.
• Experience supporting employees and leaders in the United States.
• Experience supporting workforce planning, succession planning, talent reviews, and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
• Experience leading or coaching HR professionals, coordinators, or administrative teams.
• Experience supporting laboratory, environmental, technical, scientific, manufacturing, or industrial operations.

Work Environment

• Primarily an office and hybrid work environment with extensive computer use.
• Ability to attend meetings, training sessions, and site visits as required.

Travel Requirements

• Periodic travel to regional laboratory and operational locations throughout Canada and the United States.
• An estimated travel requirement of up to 10%.

This job description is not intended to provide a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned, at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.