Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB

The University of Lethbridge invites applications for the position of Associate Vice-President (AVP), Human Resources. This is a significant leadership opportunity to advance people, culture, and organizational effectiveness at a pivotal time for the University.

The Organization
Founded in 1967, the University of Lethbridge is a comprehensive academic and research institution recognized for its commitment to liberal education, experiential learning, and community engagement. With campuses in Lethbridge and Calgary, the University serves approximately 8,000 students and employs a complex workforce of faculty and staff represented across eight different employee groups. Guided by a new strategic plan and energized by recent academic program expansions, including the launch of a new medical program and the planned development of an engineering program, the University is poised for transformative growth.

University of Lethbridge’s Blackfoot name is Iniskim, meaning Sacred Buffalo Stone. The University is located in traditional Blackfoot Confederacy territory. We honour the Blackfoot people and their traditional ways of knowing in caring for this land, as well as all Indigenous Peoples who have helped shape and continue to strengthen our University community.

The Role
The Associate Vice-President (AVP), Human Resources, is the University’s senior human resources leader, responsible for advancing a strategic, people‑centred, service‑oriented HR function that supports the academic mission and long‑term sustainability of the institution. Reporting to the Vice‑President (Finance and Administration), the AVP provides strategic and operational leadership across labour and employee relations, compensation and benefits, organizational development, policy, talent management, wellness, and HR systems.

The University is entering an important implementation phase following foundational strategy work. Key priorities include advancing the People Plan aligned with the University’s strategic plan, leading a provincially required non‑union compensation review, supporting modernization of enterprise systems and processes and navigating collective bargaining and mediation in a complex unionized environment.

The AVP works closely with the broader university community and interest holders, and must demonstrate a strong understanding of collegial governance, consultation, and the unique dynamics of post‑secondary education in Canada.

Key areas of responsibility include:

Strategic People Leadership  – Advance a comprehensive people strategy aligned with institutional priorities, public sector requirements, and the University’s values.

Labour and Employee Relations  – Lead labour relations in a multi‑union environment, including collective bargaining, mediation, grievance management, and complex employee relations matters.

Compensation and Workforce Systems  – Oversee compensation, classification, and job evaluation initiatives, including provincially mandated reviews, and guide the modernization of HR systems and processes.

Collaborative and Consultative Leadership  – Build trust and credibility across academic and non‑academic employee communities through transparent communication, sound judgment, and respectful engagement.

Organizational Development and Culture  – Foster a respectful, inclusive, and relational workplace culture grounded in integrity, humility, and strong emotional intelligence.

The Ideal Candidate
As the ideal candidate, you are a highly experienced and trusted human resources executive with a demonstrated ability to lead in complex, unionized, public sector environments. You bring strong judgment, emotional intelligence, and a deep respect for consultation and collegial decision‑making. You are an accessible and approachable leader who builds trust through transparency, sound judgement and authenticity. You are comfortable engaging in hands‑on work when required, while consistently maintaining a strategic focus on systems, process improvement, and institutional capacity building.

You understand the realities of higher education,…