People & Culture Advisor

Salary $72,430 - $97,028 per annum, 35 hours per week

Classification ADM-06

This is a provisional classification. Formal regular review classification procedures may be initiated at any time by the incumbent or supervisor after the incumbent has worked a minimum of six months in the role.

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada's leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region's intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Dalhousie University’s People and Culture team strives to ensure Dalhousie’s people and culture goals and core values are aligned and embedded across the institution so that all members of the university community feel included, motivated, and supported to excel. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, People and Culture, the People and Culture Advisor provides strategic expertise in workforce planning, employee and labour relations, organizational effectiveness, and change initiatives, partnering with leaders in a complex unionized environment.

• Assess and redesign organizational structures, workflows, reporting relationships, staffing models, and functional alignment to support university goals.
• Conduct workforce analyses, succession planning, skills gap assessments, capacity reviews, and develop options for role creation, consolidation, redeployment, and realignment.
• Interpret collective agreements, legislation, and policies to support organizational change and minimize labour relations risk.
• Apply organizational development and change management principles to facilitate successful implementation of restructuring and transformation projects.
• Evaluate operational, financial, employee relations, and compliance impacts of workforce and structural changes, preparing business cases and recommendations for leadership decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, fostering collaboration, trust, and positive working relationships.

The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

• Undergraduate degree in human resources, organizational development, or a related field, plus a minimum of five years in human resource management with focus on labour and employee relations (or equivalent combination of training and experience).
• Demonstrated experience supporting organizational design, workplace redesign, workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, or change management initiatives.
• Strong experience interpreting and applying collective agreements, employment legislation, labour standards, and related university policies.
• Demonstrated ability to assess labour relations implications and organizational risks associated with workforce and structural changes.
• Experience supporting complex employee matters, including grievances, organizational restructuring, workforce transitions, redeployment, and conflict resolution.
• Sound understanding of labour relations principles, collective bargaining environments, arbitration processes, and dispute prevention strategies.

• CHRP or related professional designation considered.
• Training or coursework in organizational development, change management, labour relations, mediation, or workplace investigations considered.

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s core and leadership competencies, in particular:

• Self-Awareness & Professionalism
• Integrity
• Respect & Inclusion
• Adaptability
• Knowledge & Thinking Skills

Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total…