Vice-President Governance

The Vice-President, People & Governance, is responsible for providing executive leadership for Specialty Life Insurance's people strategy, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, payroll, organizational effectiveness, governance framework, compliance programs, legal administration, privacy obligations, regulatory affairs, Internal Audits, Advisor Licensing, Advisor Contract Administration, quality assurance functions, advisor licensing administration, advisor contracting processes, and Canadian legal and regulatory activities.

This role serves as a key strategic partner to the President & COO and executive leadership team, ensuring the organization maintains a high-performing workforce, a strong and inclusive culture, effective governance practices, and a robust regulatory and compliance environment.

The Vice-President acts as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on organizational design, culture, workforce strategy, regulatory compliance, governance matters, enterprise risk considerations, and organizational change.

• Develop and execute enterprise people strategies aligned with business objectives, growth plans, and organizational priorities.
• Provide executive leadership for all Human Resources activities through the Director, Human Resources.
• Provide executive leadership, through the Director of Human Resources, to ensure all employee relations matters, workplace investigations, complaints, disciplinary actions, and employment terminations are managed consistently, fairly, and in compliance with all legislative and organizational requirements.
• Act as the Company's primary HR advisor during employment-related disputes, regulatory investigations, audits, and litigation.
• Partner with business leaders to develop workforce plans, succession strategies, organizational design initiatives, and leadership development programs.
• Develop executive dashboards, KPIs and Board reporting on workforce, governance, compliance, operational performance and risk.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and workforce productivity.
• Champion a progressive, inclusive, and high-performing culture that promotes accountability, collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, and employee/advisor well-being.
• Provide executive oversight of Talent Acquisition, Recruitment, HR Operations, Learning & Development, Leadership Development, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Succession Planning, Organizational Development and Employee Engagement.
• Develop workforce planning strategies and recruitment programs that strengthen employer branding, reduce time-to-fill and improve quality of hire.
• Lead executive recruitment, succession planning, leadership coaching and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
• Oversee employee engagement surveys, recognition, retention, wellness and DEI initiatives.
• Monitor workforce analytics including turnover, engagement, productivity, absenteeism and retention.
• Ensure the organization's roadmap includes competitive compensation, benefits, performance management, and talent development programs.
• Lead enterprise change management initiatives associated with organizational growth, transformation, and operational improvement.
• Monitor workforce metrics and organizational health indicators and provide strategic recommendations to executive leadership.

Talent Acquisition & Recruitment

• Create and oversee a strategic recruitment and selection plan across Canada.
• Manage recruitment pipeline.
• Ensure 100% of new hires receive required tools and documentation on day one.
• Establish and monitor diversity and equal opportunity goals.

Payroll & Compensation

• Provide executive oversight of end-to-end payroll ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance.
• Ensure compliance with CRA, CPP, EI, income tax, ROEs, T4s, statutory remittances and payroll legislation.
• Oversee payroll governance, audits, reconciliations and internal controls.
• Lead executive compensation, salary administration, bonus programs, commission structures, benefits and total rewards.
• Manage vendor relationships for payroll, HRIS and benefit providers.

Corporate Services

• Provide…