Director HR

Company: ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, Direct Business – Canada
Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Vice President, Human Resources

Location: Oakville, ON (4 days/week on-site, flexible day-to-day)

Travel: Approximately 20%–30% across Canadian regional branches

Overview

Reporting to the Vice President, Human Resources, the Director, Human Resources – Canada leads the national delivery of core HR programs and people operations across a multi-site, multi-province organization. Leading a regional team of HR Managers, this role acts as the national anchor for complex employee relations, legal compliance, compensation and benefits, workforce planning, and M&A integration. This role is built for a grounded, technically deep HR leader who thrives in a collaborative, mid-to-large corporate environment, balances sound risk management with operational realities, and takes genuine pride in team coaching and functional execution.

Key Accountabilities

HR Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and coach a team of three Regional HR Managers supporting branch operations across Canada;
• Foster high team cohesion, accountability, and operational consistency across provinces while respecting regional nuances;
• Act as a trusted sounding board and escalation partner for regional team members facing high-stakes operational issues;
• Drive a collaborative, service-oriented culture that partners seamlessly with field operations.

Employee Relations, Employment Law & Compliance

• Serve as the national subject-matter expert on complex employee relations, workplace investigations, human rights matters, and accommodations across Canadian jurisdictions;
• Provide pragmatic, legally sound guidance to senior leaders and regional teams on disciplinary actions, performance management, and separations;
• Assess workforce issues through a clear risk-and-probability lens, balancing statutory obligations with business goals; and
• Standardize workplace practices and documentation to mitigate organizational liability across growing branch operations.

M&A Integration & Change Management

• Direct the HR integration workstreams for newly acquired businesses across Canada;
• Partner closely with operational leaders to align workforce structures, cultural transitions, and people processes;
• Lead the harmonization and rollout of national HR policies, compensation bands, benefits programs, and onboarding for acquired teams;
• Monitor integration milestones, proactively mitigating friction to ensure a stable and positive employee experience throughout transitions.

Compensation, Benefits & Workforce Planning

• Direct annual compensation reviews, salary band administration, and market benchmarking;
• Oversee national benefits programs and vendor relationships, evaluating plan performance and cost effectiveness;
• Collaborate with executive and operational leadership on workforce planning, headcount budgeting, and structural design;
• Prepare data-grounded business cases and executive recommendations regarding organizational investments and restructuring.

HR Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Leverage workforce analytics, retention metrics, and turnover trends to inform people strategies;
• Partner collaboratively with Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Health & Safety, and Training teams to streamline operational workflows;
• Continuously evaluate and modernize HR service delivery to reduce administrative drag across field operations.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, or a related field;
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including multi-site or national operational support in Canada;
• 3+ years in a people-leadership capacity directly managing HR Business Partners or HR Managers;
• Deep technical mastery of Canadian employment standards, human rights legislation, and employee relations practices across multiple provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and Western Canada);
• Demonstrated hands-on experience leading HR integration activities for mergers and acquisitions;
• CHRL, CPHR, or equivalent professional designation is strongly preferred.

Key Behavioural Competencies

• Capable of balancing statutory compliance with commercial reality, evaluating issues on probability and business impact.
• Approaches operational leaders as a true problem-solving partner rather than a rigid policy gatekeeper.
• Results-driven and self-directed, with a strong focus on functional delivery, cross-regional impact, and high-quality operational support.
• Demonstrated operational ownership, thriving in hands-on execution and team enablement.
• Open to feedback, curious about differing perspectives, and receptive to evolving approaches.
• Able to model composure, manage high workloads sustainably, and maintain clear perspective during demanding integration periods.

Performance Indicators (What Success Looks Like)

• HR practices, policies, and employee relations workflows operate consistently across all three Canadian regions.
• Acquired businesses integrate on schedule with clear HR roadmaps, minimal voluntary turnover, and stable operational continuity.
• Complex workplace matters are investigated thoroughly, documented cleanly, and resolved in compliance with provincial standards.
• Regional HR Managers demonstrate increased autonomy, sound judgment, and strong operational relationships within their territories.

Compensation Range: $145,000 – $165,000, commensurate with experience

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.