Head of Human Resources

Head of Human Resources

Location: Markham, Ontario

About Real Fruit Bubble Tea

Real Fruit Bubble Tea is one of Canada's leading bubble tea brands, with 140+ locations across Canada and the United States. As a rapidly growing organization, we continue to expand our footprint by opening new stores and entering new markets each year.

As our business continues to expand, we are seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Human Resources to lead the transformation of our HR function and build a best-in-class HR organization.

This is a senior executive leadership role responsible for establishing HR strategy, strengthening organizational capability, ensuring legal compliance, managing complex employee relations, and partnering closely with senior leadership to support the company's long-term growth.

The successful candidate will report directly to the CEO and oversee all Human Resources functions across the organization.

At Real Fruit Bubble Tea, we believe our people are our greatest asset. We are looking for a leader who not only brings exceptional HR expertise, but also genuinely embraces our entrepreneurial culture, shares our values, and is passionate about helping our people and business grow together.

Key Responsibilities

HR Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead and oversee all Human Resources functions across Canada and the United States.
• Build, develop, and continuously improve the company's HR department, organizational structure, policies, systems, and governance framework.
• Develop and implement HR strategies that support the company's long-term business objectives.
• Build scalable HR processes capable of supporting a rapidly growing multi-location organization.
• Lead organizational design, succession planning, leadership development, and talent management initiatives.
• Build and mentor a high-performing HR team while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Employment Law, Compliance & Employee Relations

• Serve as the company's senior advisor on Canadian employment legislation and HR compliance.
• Ensure compliance with Employment Standards legislation, Human Rights legislation, Occupational Health & Safety requirements, and other applicable federal and provincial employment laws.
• Lead complex employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, performance management, disciplinary actions, accommodations, disability management, and terminations.
• Develop, review, and maintain employment agreements, HR policies, employee handbooks, and internal procedures.
• Proactively identify legal and operational HR risks and recommend practical business solutions.

Government & Regulatory Relations

• Act as the primary HR representative when communicating with government agencies, regulatory authorities, and external legal counsel.
• Manage matters involving Employment Standards, Labour Boards, Human Rights Tribunals, WSIB/Workers' Compensation, Occupational Health & Safety regulators, Service Canada, and other government agencies.
• Coordinate government audits, compliance reviews, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
• Partner with external legal counsel on complex employment matters and litigation.

HR Operations

• Provide executive oversight for talent acquisition, compensation, benefits, payroll governance, HRIS, and HR reporting.
• Establish HR metrics and executive reporting to support strategic decision-making.
• Improve operational efficiency through standardized HR processes and continuous improvement initiatives.

Strategic Business Partner

• Partner closely with the CEO and senior leadership team on organizational strategy, workforce planning, succession planning, and business growth initiatives.
• Provide strategic HR advice to leaders across multiple provinces and business units.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, organizational restructuring, and other strategic initiatives when required.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, or a related field.
• CHRL, CPHR, or equivalent HR designation is preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including at least 5 years leading an HR department.
• Demonstrated experience building, leading, or transforming an HR department and establishing scalable HR systems and processes.
• Extensive knowledge of Canadian employment legislation and HR best practices.
• Experience supporting organizations operating across multiple locations and multiple provinces.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Required Expertise

The successful candidate must demonstrate substantial experience in the following areas:

• Leading the development, restructuring, or transformation of an HR department and HR operating framework.
• Independently managing complex Employment Standards, Labour Board, Human Rights, WSIB, workplace investigation, accommodation, disability management, and termination matters.
• Representing the organization in communications with government agencies, regulatory authorities, and external employment legal counsel.
• Supporting multi-location and preferably multi-provincial business operations with consistent HR governance and compliance.
• Developing practical HR solutions that balance legal compliance with business objectives.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with the following experience will be strongly preferred:

• Retail, restaurant, hospitality, franchise, or other multi-unit business environments.
• Rapidly growing organizations.
• Cross-border HR experience supporting both Canadian and U.S. operations.
• Organizational transformation and change management.
• Executive coaching and leadership development.
• Proficiency in Cantonese and/or Mandarin is considered a strong asset.

What You'll Bring

• Executive-level business acumen.
• Strong employment law knowledge and sound judgment.
• Excellent leadership and influencing skills.
• A hands-on approach with the ability to think strategically.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Confidence managing highly sensitive and high-risk employment matters.
• A passion for building strong teams and scalable HR organizations.
• A genuine commitment to embracing and championing the company's culture, values, and long-term vision, while fostering a positive and high-performance workplace culture.
• The ability to build trust and strong working relationships across all levels of the organization while leading through collaboration, integrity, and accountability.

Compensation & Benefits

• A competitive executive compensation package will be offered, including a base salary of CAD $200,000–250,000, commensurate with experience, qualifications, demonstrated expertise, and overall fit, along with a performance-based bonus and comprehensive benefits.

We’re committed to being transparent and fair about pay. The salary range provided is a guideline and not a guaranteed offer. Final compensation is determined based on the responsibilities of the role, market data, internal equity, and several individual factors, including overall and relevant experience, education, certifications, skills, expertise, and the location of the position.

Please note:

All job postings at Real Fruit Bubble Tea Inc. are intended to fill existing vacancies within our organization.

AI Usage:

As part of our recruitment process, we may use technology-assisted tools, including automated systems, to help review and assess applications. These tools do not make final decisions. All screening, interviewing, and hiring decisions are made by our human resources and hiring team.

Industry

Food and Beverage Services

Employment Type

Full-time

Real Fruit Bubble Tea is committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices. Accommodation is available, upon request, for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment selection process