Associate Vice-President, People & Culture
Mount Royal University (MRU) is seeking a visionary leader and change manager to serve as the AVP, People & Culture in achieving a mandate of evolving, re-imagining and re-branding the HR function to a People and Culture function and to further establishing Mount Royal as an employer of choice.
Mount Royal University, situated in an ancient and storied place within the hereditary lands of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Îethka Nakoda, Tsuut’ina, and Métis Nations, is a community committed to quality undergraduate education that puts students first.
Since its inception in 1910, Mount Royal has grown into a renowned university and a beloved Calgary institution, welcoming some 15,000 students each year. Since becoming a university in 2009, we have gone from primarily delivering access and transfer programming to nearly 80% of students enrolled in bachelor’s degrees.
More than a century after it was written, our founders’ vision for Mount Royal still rings true: we are a community drawn together in a common endeavour to learn. Our strengths and successes are rooted in our communities: distinguished faculty, exceptional students, talented and committed staff members, dedicated leaders, accomplished alumni, and engaged community partners. We are about opening minds and changing lives. We provide students with the critical skills and practical experiences that will prepare them to contribute to, and succeed in, an increasingly complex and ever-changing world.
The Role
Reporting to the Vice President Finance and Administration, the Associate Vice President, People and Culture is the strategic and operational lead for all aspects of MRU employee services at MRU. The AVP engages the MRU community in the development of a people and culture strategy. Working collaboratively across MRU with both academic and administrative units, the AVP will lead human resources to attract, develop, and retain top talent while fostering a healthy and supportive environment that values learning and development, further establishing Mount Royal as an employer of choice. The AVP will lead dedicated teams in delivering exceptional human resource services throughout the employee life cycle and drive innovative employment strategies, policies, programs, and technologies in support of the mission, values and strategic goals of MRU. The AVP embraces innovation, has a continuous improvement outlook, a growth mindset and high emotional intelligence. In partnership and collaboration with the AVP Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA), and the AVP Indigenization and Decolonization, the AVP People and Culture champions and promotes the institutional values of EDIA and enhancing indigeneity across the university community.
The current moment at MRU offers the opportunity to evolve and build a healthy, values-driven and positive organizational culture supported by the thoughtful and creative deployment of systems. Acting as a ‘trusted advisor’ on all employee matters, the AVP, People and Culture also demonstrates a proven track record in driving high employee engagement. This role is pivotal in establishing MRU as a highly desirable place to work and contributing to the organization’s overall strategy and operational success in support of the Employer of Choice strategic goal.
The Ideal Candidate
With extensive enterprise level strategic leadership experience for a broad portfolio including people and culture, human resources, and organizational development, the ideal candidate is recognized as a credible, progressive, and transformative leader. The ideal candidate will have experience in an academic setting, and a unionized environment, with a demonstrated ability to advance People, Culture, and Human Resources innovation and best practices, and a proven track record of professional advancement and accomplishment.
To ensure that MRU continues to build a sustainable, inclusive and positive work environment, the AVP will possess an understanding of the dynamics that characterizes the organization, cultivate high-performing teams and foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Experience and Qualifications
The Associate Vice-President, People and Culture should possess:
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
MRU is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation and believes in providing a positive learning and working environment where every person feels empowered to contribute. MRU is committed to the principle of equity in employment and encourages applications from underrepresented groups including women, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.
KBRS and MRU will provide support in the recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact accommodate@kbrs.ca
Mount Royal University, situated in an ancient and storied place within the hereditary lands of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Îethka Nakoda, Tsuut’ina, and Métis Nations, is a community committed to quality undergraduate education that puts students first.
Since its inception in 1910, Mount Royal has grown into a renowned university and a beloved Calgary institution, welcoming some 15,000 students each year. Since becoming a university in 2009, we have gone from primarily delivering access and transfer programming to nearly 80% of students enrolled in bachelor’s degrees.
More than a century after it was written, our founders’ vision for Mount Royal still rings true: we are a community drawn together in a common endeavour to learn. Our strengths and successes are rooted in our communities: distinguished faculty, exceptional students, talented and committed staff members, dedicated leaders, accomplished alumni, and engaged community partners. We are about opening minds and changing lives. We provide students with the critical skills and practical experiences that will prepare them to contribute to, and succeed in, an increasingly complex and ever-changing world.
The Role
Reporting to the Vice President Finance and Administration, the Associate Vice President, People and Culture is the strategic and operational lead for all aspects of MRU employee services at MRU. The AVP engages the MRU community in the development of a people and culture strategy. Working collaboratively across MRU with both academic and administrative units, the AVP will lead human resources to attract, develop, and retain top talent while fostering a healthy and supportive environment that values learning and development, further establishing Mount Royal as an employer of choice. The AVP will lead dedicated teams in delivering exceptional human resource services throughout the employee life cycle and drive innovative employment strategies, policies, programs, and technologies in support of the mission, values and strategic goals of MRU. The AVP embraces innovation, has a continuous improvement outlook, a growth mindset and high emotional intelligence. In partnership and collaboration with the AVP Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA), and the AVP Indigenization and Decolonization, the AVP People and Culture champions and promotes the institutional values of EDIA and enhancing indigeneity across the university community.
The current moment at MRU offers the opportunity to evolve and build a healthy, values-driven and positive organizational culture supported by the thoughtful and creative deployment of systems. Acting as a ‘trusted advisor’ on all employee matters, the AVP, People and Culture also demonstrates a proven track record in driving high employee engagement. This role is pivotal in establishing MRU as a highly desirable place to work and contributing to the organization’s overall strategy and operational success in support of the Employer of Choice strategic goal.
The Ideal Candidate
With extensive enterprise level strategic leadership experience for a broad portfolio including people and culture, human resources, and organizational development, the ideal candidate is recognized as a credible, progressive, and transformative leader. The ideal candidate will have experience in an academic setting, and a unionized environment, with a demonstrated ability to advance People, Culture, and Human Resources innovation and best practices, and a proven track record of professional advancement and accomplishment.
To ensure that MRU continues to build a sustainable, inclusive and positive work environment, the AVP will possess an understanding of the dynamics that characterizes the organization, cultivate high-performing teams and foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Experience and Qualifications
The Associate Vice-President, People and Culture should possess:
- An advanced degree (or equivalent) or professional accreditation or designation related to Human Resources;
- Extensive progressive HR experience in a unionized environment (or equivalent);
- Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor direct reports while developing collegial relationships;
- Demonstrated experience implementing inclusive initiatives and a proven commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA), Indigenization and decolonization, and anti-racism;
- Confidence to analyze processes, protocols and policies with the objective of optimization and the creation of opportunities to address institutional challenges;
- Leadership experience within the post-secondary education sector is considered a strong asset;
- Excellent skills and significant experience managing at both the strategic and operational level in a complex environment, servicing a diverse group;
- Passion for the student, faculty and staff experience. Empathetic and as thoughtful about the students, faculty and staff as you are about human resources and how it can shape people, their work and the culture;
- Proven success working in a unionized environment, including navigating collective bargaining and collective agreements; and
- Exceptional communication skills and ability to influence and collaborate across a diversity of stakeholders within academia and administration.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
MRU is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation and believes in providing a positive learning and working environment where every person feels empowered to contribute. MRU is committed to the principle of equity in employment and encourages applications from underrepresented groups including women, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.
KBRS and MRU will provide support in the recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact accommodate@kbrs.ca