Job Title

Director, Human Resources, Operations Business Partner 10 Carlson Ct, Etobicoke, ON M9W 7K6, Canada Job Description Posted Friday, March 20, 2026 at 4:00 AM Department: Human Resources Reports to: Chief People Officer Status: Full Time Location(s): Head Office (Etobicoke) with frequent travel to operational sites Job Scope: Reporting to the Chief People Officer , the Director, Human Resources Operations provides strategic and operational HR leadership across all manufacturing, distribution, and operational sites. This role is accountable for setting the direction, standards, and priorities for HR support in Operations and for leading a team of Regional Managers, Human Resources and sitebased HR leaders. Working in close partnership with Operations leadership, this role ensures consistent, compliant, and effective people practices that support safe operations, positive labour relations, strong leadership capability, and an engaged workforce. The Director plays a critical role in translating enterprise people strategy into practical, siteready execution while bringing operational realities back into corporate HR strategy and decisionmaking. Key Responsibilities: Operational HR Leadership Provide overall leadership and direction for HR support across all Operations locations, ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment with enterprise HR strategy. Act as the senior HR advisor to Operations leadership on workforce planning, labour relations, leadership effectiveness, and organizational change. Balance enterprise standards with local operational needs, ensuring solutions are practical, scalable, and sustainable. Leadership & Team Management Lead, coach, and develop Regional Managers, Human Resources and other operational HR leaders. Set clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards for the Operations HR team. Build strong bench strength and succession plans for HR roles within Operations. Labour Relations & Employee Relations Provide senior oversight and guidance on complex labour relations matters, including union relationships, negotiations, grievances, arbitrations, and workforce restructuring. Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant approaches to investigations, discipline, and conflict resolution across all sites. Champion positive employee relations and effective Employee Resource Committees across Operations. Partner with Operations and corporate HR teams to strengthen leadership capability at all levels within Operations. Oversee talent planning, succession management, and leadership pipeline development for Operations leadership roles. Support executive and senior leadership recruitment for Operations roles, as required. Ensure compliance with employment legislation, collective agreements, company policies, and industry regulations across all Operations sites. Partner with Total Rewards, Labour Relations, Health & Safety, and Legal to proactively manage peoplerelated risk. Monitor trends and risks related to turnover, engagement, absenteeism, grievances, and compliance, and recommend mitigation strategies. Data, Insights & Continuous Improvement Review and analyze key HR and workforce metrics for Operations and use insights to drive continuous improvement. Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and strengthen HR processes within Operations. Lead or support crossfunctional initiatives that improve the employee and leader experience in operational environments. Qualifications & Requirements: Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, or a related field. 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with significant experience supporting large, multisite operational or manufacturing environments. Demonstrated experience leading HR leaders (regional or sitebased) and influencing senior operational leadership. Strong knowledge of labour relations, employment legislation, and HR best practices in unionized environments. Proven ability to balance strategic thinking with handson, practical execution. Strong leadership presence, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive issues. Willingness and ability to travel regularly to operational sites. Gay Lea Foods is a leading Canadian dairy co-operative renowned for producing high-quality, nutritious dairy products that Canadian families love and trust. From farm to table, our 1,200 farmer members in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 1,200 employees across four provinces, work together to nourish communities through awardwinning brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Bothwell Cheese, and more. As part of its deeply rooted, balanced commitment to people, profit, and planet, Gay Lea Foods proudly invests one percent of pretax earnings back into Canadian communities through a national food security partnership with Second Harvest, and the communitybuilding efforts of the Gay Lea Foundation. To learn more, visit gayleafoods.com . Gay Lea Foods is an equalopportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace. Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process. Gay Lea Foods may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of the recruitment process, including screening and assessment. We are currently accepting applications for this open position. Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods. Wishing you all the best with your career search! 10 Carlson Ct, Etobicoke, ON M9W 7K6, Canada #J-18808-Ljbffr