Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

University of Lethbridge

$100K — $130K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • University degree in human resources, business, or a related field; master's degree preferred.
  • Professional designation such as CHRP or CHRL.
  • Significant senior-level HR leadership experience in a complex unionized environment.
  • Expertise in labour relations, compensation, organizational change, and HR policy.
  • Demonstrated commitment to wellness, health and safety, and respectful workplace practices.

Responsibilities

  • Advance a comprehensive people strategy aligned with institutional priorities.
  • Lead labour relations in a multi-union environment.
  • Oversee compensation and job evaluation initiatives, including mandated reviews.
  • Build trust and credibility through transparent communication and engagement.
  • Foster an inclusive workplace culture grounded in integrity and emotional intelligence.

Benefits

  • Emphasis on equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace.
  • Engagement with diverse employee communities.
  • Support for professional development and learning opportunities.
Full Job Description
Posting Details

Position Information

Job Title
Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

Position Details

The University of Lethbridge invites applications for the position of Associate Vice-President (AVP), Human Resources. This is a significant leadership opportunity to advance people, culture, and organizational effectiveness at a pivotal time for the University.

The Role

The Associate Vice-President (AVP), Human Resources, is the University's senior human resources leader, responsible for advancing a strategic, people-centred, service-oriented HR function that supports the academic mission and long-term sustainability of the institution. Reporting to the Vice-President (Finance and Administration), the AVP provides strategic and operational leadership across labour and employee relations, compensation and benefits, organizational development, policy, talent management, wellness, and HR systems.

The University is entering an important implementation phase following foundational strategy work. Key priorities include advancing the People Plan aligned with the University's strategic plan, leading a provincially required non-union compensation review, supporting modernization of enterprise systems and processes and navigating collective bargaining and mediation in a complex unionized environment.

The AVP works closely with the broader university community and interest holders, and must demonstrate a strong understanding of collegial governance, consultation, and the unique dynamics of post-secondary education in Canada.

Key Areas of Responsibility Include:

Strategic People Leadership - Advance a comprehensive people strategy aligned with institutional priorities, public sector requirements, and the University's values.

Labour and Employee Relations - Lead labour relations in a multi-union environment, including collective bargaining, mediation, grievance management, and complex employee relations matters.

Compensation and Workforce Systems - Oversee compensation, classification, and job evaluation initiatives, including provincially mandated reviews, and guide the modernization of HR systems and processes.

Collaborative and Consultative Leadership - Build trust and credibility across academic and non-academic employee communities through transparent communication, sound judgment, and respectful engagement.

Organizational Development and Culture - Foster a respectful, inclusive, and relational workplace culture grounded in integrity, humility, and strong emotional intelligence.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you are a highly experienced and trusted human resources executive with a demonstrated ability to lead in complex, unionized, public sector environments. You bring strong judgment, emotional intelligence, and a deep respect for consultation and collegial decision-making. You are an accessible and approachable leader who builds trust through transparency, sound judgement and authenticity. You are comfortable engaging in hands-on work when required, while consistently maintaining a strategic focus on systems, process improvement, and institutional capacity building.

You understand the realities of higher education, including its governance structures, academic culture, and pace of change, and can build trust across diverse employee communities through authenticity, transparency, and consistency. You are a highly capable project leader who can translate strategy into action while maintaining institutional stability.

Application Process

The University of Lethbridge is committed to Accessibility, Belonging and Community and strives to best support its diverse campus community. The University welcomes candidates who self-identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of colour with lived experience with demonstrated experience advancing equity, accessibility, belonging and inclusive practices with complex organizational environments. Joining a vibrant community at the University where we aspire to achieve equity and diversity in all areas, the successful candidate will be expected to show evidence of leadership and commitment to access and equity that promotes a collegial, collaborative and respectful working environment.

Please email [email protected] or communicate your needs to a recruitment professional named below to ensure that accessibility needs are accommodated through this process. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Abbey MacLeod at [email protected], Kyle Steele at [email protected], or Dr. Jennie Massey at [email protected] or submit your full application by visiting this link: https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17725865948920000008uvi.

The Committee will begin reviewing applications on June 29, 2026.

Position Qualifications

While the Search Committee recognizes that no one candidate is likely to meet all qualifications in equal measure, those listed below are desirable and will be used to compare candidates.

  • A university degree in human resources, business, or a related field, with a master's degree preferred.
  • A CHRP, CHRL, or equivalent professional designation.
  • Significant senior-level HR leadership experience, ideally in a complex unionized environment.
  • Demonstrated expertise in labour relations, compensation, organizational change, and HR policy.
  • Experience leading major projects and translating strategy into effective implementation.
  • Demonstrated commitment to wellness, health and safety, and respectful workplace practices.
  • Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and judgment skills.
  • Experience working in relationship with Indigenous communities or a willingness to learn in this area is considered an asset.
  • Demonstrated commitment to advancing accessibility, belonging, and community in the workplace.
  • Experience at higher education institutions or in the public sector is an asset but not required.


Skills and Attributes:
  • Consultative and collaborative leader who builds trust through integrity and authenticity.
  • Emotionally intelligent, with strong communication and judgment skills.
  • Strategic thinker with a strong operational orientation.
  • Comfortable navigating complexity, ambiguity, and highly relational environments.
  • Resilient, steady, and adaptable in periods of change.
  • Skilled in working with diverse populations with a demonstrated commitment to accessibility, belonging and inclusive workplace practices.


Starting Salary Range (at 1.0 FTE)

Full Salary Range (at 1.0 FTE)

Campus
Lethbridge

Employment Group
Senior Administrative

Position Category
Other

Posting Detail Information

Open Date
06/03/2026

Close Date

Open Until Filled
Yes

Desired Start Date

Position End Date (if temporary)

Special Instructions to Applicants

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Abbey MacLeod at [email protected], Kyle Steele at [email protected], or Dr. Jennie Massey at [email protected] or submit your full application by visiting this link: https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17725865948920000008uvi.

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