HR & People Manager

HR & People Operations Manager (2 year contract)

Location: Toronto, ON - hybrid, 3 days in office

Salary: $90K - $110K + Benefits + Paid Time Off

Contract Duration: June 2026 - May 2028 (extension potential based on performance)

Company:

Our client is an innovative organization operating at the intersection of education, technology, and social impact. Through a combination of digital learning solutions, immersive technologies, and community-focused programming, they are helping organizations create more engaging, accessible, and future-focused learning experiences. As they continue to grow, they are seeking a people-focused leader to help build and scale their internal operations and culture.

Description:

Our client is seeking an experienced HR & People Operations Manager to lead and develop the organization's people function. This is a highly visible role that combines strategic HR leadership with hands-on execution, supporting a growing team while building scalable systems, processes, and programs that foster employee engagement, operational excellence, and long-term growth.

Manage the full employee lifecycle including recruitment, onboarding, offboarding, contracts, payroll coordination, employee relations, and HR administration.

Build and enhance HR infrastructure by developing policies, procedures, systems, employee handbooks, and operational frameworks that support organizational growth and compliance.

Lead full-cycle recruitment efforts, partnering with leadership to identify hiring needs, improve hiring processes, strengthen candidate experience, and develop talent pipelines.

Design and implement performance management programs, goal-setting frameworks, employee development initiatives, and ongoing feedback processes.

Drive employee engagement, culture-building initiatives, recognition programs, team events, and retention strategies that support a positive and inclusive workplace.

Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on people-related matters including organizational design, workforce planning, employee relations, conflict resolution, and change management.

Support broader organizational initiatives by contributing to operational improvements, strategic planning, workforce forecasting, and cross-functional projects.

Qualifications:

5+ years of experience in Human Resources, People Operations, or a related function, with exposure to both strategic and operational HR responsibilities.

Demonstrated experience building HR programs, systems, and processes from the ground up, ideally within a startup, scaling organization, or high-growth environment.

Strong experience managing full-cycle recruitment, employee relations, performance management, and organizational development initiatives.

Solid understanding of employment legislation, HR best practices, and handling confidential employee matters with professionalism and discretion.

Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trust across all levels of an organization.

Highly organized, proactive, self-directed, and comfortable working in a dynamic environment with evolving priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience serving as the sole HR or People Operations professional within an organization.

Experience implementing performance management frameworks, employee engagement initiatives, or culture development programs.

Previous experience supporting rapidly growing organizations through periods of scale and transformation.