The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) believes in Our Communities, Our Environment and Our People. As a trusted partner to municipalities, First Nations communities, businesses, governments and institutions across Ontario, we provide our clients with total solutions in water and wastewater. We are dedicated to working closely with our clients to help them build healthy sustainable communities and organizations and provide safe and reliable drinking water to thousands of Ontarians each day.
Are you an experienced Human Resources professional? Do you enjoy a challenging, engaging and collaborative work environment? If so, this may be the role for you.
About the job
As a partner to your client managers, you will provide coaching, advice and services on a range of human resources issues and programs including workforce planning, recruitment, disability management/accommodation, performance management, employee relations, organizational design, change management and communications, learning and development. You will promote and support strategies to strengthen a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, alongside health and safety.
You will develop strategic partnerships with your clients to assist them in achieving their business goals through acquiring an understanding of their current and future business requirements and activities.
You will foster relationships with your employee relations counterparts to encourage open dialogue and facilitate early resolution to arising workplace concerns.
What you bring to the team
Knowledge
• Knowledge of the theories, principles and practices of human resources management, and ability to interpret and apply HR policy/directives, collective agreements and various HR related legislation/regulation when providing expert and strategic advice to management.
• Knowledge and expertise in a diverse range of specialized human resources management functions and programs to provide advice and guidance
• Knowledge and experience with a HR information system (e.g. Workday)
• Knowledge and understanding of organization's goals, mandate and directions to ensure human resources advice, services and support meet the needs of the organization.
Analytical Thinking, Planning and Coordination
• Identifies, analyzes and resolves a range of difficult, confidential, and sensitive issues, including measures to minimize risks and impacts; interpret legislation, directives, policies and collective agreements; and identifies the impact on human resources initiatives on client operations.
• Assists client managers in the resolution of contentious employee relations issues avoiding potential grievances and providing recommendations to the employer's position on issues as well as developing innovative approaches to resolve cases.
• Case management, planning and organizational skills to respond to numerous complex challenges and demands from client management, manage and prioritize workload, meet conflicting deadlines, and deal with frequent interruptions, urgent matters and constantly changing priorities.
Interpersonal/Communication
• Communicates and provides proactive customer service and uses relationship management skills to provide client management with well-considered assessments of their needs, issues, options, and opportunities. Develops and sustains effective working relationships with client managers, executives, employees, union representatives, and colleagues.
• Facilitates the resolution of grievances and disputes with bargaining agents, influencing others by building support and commitment to adopt a specific course of action.
• Consultation, presentation, interpersonal, and oral communication skills to provide advice and information, express complex issues clearly and convincingly, deliver presentations and information sessions, and communicate effectively in stressful and emotional management-employee situations.
• Develops sensitive and complex HR correspondence, union disclosures, disciplinary letters, termination letters, presentation materials, issue notes, position descriptions, and executive responses.
Ontario Clean Water Agency is an inclusive employer.
We will accommodate your needs under the Ontario Human Rights CodeThe Ontario Clean Water Agency is an agency of the Province of Ontario, reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. In 2023, OCWA staff treat water and wastewater, and provide other technical services for 318 clients in the province including 169 municipalities, 16 First Nations, 108 commercial and industrial clients and 25 government and institutional clients. Municipal clients range in size from populations as large as 1.5 million in the Region of Peel to as small as 2,400 in Moose Factory. This broad scope of experience ensures OCWA has the expertise to solve any issues that may arise, in any size or type of treatment process in the province. Our Agency has grown its municipal client base every year over the past 30 years is proof of this value. We continue to focus on our people and strategies to attract and retain competent staff.Note: Thank you for your interest, we will contact you only if you are selected for further screening or an interview.
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer
accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please
contact us.Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
What we offer
• Flexible learning and development opportunities.
• Opportunities for career advancement and specialization with the largest provider of water and wastewater services in Ontario.
• Work with the partner of choice for more communities than any other water and wastewater service organization in Ontario for over 30 years.
• Work with an organization committed to innovation and advanced technology.
• A defined benefit pension plan; Comprehensive Health Plan; Life and Disability Insurance.
• Maternity and parental leave top-up benefits including for adoptive parents.