Introduction The Ottawa Food Bank is a leading Canadian registered charity and non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthy, accessible, and sustainable food for all. Established in 1984, they have grown to become a critical support system for the Nations Capital, serving nearly 40,000 people each month through a network of 98 partner agencies. As the Ottawa Food Bank sees firsthand how hunger affects the community and how it can become a barrier to success, they have focused on creating a healthier city by empowering people, increasing access to healthy food and advocating for systemic changes that will reduce food insecurity. In recent years, the Ottawa Food Bank has gone beyond just the supply of emergency food. It has made significant commitments regarding health which has included hiring a dietitian to review the food it offers and a community developer to better understand the needs of the communities it serves. It has invested in a farm, which produces over 100,000 pounds of produce each year and increased the budget to procure fresh food year round. The Ottawa Food Bank is truly a for the community by the community organization. The key to its ability to deliver on its mandate is the staff and team of over 2,100 volunteers who offer 17, 500 hours of their time annually. In addition, the financial support it gains which amounts to over $9 million in food value and close to $27 million in dollar donations primarily comes from the generosity of individuals and corporations in the communities the Ottawa Food Bank serves. Summary of role The Director of People and Culture at the Ottawa Food Bank is a key leadership role within the organization, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. In this capacity, you will be responsible for leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of all human resources strategies, policies, and programs. Your role will involve translating the organizations values and culture into best practices, ensuring these principles are embedded in every aspect of the employee experience. You will create an operational plan that reflects and supports the execution of the recently created strategic plan, aligning human resources initiatives with the overall goals of the Ottawa Food Bank. As part of your responsibilities, you will develop and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees, volunteers, and recipients of the organizations services. You will also contribute critical insights into organizational decision-making, ensuring that human resources strategies are aligned with Ottawa Food Banks core values and mission. Building on the successful development of policies, procedures, and processes, you will work to further enhance measurable KPIs that track progress and drive accountability within the organization. This will include leading all aspects of the employee lifecycle, such as recruitment and onboarding, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee relations, and occupational health and safety. Collaborating closely with the executive leadership team, you will drive organizational development initiatives such as succession planning, workforce development, employee retention, total rewards and recognition, and employee engagement. A significant focus will be on developing and implementing professional development opportunities, as well as promoting a culture of continuous learning that attracts, retains, and nurtures high-caliber employees. In addition to supporting employees from an HR perspective, you will oversee the Volunteer Services program, providing guidance to ensure the resources required to meet the organizations needs. With its robust group of volunteers, who are the backbone of the Ottawa Food Bank''s success, it will be your responsibility to ensure that their voices and needs are heard and integrated into the organizations ongoing strategic plans. Is this for you? As the ideal candidate, you are passionate about creating environments where people feel supported, valued, and inspired to do their best work. You have a deep understanding of HR practices and how they work together to strengthen an organization, aligning policies and processes with the values and needs of the people they serve. You also have experience developing and enhancing processes to ensure they are efficient, effective, and adaptable to the organizations evolving needs. With progressive HR leadership experience, ideally supported by a degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, you bring the confidence to contribute effectively at the executive leadership table. You have experience working in unionized environments and navigating both operational and strategic aspects of HR. While nonprofit experience is an asset, its not required; what matters is your ability to bring your HR expertise to an organization driven by a strong mission. You excel in fostering collaboration and trust, creating open dialogue across all levels of the organization. As a natural coach and mentor, you provide guidance and support to help others grow and succeed. You approach challenges proactively, with a rational mindset, humility, and an open communication style. You design strategies that promote inclusive, positive workplace cultures, while building relationships that empower leaders and teams to thrive together. Most importantly, you share the values that guide the Ottawa Food Bank: collaboration, compassion, inclusivity, innovation and a deep commitment to community. You have a proven ability to create HR practices that align with an organizations mission and purpose.
Job Title
Director, People and Culture