Technology Sector – Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Digital’s share of total retail sales continues to rise exponentially as shoppers get increasingly comfortable purchasing online and retailers fine-tune their eCommerce operations to deliver goods more quickly and efficiently. COVID-19 magnified those trend lines in a big way with $1 in $5 spent on retail purchases during the past quarter coming from online orders. Retail sales from worldwide eCommerce are now forecast to grow from $3.53 trillion U.S. dollars in 2019 to over $6.54 trillion in 2023.

Our client is a leader in enabling that growth. It is the only end-to-end commerce services provider that supports clients from strategy, platform selection, deployment, and hosting through to ongoing support: a single expert resource to help companies succeed in an ever-changing digital commerce landscape. The firm’s solutions start with reliable, world-class Commerce and MDM platforms fitting a variety of client needs, situations, and budgets. They culminate in frictionless commerce. Over 200 market-leading brands and forward-thinking B2C and B2B companies, including many Fortune 1000 companies agree.

With attractive industry tailwinds, our client’s organic growth is accelerating and will be augmented by an aggressive M&A strategy. It is expected that staff will double or triple in the next few years necessitating the firm to be agile and effective in areas such as organizational design, corporate culture, employee experience, talent acquisition, training and development, post M&A integration etc etc etc. These will be among the primary responsibilities of the new CHRO.

This is an outstanding opportunity that features:

• Explosive industry and company growth;
• Superb team and culture;
• Committed investors;
• An opportunity to make a real difference.

Our client is headquartered in Toronto with offices, staff and customers in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. The company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).

Scope of the Position

Reporting to the CEO, the CHRO will be responsible for designing and cultivating an agile, scalable work environment that attracts, organizes, motivates and retains the Company’s human capital. This will include guiding and supporting the business on all HR matters to meet its strategic goals for profitability and growth.

The CHRO will act as an organizational architect and business partner to the Company’s senior leadership team. The CHRO will lead the development and implementation of best-in-class HR policies, programs and procedures to serve the business in becoming a “Best in Class” employer of choice.

Functional Tasks

• Drive a Best in Class HR Organization
• Establish benchmarks for organizational effectiveness, employee performance, training and career development, health and benefits, employee relations
• Lead the development of, effectively manage and integrate HR policies and programs including performance reviews, succession planning, career development, performance management, goal setting and reviews, training and mentoring, employee benefits, employee handbook etc.
• Work with the Compensation Committee on executive compensation and employment agreements, employee incentive programs, succession planning and related projects
• Lead and inspire best-in-class HR team to support the successful delivery of the Company’s strategic growth plans, vision and mission
• Manage compensation and other HR Programs, processes and initiatives covering all geographical regions in which the firm has staff
• Change Management
• Drive initiatives to accelerate integration of new employees, align workforce around goals and priorities, and instil a “one company” culture; monitor and measure compliance and engagement
• Establish an HR culture of continuous improvement
• Work with the CEO to define and effectively communicate Company values to drive culture of service, professionalism and performance excellence
• Manage Talent and Performance Management
• Develop HR strategies to identify and address competency, knowledge, talent and performance gaps. Drive effective strategy to re-skill staff where market changes demand new skill sets
• Develop recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain top talent globally
• Establish employee performance metrics, career development and succession plans
• Assess and upgrade current training programs; launch management mentoring initiative to support employee growth and development
• Identify and stretch high potential talent working with management teams
• Report periodically to the CEO on high potentials, key talent management metrics and deliverables
• Develop and manage a broadly-based talent management and development program, focusing on career development and succession planning; benchmark talent against external competition
• Create performance evaluation standards; establish and drive compliance for timely annualized performance reviews
• Assist with due diligence on acquisitions and advise on ensuing integration strategies
• Develop and lead an employee engagement plan including, field employee surveys to assess and monitor employee engagement on key initiatives, e.g. safety, and culture
• Create and manage employee recognition and awards programs
• Manage employee relations from onboarding, disputes, terminations, health and safety, employee training, and employee related legal compliance.

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific measures of performance will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of CHRO at our client:

Strategic Approach
Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems in order to focus on more far-reaching ideas.

Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined, and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down a large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.

Coaching and Developing Others
Accurately assesses strengths and development needs of employees; Challenges others to improve their abilities and actively supports their development; Continually provides timely and constructive feedback, coaching and challenging learning opportunities; Adjusts coaching style based on each employee’s ability and motivation level.

Leading Change
Recognizes when change is necessary; Challenges the status quo and champions new initiatives; Acts as a catalyst to change and stimulates others to change; Develops an effective action plan to implement change and monitors results.

Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role; Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods; Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.

Boundary Spanning
Incorporates information about the organization’s structure and protocol into decisions; Attentive to the internal politics and alert to shifting interpersonal dynamics; Establishes the necessary support networks and cross-functional relationships through rapport building; Recognizes, maintains and effectively balances the interests and needs of one’s own group with those of the broader organization.

Team Skills
Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support. Balances personal goals with those of the team. Fosters collaboration among team members.

Preferred Experience and Education

The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables:

• 10 years + of strategic progressive HR and functional leadership experience
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree with a focus on business, OD or HR
• Proven track-record and experience partnering with the business and senior leadership team to influence and effect change
• Experience working in fast-paced, entrepreneurial and growth oriented environments; Tech sector experience a strong preference
• Experience with the judicious introduction of talent management and HR processes to help businesses scale and mature
• Experience planning and leading integration efforts pre and post M&A transactions
• A ‘can-do’ attitude and a bias for action contributing both as a strategic and operational partner
• Experience working for organizations with operations and staff in multiple countries
• A strong business orientation and business enabler with record of building and nurturing strong cross-functional working relationships
• Skilled in organization design and demonstrated experience leading culture and organizational change initiatives.
• Highly competitive compensation package (Base, variable, RSUs) structured to the needs of the successful candidate.

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