MANAGER, LABOUR RELATIONS AND HR STRATEGY
Regular Full Time (Exempt)
About Us
One of BC’s Top Employers, the City of Coquitlam offers meaningful career opportunities to make a difference within the local community. As one of British Columbia’s largest and most dynamic municipalities, Coquitlam is home to a diverse and rapidly evolving community of more than 170,000 residents.
Located in the heart of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam combines established neighbourhoods, emerging urban centres, rapid-transit connectivity and significant new community development with extensive parks, trails and natural areas. The City is experiencing substantial growth and transformation while continuing to focus on thoughtful city building, sustainable service delivery and an exceptional quality of life.
Our brand is built on managing our resources in a responsible and sustainable manner while supporting a vibrant, growing regional urban centre. We envision a bright future in Coquitlam that we hope includes you.
About You / What We
Are Looking For
The City of Coquitlam is seeking an experienced and relationship-focused leader to join our Human Resources team as Manager, Labour Relations and HR Strategy.
Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, you will lead the City’s labour relations portfolio while helping translate organizational priorities into practical HR strategies, policies and improvements. Working closely with HR colleagues, operational leaders and union representatives, you will provide trusted advice on complex workplace matters and help build the relationships that support effective municipal service delivery.
This is an opportunity for a seasoned labour relations professional who understands both the technical discipline and the judgment required to achieve constructive outcomes. You bring depth in collective bargaining, grievances, investigations and collective agreement administration, together with the ability to understand competing interests, navigate sensitive situations and find a workable path forward.
We are looking for someone who earns credibility through sound advice, thoughtful negotiation and consistent follow-through. You can hold a clear position while remaining open to different perspectives, recognize when compromise will achieve a stronger outcome, and understand how today’s decisions can shape workplace relationships for years to come.
Alongside this labour relations mandate, you will help advance the City’s recently approved Talent and Retention Strategy. Partnering with managers and HR colleagues, you will turn strategic commitments into practical changes, strengthen policies and practices, and help leaders bring their teams along as the organization evolves.
For an accomplished professional motivated by complex challenges, trusted partnerships and the opportunity to influence how an organization supports its people, this role offers meaningful scope to make a lasting contribution.
Main Responsibilities
- Lead
the City’s labour relations portfolio, providing strategic direction and
practical advice on collective bargaining, collective agreement interpretation
and administration, non-occupational disability management, grievances, dispute
resolution and complex employee relations matters.
- Develop
bargaining strategies, prepare proposals and supporting analysis, and lead or
participate in negotiations involving the City’s CUPE and IAFF bargaining
relationships.
- Build
and maintain constructive relationships with union representatives, addressing
emerging concerns early and pursuing resolutions that balance organizational
needs, employee interests and long-term working relationships.
- Oversee
complex grievances and support mediation and arbitration processes,
coordinating with HR colleagues, external counsel and other representatives as
appropriate.
- Lead
or oversee sensitive workplace investigations, ensuring a thorough, fair and
well-documented process and providing clear recommendations on findings and
appropriate next steps.
- Advise
leaders on discipline, performance management, terminations, human rights
matters and other sensitive workplace issues, helping them assess options,
risks and organizational implications.
- Partner
with HR colleagues and managers to operationalize the City’s Talent and
Retention Strategy, translating priorities into coordinated initiatives,
practical tools and measurable progress.
- Lead
the development, review and implementation of HR policies and procedures,
ensuring alignment with legislation, collective agreements, organizational
objectives and evolving workplace needs.
- Prepare
clear, well-supported reports, policy briefs, correspondence and
recommendations for senior leadership, and support the CHRO with Council
reports and presentations.
- Coach
managers and HR professionals on labour relations practices, policy application
and effective workplace decision-making, strengthening confidence and
consistency across the organization.
- Identify
opportunities to improve labour relations processes, reporting and service
delivery, using experience, workplace trends and feedback to guide
improvements.
- Provide
leadership, coaching and development to one direct report, establishing clear
priorities and supporting effective collaboration across the Human Resources
team.
Minimum
Qualifications
- A university degree in
Industrial Relations, Labour Relations, Human Resources, Business
Administration, Commerce or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination
of relevant education, training and experience.
- Substantial progressive labour
relations experience in a complex unionized environment, typically gained
through ten or more years of relevant practice, including responsibility for
sensitive and complex workplace matters.
- Demonstrated experience
developing collective bargaining strategies and leading or playing a
significant role in collective agreement negotiations.
- Extensive experience managing
grievances, conducting or overseeing workplace investigations, and advising on
discipline, collective agreement interpretation and dispute resolution.
- Strong working knowledge of
applicable employment, labour relations and human rights legislation, with the
ability to translate technical requirements into practical advice.
- Demonstrated ability to build
productive relationships with union representatives, managers and HR
colleagues, using sound judgment, negotiation and conflict resolution skills to
achieve workable outcomes.
- Strong written communication and
analytical skills, including experience preparing policies, reports and
recommendations and advising senior leaders on complex or sensitive issues.
- Experience leading people or
significant HR initiatives, managing competing priorities, and translating
strategic objectives into practical implementation.
Preferred Qualifications
- Approximately fifteen years of progressive experience,
bringing breadth and depth across labour relations, employee relations and
strategic HR work.
- Experience within municipal government, the broader
public sector or a similarly complex environment with multiple bargaining
relationships.
- A graduate degree in Industrial Relations, Business
Administration or a related discipline.
- A Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR)
designation.
- Experience advising executive leadership, boards or
elected officials, including preparing reports and recommendations that support
informed decisions.
- Experience implementing talent, retention or workforce
strategies and supporting managers through changes to policies, practices or
ways of working.
- Experience with human rights proceedings, mediation,
arbitration or other complex labour relations processes.
The
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is an accomplished labour relations professional who combines technical credibility with emotional intelligence, discretion and a practical understanding of people.
You recognize that effective labour relations requires careful judgment about how and when to exercise authority. You can assess the strength of a position, understand the consequences of different approaches, and negotiate a resolution that protects the organization’s interests while preserving trust wherever possible.
You build credibility with both operational leaders and union representatives. You listen carefully, ask useful questions and remain composed when the issues are difficult. You are comfortable having direct conversations, challenging assumptions and offering advice that may not always be easy to hear.
As a strategic partner, you can move between an immediate workplace issue and its broader organizational implications. You write clearly, anticipate the information senior leaders need, and bring forward recommendations that are balanced, actionable and well supported.
You also understand that a strategy succeeds through the people responsible for putting it into practice. You will work alongside managers and HR colleagues to build understanding, encourage participation and turn the City’s talent and retention priorities into meaningful improvements.
Why Work With Us
- Lead
a consequential labour relations portfolio. Apply your experience across
complex bargaining, workplace issues and union relationships in a growing
municipal organization.
- Help
put strategy into practice. Play a central role in advancing the City’s Talent
and Retention Strategy and shaping how we attract, support and retain our
people.
- Work
directly with senior leadership. Partner with the CHRO and leaders across the
City, providing advice that informs important organizational decisions.
- Build
relationships with lasting value. Help managers and union representatives
navigate challenges constructively while strengthening the foundations for
future collaboration.
- Influence
how HR services evolve. Improve policies, tools and processes that support
better decisions and a consistent employee experience.
- Contribute
to public service. Support the people whose work makes Coquitlam a welcoming,
connected and thriving community.
- Join
a recognized employer. Be part of an organization recognized as one of BC’s Top
Employers, with opportunities for professional growth and meaningful
contribution.
What We Offer:
This is an excluded position with an annual salary range of $147,819 - $166,277 (2026 Rates). The rate of pay will be determined based on a variety of factors including qualifications, knowledge, experience and skills.
This is an opportunity to join a progressive and growing municipality and an accomplished executive team committed to serving a diverse and evolving community. The City supports continuous learning and leadership development and provides opportunities for employees at all levels of the organization to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully to public service.
The City offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including an attractive vacation and extended benefits program and participation in the Municipal Pension Plan. There is also an opportunity to participate in the City’s earned day off/flex day program. The position is based in Coquitlam, with flexible and hybrid work options available in alignment with the responsibilities and operational requirements of this senior leadership role.
Accessibility / Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Coquitlam is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer working towards enhancing equitable practices in our recruitment and retention processes. As an organization we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment to support our growing and diverse work force. To learn more about what equity, diversity, and inclusion means, and the City’s efforts in support of these principles, please visit coquitlam.ca/edi for more information.
If at any time during the application or recruitment process you require additional assistance or an accommodation, please contact our team for confidential support. Staff can also provide in-person support if required.
Applicants under consideration may be required to undergo and submit an acceptable police information check.
Good people make Coquitlam great, sign up for career alerts through our
recruitment portal to stay up to date about opportunities within our team, or
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how #YouCouldWorkHere too!
Please apply online at www.coquitlam.ca/careers by 11:55 pm on November 23, 2026.
We thank all
applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview
will be contacted.
