Director - People, Planning and Strategy (Term)

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About the Organization

Summit Search Group has been retained by Manitoba Hydro on the recruitment of an interim Director, People Planning & Strategy. Manitoba Hydro is consistently recognized as one of Manitoba’s Top Employers and stands as a leader among energy companies in North America, known for highly reliable service and exceptional customer satisfaction. The organization continues to build a culture that champions safety, supports innovation, and delivers on its commitment to customer service, while actively fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace reflective of the communities it serves.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Vice President, People, Safety, Health & Wellness, the Director, People Planning & Strategy is a key member of the leadership team responsible for designing, developing, and integrating strategic HR programs across the enterprise. This interim engagement, expected to run approximately 12 months, leads the organization’s Talent function, encompassing Talent & Learning, Talent Acquisition, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Strategic workforce planning currently sits within this portfolio and is a significant enterprise priority for the year ahead.

This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned, late-career or retired senior HR leader, or an independent HR consultant, looking for a meaningful interim mandate. Manitoba Hydro is open to part-time arrangements and independent consulting engagements for the right candidate. The role calls for a true HR generalist with breadth across disciplines and genuine depth, someone who can lead the team through a significant evolution in talent acquisition processes and supporting systems while maintaining strong day-to-day delivery across the portfolio.

The successful candidate will bring a relationship-first leadership style, results orientation balanced with genuine care for people, and clear, confident communication. They will work closely with a peer director leading complementary HR portfolios, proactively sharing information and context across teams to ensure alignment. Mentorship and coaching are also valued, supporting the continued development of a capable team during a period of organizational change.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, develop, and deliver innovative, integrated talent programs and systems across Talent Acquisition, Talent & Learning, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Partner with leaders across the enterprise to develop and execute both long-term and short-term people strategies that directly support business objectives.
Lead strategic and tactical workforce planning, identified as a major enterprise priority for the coming year.
Oversee the talent acquisition strategy, including organizational branding and the transition to new supporting technology and processes.
Lead and champion the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, building on an already well-established program.
Work collaboratively across the enterprise and within the Business Unit to build strong relationships, support front-line employees and leaders, and ensure fair, balanced outcomes.

Qualifications

A university degree complemented by a minimum of ten years of progressive HR leadership experience; an equivalent combination of related education and experience will be considered.
Demonstrated breadth across core HR disciplines as a true generalist, paired with genuine depth; experience leading within a Centre of Expertise model in a large, complex, unionized environment is strongly preferred.
A proven relationship builder with a collaborative, people-first leadership style, balanced with a results-oriented approach and a clear sense of urgency.
Superior interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust quickly and navigate multiple stakeholders, including peer leaders, front-line teams, and senior leadership.
Comfort and confidence operating as an interim leader, including the flexibility to mentor and develop existing team members during a period of transition.

For more information or to submit your resume, please reach out to Matt Erhard at Summit Search Group, matt.erhard@summitsearchgroup.com.

Summit Search Group has a strong commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. We strive for continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors and proactively managing bias throughout our process.