Engagement Details

• Fractional: ~12 to 20 hours/week part-time, with flexibility depending on employee matters and organizational needs 

• Duration: Approximately 4–6 months

• Reporting Line: Direct partnership with leadership and/or Board committee

• Remote-first engagement, with occasional on-site meetings in Toronto as needed

• Start: ASAP

Overview

We’re supporting a not-for-profit organization seeking a senior fractional HR leader to provide hands-on employee relations support, HR advisory guidance, and policy modernization during a period of organizational change.

The engagement has two primary workstreams:

1. Leading a comprehensive audit, review, and update of HR policies and documentation

2. Acting as an on-demand senior HR advisor for leadership and the Board, with a strong focus on employee relations and change management support

A key priority for the engagement is establishing a more appropriate internal channel for employee escalations and reducing reliance on external legal counsel for day-to-day employee matters.

The organization is seeking support to strengthen and formalize HR processes, modernize existing frameworks, and ensure policies reflect current Employment Standards Act (ESA) requirements, best practices, and the operational realities of a multi-program non-profit environment.

The successful consultant will take a collaborative and practical approach, working closely with leadership and staff to understand operational needs.

Key Outcomes (next 4–6 months)

• HR policy framework audited, updated, and formalized

• Clear gaps identified and missing policies created where needed

• Leadership and board supported with ongoing HR advisory and employee relations guidance

• Employee escalations managed through appropriate HR channels and processes

• Practical change management and communication support provided during active people matters

• Key employee relations and governance-related policies modernized to support consistency, accountability, and risk reduction

Core Responsibilities

1. HR Policy Audit & Modernization

• Review existing HR policies, procedures, and employee documentation

• Identify gaps, inconsistencies, or outdated practices

• Draft and implement updated policies aligned with organizational needs  compliance requirements and operational realities

• Deliver policy work as a defined milestone-based workstream

• Ensure policies align with current Ontario legislative requirements, including ESA, workplace harassment obligations, accessibility requirements, and HR best practices relevant to the non-profit sector

• Develop practical implementation and rollout recommendations for updated policies and procedures

• Establish processes for employee acknowledgment and ongoing policy maintenance/review

**
2. Employee Relations & HR Advisory**

• Provide real-time HR guidance to leadership and/or the board on employee matters

• Support employee relations cases, investigations, escalations, and sensitive conversations

• Advise on organizational communications and change management approaches

• Help establish practical internal processes for ongoing people issue management

Provide guidance on complaints management, investigations, conflict resolution, and conflict-of-interest related matters

Engagement Structure

• Senior consultant to lead the engagement directly

• Potential support from a junior HR resource for lower-value administrative coordination where appropriate

• Work expected to occur primarily during standard business hours to support live collaboration and responsiveness

• Consultant will engage directly with operational leaders to understand department-specific operational challenges and inform practical policy and process recommendations

Profile

• Senior HR generalist with strong experience supporting organizational change, governance-sensitive environments, or complex employee relations matters 

• Previous experience supporting not-for-profit organizations and Boards

• Comfortable operating in environments where board members may hold full-time external roles

• Strong policy drafting and HR compliance capabilities

• Able to balance strategic advisory work with hands-on execution

• Available for responsive, real-time collaboration during business hours