Director, Human Resources

Fengate Asset Management (Fengate) is a leading alternative investment manager focused on infrastructure, private equity, and real estate strategies. Founded in 1974 in Hamilton, Ontario, and currently with offices in Ontario, Texas, Miami and 250+ team members across North America, Fengate has built success and a trusted reputation with investors and industry partners. The firm currently manages over US$6.5 billion in capital commitments in support of more than US$25 billion in gross asset value, on behalf of over 50 institutional investors across North America, Europe, and Asia.

The firm believes that acting responsibly to its stakeholders and communities is fundamental. Fengate is a signatory of both the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) Diversity in Action initiative and the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into all stages of the firm’s investment process. In 2021, Fengate established its ESG Committee and its EBID (Equity, Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity) Think Tank, consisting of leaders and employees of all backgrounds and levels throughout our firm, to advance and govern our ESG and EBID objectives.

Fengate has achieved Platinum Club member status as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, retaining this designation since 2007, and has been certified as a Great Place to Work®. Over the past year, Fengate was named one of Canada’s Best Workplaces™ and as a Best Workplace™ for Financial Services & Insurance, Inclusion, Women, Today’s Youth, Professional Development, and Ontario, and as one of Best Workplaces™ with Most Trusted Executive Teams.

The firm has also been recognized with Waterstone Human Capital’s 2022 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ award. This program recognizes best-in-class organizations for having cultures that have helped them enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage. Only 50 organizations are awarded this prestigious corporate culture award each year.

AREAS OF BUSINESS  

Real Estate 

Fengate Real Estate is a fully integrated real estate investment and development platform with a US$11B+ portfolio, including a 25,000+ residential unit pipeline and 5M+ square feet of industrial space in various stages of development. On behalf of our institutional investors, Fengate manages transactions through the entire life cycle of real estate, from entitlement, development, stabilization, to ongoing asset management. The group manages real estate assets across the risk-return spectrum, focused on the following strategies: Land Entitlement, Build-to-Core, and Core.

Infrastructure 

In 2006, Fengate established its first infrastructure fund with a mandate to invest in infrastructure assets in Canada. Today, Fengate is one of North America’s most active infrastructure investors and developers, with a project portfolio of more than 45 assets valued at over US$15 billion. The firm focuses on mid-market greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets in the transportation, social, energy transition and digital sectors across Canada and the United States.

Private Equity 

In 2017, Fengate launched its private equity platform to partner with entrepreneurs looking to accelerate the evolution of their businesses. To date, Fengate Private Equity has made eight platform and 22 add-on investments within the business services, consumer products and services, and healthcare sectors in Canada and the United States.

OPPORTUNITY 

Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, this is an exciting opportunity for a driven Human Resources Business Partner/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader to join a high impact, high performing team. The Director, Human Resources will build internal partnerships within the business to plan, deliver and evaluate impactful DEI initiatives. This role will act as the trusted partner and advisor to the Corporate groups within the business (Finance, Legal, Marketing, Operations, IT) providing people and culture support, advice and guidance to leaders on strategic, tactical, and operational issues related to Human Resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Partner: Provide strategic advice and proactive support to senior leadership in all areas of Human Resources including talent acquisition, talent management, total rewards and employee relations. Act as the HR Business Partner for the Corporate Services departments (Legal, Internal Operations, PMO, Marketing, Investor Relations, HR and IT).

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Lead the Firm’s DEI strategy.  Ensuring the implementation and lifecycle of programs and initiatives support DEI, HR, and broader business strategy.   Oversee Employee Resource Groups and ensure alignment with the D&I strategy. Support D&I comms strategy through presentation development and maintaining website content.

• Employee Culture: Drive an evidence-based approach to employee experience to define and build operational metrics that yield the insights necessary to drive organizational transformation and measure the impact of employee experience programs. Create best in class employee experience by designing HR programs and processes that focus on moments that matter to employees throughout the employee lifecycle.

• Performance Management: Oversee the performance management cycle for Corporate Services:  provide direction on improving coaching, career development counselling, disciplinary actions, and manage employee exits in a respectful manner.

• Change Management: Lead change management activities (i.e. restructures, work redesign, job architecture, competency profiling, strategic programs such as recruitment strategy and process) and apply a change management process to create strategies in support of the adoption of the changes required by the HR Programs.

• Recruitment:  Support the search and acquisition of high performing talent and provide a best in class recruitment and onboarding experience.

• Support Centre Engagement: Deploy and execute an approach that capitalizes on robust employee engagement survey results and implement employee survey strategies that support our business priorities.

• Policy: Create, update and maintains relevant guidelines for business needs and conducts continuity of programs and practices.

• Collaboration: Work cross-functionally and across geographies with business teams to support large-scale transformational programs and initiatives.

• Conflict Resolution: Manage complex employee relations issues and ensure a positive employee relations experience. 

• Compliance: Ensure compliance with regulations employment standards are adhered to (e.g. Vacation management, health & safety, employee compliance, etc.)

KEY QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources, Industrial and Organizational Development or related field. 

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in human resources; experience in the investment industry is an asset.

• Experience working with senior leadership, demonstrating influential leadership skills.

• Knowledge of best practices and trends in diversity and inclusion.

• Demonstrated ability to shape strategy around DEI, imbedding change throughout the organization.

• Experience with Employee Resource Groups and D&I related programming.

• Demonstrated ability to understand and apply employee experience and employee engagement best practices to support strong business performance.

• Lead with a coaching mindset to empower employees and train our leaders on coaching techniques and conversations.

• Skillful in communicating with and influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

• Collaborative approach with strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Proven ability to assemble, develop, inspire, motivate, and retain top talent; a team-builder who engages and encourages the highest level of individual and group performance.

• Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced, high growth environment.

KEY COMPETENCIES 

• Business Focus and Strategic Thinking: You display an understanding of Fengate’s as well as the investment project’s business and strategy. You recognize and reinforce how Fengate differentiates itself in the marketplace.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: You are approachable and supportive of team members and go above and beyond normal duties to make the team and Fengate successful. You actively participate in team activities and projects.

• Driving for Results: You take initiative to manage your work and performance and do not require close supervision. You consistently produce high quality output.

• Problem Solving and Decision Making: You recognize challenges and opportunities and determine whether action is needed and prioritize situation in terms of impact.

• Communication: Clear, concise, and directly communicate ideas, information and directions both verbally and in writing.

Fengate is an equal opportunity employer, we strive to attract and retain a diverse workforce and are committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. It is a core priority at Fengate to create, operate with, and continuously grow and sustain an inclusive culture that respects and connects the diversity of our team, our clients, our partners, and the communities we work in. 

We are committed to providing accommodation for persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position; however only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.