Vice President, People and Training - Vancouver, BC

White Spot Limited is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia and serves more than 15 million guests annually through its White Spot Restaurants and Triple O’s brands. A private, locally owned organization, we are proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the past thirteen consecutive years, achieving Platinum status, and to be one of BC’s top 10 best loved brands.

With the upcoming retirement of our long-time VP, we are looking ahead to the next chapter of leadership for our People & Training function — building on a strong foundation while welcoming fresh perspective.

Reporting to the President and working closely with the COO, Operations and the executive team, the next VP will lead the continued evolution and targeted acceleration of how we support our people and drive results— bringing thoughtful ideas, judgment informed by operational insight, and a strong business lens. This role will build on what’s already working well: a strong hospitality culture, iconic brands, committed teams and a solid base of people practices, with opportunity to strengthen, better integrate, and scale them. We’re looking for a hands-on leader who is curious about new ways of doing things, and proficient using data and digital tools to inform decisions, simplify work and positively impact the business and our operators. A critical success factor is knowing where to focus — balancing limited resources across brands, initiatives, and competing priorities, and between sustaining and growth activities.

This is a primarily in-office role based at our Vancouver Home Office.

Specific responsibilities include:

Business-Aligned People Strategy

·       Lead comprehensive talent management review to identify needs and high impact priorities

·      Develop and execute people strategies that support the annual business plan and longer-term objectives

·       Build people practices that scale, are practical, and fit our operating reality

·       Ensure strong alignment between Home Office and Operations

·       Act as a trusted advisor to the President and executive team on people and organizational decisions

Culture & Organizational Effectiveness

·       Champion a culture of high-performance, accountability, inclusion and respect

·       Reinforce a “spot for everyone” mindset — where individuals can grow, contribute, and succeed

·       Partner with leaders to support change, simplify ways of working and strengthen leadership alignment

·       Ensure performance measures, recognition, and rewards reinforce the behaviours that make a difference

·       Lead feedback mechanisms to gain actionable insight

Talent, Training & Development

·       Guide learning systems and training programs that support operational excellence

·       Lead the development of training and other systems to accelerate leadership development within the organization, and as prioritized by the talent management review

·       Partner with Operations and department leaders to strengthen performance management, development, and succession planning

·       Help identify and develop talent using clear, merit-based approaches

·       Support the distinct development needs of partners

Employee & Labour Relations

·       Provide practical, timely guidance on employee and labour relations matters

·       Support leaders in managing performance, conflict, and complex employee situations

·       Lead and/or oversee internal investigations and resolution of sensitive issues

·       Negotiate and administer collective agreements

·       Serve as the Company spokesperson for collective bargaining

·       Manage employee-related legal matters with strong judgment and discretion

·       Ensure policies and practises meet changing legislative requirements

Recruitment and Employment brand

·       Translate priorities identified by the talent management review into targeted strategies

·       Provide support and tools to facilitate recruitment and selection of strong candidates

·       Work with the President and COO on recruitment and selection of senior team members

·       Oversee management of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and other permit related applications where required

Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards

·       Design and evolve bonus and incentive plans that reinforce performance and alignment

·       Lead compensation reviews and market assessments

·       Evaluate and recommend improvements to benefits programs

·       Partner with Payroll, Operations, and Risk Management to support a strong health and safety culture

Data, Digital & Analytics

·       Use people data and anayltics to improve decision-making and department effectiveness and track impact

·      Leverage digital capabilities and platforms to simplify processes and improve execution Use people data and anayltics to improve decision-making and department effectiveness and track impact

·       Evolve systems and tools, including selective use of AI, to increase efficiency and deliver measurable value

Leading the People & Training Team

·       Lead a lean, capable team with a strong service mindset

·       Build partnerships and external support where needed

·       Foster accountability, continuous improvement, and measurable outcomes

·       Assess and evolve the structure of the function to meet future needs

What You Bring:

Experience & Background

·       8–10+ years of senior HR leadership experience, ideally in a multi-site, private-sector organization

·       Hospitality and/or retail experience is a strong asset

·       Experience in a hybrid corporate / franchise environment is helpful

·       Proven experience with complex employee and labour relations issues

·       Strong working knowledge of employment and labour law and compliance requirements

·       Post-secondary education in Human Resources or a related field

Personal Attributes

·       Strong business acumen with an operations-focused mindset

·       Curious, innovative, and open to new ideas

·       Balances strategic contribution with hands on execution

·       Analytical and data-driven; uses insight to inform decisions and guide action

·       Service-oriented and relationship focussed; builds trust

·       Clear communicator and strong listener across diverse stakeholder groups

·       Able to manage multiple priorities and adapt proactively and quickly as the business evolves

·       Calm, confident and effective under pressure

Compensation

The anticipated salary range for this role is 170,000-200,000, plus bonus and a comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will reflect experience, skills, and the unique strengths the successful candidate brings.

To apply for this opportunity, please email your resume, cover letter, and total remuneration expectations to:

Allan Welyk
President & Director
ELEVATE Search Group

Email: allan@elevatesearchgroup.com

Web:www.elevatesearchgroup.com

Elevate Search Group is committed to cultivating a diverse, safe, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all. We strive to attract and retain a talented, diverse workforce for our clients that is reflective of the region we serve. If an accommodation is required during the recruitment and selection process, please contact and us for support. 

Elevate Search Group collaborates and partners with companies to identify, recruit, and retain top-tiered professionals within all levels of leadership and non-leadership careers within business development, sales, marketing, operations, human resource, and supply chain management. Our client profiles range from local, regional, national, and global organizations.

Our client portfolio ranges from Public Sector, NPO, and the Private Sector.