Director, Talent Acquisition

The Opportunity:

You will lead a transformative approach to talent acquisition, ensuring our team, processes, and competencies are aligned to support the organizational strategy and our Maple Leaf Blueprint.

Reporting to the Vice President, Talent, you will coach and develop the Talent Acquisition team to deliver high-impact and business-aligned hiring solutions. Specifically, you will:

• Foster a High-Performing Talent Team: Empower, mentor, and motivate the recruitment team to excel as Talent Advisors. Support competency development in strategic partnerships, recruitment delivery, agile planning, data and insights, candidate experience, talent sourcing, and tech adoption.
• Strengthen Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate closely with senior leaders and hiring managers, aligning recruitment strategies with business goals. Guide team members in developing trusted relationships with key stakeholders, including HR, Finance, Legal, IT, and other corporate functions.
• Champion Workforce Planning and Agility: Lead talent forecasting and support workforce planning initiatives to ensure we meet evolving talent demands. Instill an agile mindset within the team to adapt quickly to market changes and emerging business needs.
• Optimize Resourcing Models: Implement adaptable resourcing strategies. Assess internal competencies and external market opportunities to recommend the most effective approaches for current and long-term talent needs.
• Lead our Frontline Recruitment Strategy: Support and advise Maple Leaf Foods plants to streamline recruitment processes, implement recruitment tools, and oversee our international candidate recruitment programs.
• Align Recruitment Programs with Organizational Strategy: Coach and support team members to deliver impactful Executive Recruitment, Campus Recruitment, and Internal Mobility programs.
• Leverage Data-Driven Insights: Develop a culture of analytics-driven recruitment, enabling the team to use data and insights to guide hiring decisions and anticipate talent needs.
• Drive a Best-in-Class Candidate Experience: Lead initiatives to deliver an exceptional candidate experience, ensuring every candidate interaction is positive and reflective of the values and commitments of Maple Leaf Foods. Foster team-wide commitment to making the recruitment process engaging, transparent, and inclusive.
• Utilize Emerging Technologies: Equip the team to leverage AI and other cutting-edge tools that enhance recruitment efficiency and innovation.
• Optimize Vendor Partnerships: Streamline and manage relationships with recruitment vendors and partners to maximize value, efficiency, and alignment with our talent needs.
• Amplify our Employer Brand and EVP: Develop and champion a compelling Employer Value Proposition (EVP) and Employer Brand program that resonates with current and prospective talent. Lead employer brand initiatives to promote Maple Leaf Foods as an employer of choice.
• Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Promote and foster DEI at every stage of the recruitment lifecycle. Build and implement strategies that attract diverse talent and create equitable opportunities, supporting our broader DEI goals.
• Support M&A Talent Integration: Provide expertise in mergers and acquisitions by conducting thorough talent due diligence and analyzing workforce alignment. Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure talent strategies support M&A outcomes.
• Strive for Operational Excellence: Drive continuous improvement with Talent Acquisition processes. Implement frameworks that enhance productivity, effectiveness, and alignment with our objectives.
• Provide Talent Analytics & Reporting to the Business: Establish metrics, analytics, and reporting tools that track recruitment performance and effectiveness. Leverage these insights to proactively address emerging needs and guide our strategic direction.

Any MLF team member interested in being considered for this role are encouraged to apply online by December 09. Applications received beyond that date are not guaranteed consideration.

What You’ll Bring to the Role:

• Visionary Leadership & Strategic Acumen: You bring demonstrated success in creating and executing talent acquisition strategies that align with long-term business goals. Previous success leading recruitment functions within manufacturing and supply chain is an asset.
• Influence & Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to develop trusted partnerships and engage effectively with senior leaders. You are skilled in communicating a compelling vision and aligning talent goals with organizational priorities.
• Innovation in Talent Acquisition: You have a consistent record of introducing and scaling advanced recruitment practices. You are recognized as a “thought leader” within the Talent Acquisition industry, as seen in your efforts to educate and inform the broader TA community on next-gen talent strategy.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Deep expertise in utilizing data and analytics to guide recruitment strategies, forecast talent needs, and improve processes. You advocate for data-informed decision-making to elevate recruitment effectiveness and business alignment.
• International Talent Mobility Expertise: You bring expertise and remain current on government policies related to the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), cross-border recruitment, and other global mobility programs.
• Operational Excellence & Organizational Development: You bring a proven track record of implementing efficient processes, metrics, and frameworks that drive continuous improvement within talent acquisition and adjacent HR functions.
• Employer Branding & EVP Development: You have a portfolio of examples that support your ability to craft and promote a compelling Employer Value Proposition.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): You have recurring success in embedding DEI principles into recruitment and talent practices. You are skilled at building inclusive hiring processes that attract diverse talent and create equitable opportunities.
• Executive-Level Problem Solving & Agility: You have a history of navigating complex challenges at the senior leadership level with agility and sound judgment. You’re also skilled at promoting a culture of empowerment, curiosity, and flexibility across the recruitment function.

What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best.
• A hybrid work model that embraces remote work for eligible roles, helping team members achieve work-life balance—combining the best of both spending time working remotely, benefitting from focus time, and purposeful collaboration in the office setting.
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, ‘speaker series’ events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.

About Us:

We’re a carbon neutral food company on a purposeful journey to Raise the Good in Food through better nutrition, safer food and workplaces, more humane animal care, and environmental sustainability efforts that protect our planet. We care about our communities and commit to reducing food insecurity in Canada. Join us on the journey. Let’s build a better future, together.

We’re passionate about food. For more than 100 years, we’ve made delicious, healthy protein that Canadians love under iconic national and regional brands, like Maple Leaf®, Schneiders®, and Greenfield Natural Meat Co.® We’re on a journey to become the most sustainable protein company – not just in Canada – but on earth.

• We are carbon neutral.
• We are one of the only food companies in Canada to set science-based targets.

We’re a global food company with more than 13,500 team members. We operate sites in 20+ locations across Canada. We also have locations in the U.S. and Mexico, and do business in Asia.

A diverse and inclusive work environment

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision and living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values. We believe in building, investing in, recognizing, and rewarding remarkable people who value an inclusive workplace, embrace all forms of diversity, and commit to including every voice in our collaborative environment. We’re so much stronger when we know we’re accepted and valued for who we are and what we each bring to the workplace.

We embrace a strong, values-based culture

Our eight Leadership Values are our north star. They guide the decisions we make for all our stakeholders: our consumers, our customers, our people, our communities, our shareholders, and the environment.

• Doing What’s Right
• Shared Value
• High Performance
• Diverse and Inclusive Teams
• Disciplined Decision Making
• Our Accountability
• Intense Curiosity
• Transparency and Humility

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at accommodations@mapleleaf.com.

Disclaimer: Please note that salaries posted on sites other than the MLF Careers Page are not a reflection of Maple Leaf Foods and are an estimated salary range provided by that particular job board. Maple Leaf Foods offers competitive wages and an attractive total rewards package, which will be discussed during an interview with our Talent Team.

#LI-Hybrid