Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP)

The Organization:

Wholesome Kids Catering is a leading childcare catering company dedicated to Nourishing Lives by providing healthy, delicious, and child-friendly meals and snacks to childcare centres and schools across Ontario.

Our talented and committed team is passionate about delivering exceptional food and service experiences that delight our customers every day. Through our Eat Grow Thrive® philosophy, we combine excellent nutrition with flavours and foods that children love, helping support healthy growth and development.

As a growing organization, we are committed to becoming the dominant brand in our industry by building trusted partnerships, continuously improving, and living our values every day. We believe in acting with integrity, raising the bar, nurturing growth, owning our commitments, and working better together to create exceptional experiences for our customers, colleagues, and communities.

The Role:

The HR Business Partner is an experienced, hands-on HR professional who serves as an operational HR Business Partner, providing day-to-day people support to leaders and employees across Wholesome Kids Catering.

The role focuses on employee relations, performance and attendance management, disability and leave management, Health & Safety people support, WSIB claim coordination, return-to-work planning, leader coaching, policy application, workplace investigations, employee experience and HR compliance.

Working closely with managers and supervisors, the HR Business Partner proactively identifies and resolves people-related matters while ensuring consistent application of HR practices, policies and employment legislation.

The role operates with a high degree of independence on routine and moderately complex employee matters while maintaining close alignment with the Director, Human Resources on significant employee relations matters, disciplinary decisions, terminations, sensitive investigations, accommodations and matters presenting organizational or legal risk.

Success:

The successful HR Business Partner will:

• Become a trusted day-to-day HR partner to managers and supervisors.
• Build strong relationships with employees and leaders while maintaining appropriate HR objectivity.
• Proactively identify and address employee relations and workplace issues before they escalate.
• Ensure employee relations, attendance, performance management and disciplinary practices are handled consistently and appropriately.
• Coach leaders to independently manage their teams while providing HR guidance and support.
• Exercise sound judgment independently managing employee matters while appropriately escalating higher-risk or sensitive matters to the HR Director.
• Maintain strong compliance with Ontario employment legislation and WKC policies.
• Support timely and effective management of workplace injury cases, including WSIB reporting, Functional Abilities Forms (FAFs), modified work and return-to-work plans.
• Strengthen accountability, employee experience and consistent people-management practices across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Business Partnership & Leader Support

• Serve as the primary day-to-day HR partner for assigned leaders and departments.
• Build strong working relationships with managers, supervisors and employees.
• Provide practical HR guidance on employee relations, performance, attendance, conduct, workplace concerns and policy application.
• Participate in operational meetings where people-related HR support is required.
• Maintain regular visibility within the operation and understand emerging employee and workplace issues.
• Coach leaders on handling employee matters effectively, consistently and respectfully.
• Identify recurring people issues and bring themes, risks and recommendations to the HR Director.
• Ensure significant people decisions remain aligned with the HR Director.
• Work collaboratively with the other HR Team members to ensure effective coordination and execution of HR activities, while maintaining clear functional ownership and accountability.

Employee Relations

• Lead day-to-day employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, conflict resolution, conduct and performance issues.
• Conduct workplace investigations, including interviews, documentation, findings and recommendations.
• Prepare disciplinary documentation, including written warnings, final warnings and Performance Improvement Plans.
• Support termination processes and prepare documentation following approval and alignment with the HR Director.
• Provide managers with coaching before and following difficult employee conversations.
• Maintain thorough, confidential and defensible employee relations documentation.
• Identify patterns or recurring concerns and proactively recommend corrective actions.
• Independently manage routine and moderately complex employee relations matters, escalating significant disciplinary, termination, accommodation, investigation or legal-risk matters to the HR Director.

Performance Management & Leader Coaching

• Partner with managers to address performance concerns early and consistently.
• Coach leaders on setting clear expectations, providing feedback and documenting performance concerns.
• Guide managers through progressive performance and disciplinary processes.
• Support the development and monitoring of Performance Improvement Plans.
• Facilitate difficult conversations where HR involvement is appropriate.
• Coach and enable managers to take appropriate ownership of employee performance and people-management responsibilities.
• Reinforce consistent leadership practices and WKC values.

Attendance, Leaves & Accommodation

• Partner with leaders on attendance management, absenteeism and recurring attendance concerns.
• Review attendance patterns and support appropriate coaching or corrective action.
• Manage employee leaves, disability cases and return-to-work processes, including coordination of medical/functional abilities information and modified work plans.
• Coordinate workplace accommodation processes in consultation with employees, leaders and appropriate external partners.
• Ensure medical and accommodation information is handled confidentially.
• Escalate complex accommodation, disability or human-rights-related matters to the HR Director.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and follow-up throughout leave and accommodation processes.

Policy, Compliance & Workplace Practices

• Interpret and apply HR policies consistently across the organization.
• Advise managers and employees on HR policies and employment practices.
• Support implementation of new or revised HR policies.
• Ensure employee relations practices comply with the ESA, Ontario Human Rights Code, OHSA and other applicable employment legislation.
• Identify compliance gaps or inconsistent practices and raise them with the HR Director.
• Support HR audits and corrective actions related to people practices.
• Maintain accurate and confidential employee relations documentation.

Employee Experience, Engagement & Culture

• Maintain regular employee presence and visibility across departments and shifts.
• Act as an approachable HR resource for employee workplace concerns.
• Support resolution of employee concerns at the appropriate level.
• Reinforce WKC values and expected workplace behaviours.
• Partner with leaders to improve accountability, communication and employee experience.
• Support employee engagement and retention initiatives from a people-partnership perspective.
• Identify employee sentiment and emerging workplace themes and share relevant insights with the HR Director.
• Support recognition and culture initiatives where HR partnership is required.

Health & Safety Support

• Partner with Operations, supervisors and Health & Safety stakeholders to support a safe workplace and ensure timely follow-up on workplace incidents, injuries and employee-related Health & Safety matters.
• Participate in workplace incident investigations, including matters involving employee conduct, performance or policy concerns, ensuring facts, documentation and follow-up actions are completed appropriately.
• Support corrective and preventive actions arising from workplace incidents, investigations, audits and Health & Safety concerns.
• Ensure employee-related Health & Safety matters are appropriately documented, tracked and followed through to completion.
• Coordinate the HR administration of WSIB claims, including timely and accurate employer reporting, case documentation and communication with employees, leaders and WSIB, as required.
• Coordinate Functional Abilities Forms (FAFs) and other relevant medical/functional information to identify restrictions, capabilities and accommodation needs.
• Develop and monitor safe, timely and sustainable return-to-work (RTW) and modified-work plans in partnership with employees, Operations and the treating/WSIB process, as appropriate.
• Track WSIB and workplace injury cases to ensure required follow-ups, documentation, modified duties and RTW milestones are completed on time.
• Coach and support leaders in understanding their responsibilities for incident reporting, injury escalation, WSIB requirements, modified duties and return-to-work participation.
• Support JHSC activities, Health & Safety training, compliance requirements and related audits where HR involvement is required.

Qualifications & Role Requirements:

Education

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Business Administration or related discipline.
• CHRP designation preferred; CHRL considered an asset.

Experience

• 5–7+ years of progressive HR Generalist/HR Business Partner experience.
• Strong hands-on experience independently managing employee relations matters.
• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations and supporting progressive discipline and performance management.
• Experience coaching frontline supervisors and managers.
• Experience supporting attendance management, disability management, workplace accommodations, WSIB claims, Functional Abilities Forms (FAFs), modified work and return-to-work processes.
• Experience in manufacturing, food production, distribution, logistics or another fast-paced operational environment strongly preferred.

Other Requirements

• Ability to work onsite in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Flexibility to support employees and leaders across multiple shifts when required.
• Valid driver's license and access to transportation considered an asset.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:

• Strong working knowledge of Ontario employment legislation, including the Employment Standards Act (ESA), Human Rights Code, Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA), and related HR best practices.
• Working knowledge of Ontario WSIB requirements and practical experience with workplace injury reporting, claim coordination, FAFs, modified work and return-to-work planning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong employee relations, investigation and case-management capability.
• Strong knowledge of performance management, progressive discipline, attendance management and workplace accommodations.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and influence frontline and operational leaders.
• Ability to assess employee relations risk and determine when escalation to the HR Director is required.
• Strong judgment, conflict resolution and difficult-conversation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex employee matters independently in a fast-paced operational environment.

Competencies:

• Relationship Building – Develops positive and trusted relationships with employees, leaders, and stakeholders.
• HR Business Partnership – Builds credibility with operational leaders and provides practical, balanced people solutions.
• Communication – Communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Initiative & Accountability – Takes ownership, follows through on commitments, and delivers results.
• Judgment & Decision Making – Assesses employee matters objectively, applies sound judgment and recognizes when escalation or HR Director alignment is required.
• Problem Solving – Applies sound judgment and critical thinking to resolve workplace issues and support business needs.
• Collaboration & Integrity – Works effectively across teams while maintaining confidentiality, professionalism, and ethical standards.

KPI’s:

• Timely closure of employee relations matters and investigations.
• Quality and completeness of ER/investigation documentation.
• Timely management of attendance, leave (LOA) and accommodation cases.
• Timely and accurate WSIB reporting and follow-up, including completion of required employer documentation.
• Timely coordination of FAFs, modified work and return-to-work plans, with clear documentation and follow-up to support safe and sustainable RTW outcomes.
• Performance management/PIP follow-up completion.
• Consistency of progressive discipline and policy application.
• Timeliness and effectiveness of HR support provided to assigned leaders and departments.
• Timely identification and resolution of recurring employee relations issues and workplace trends.
• Completion of agreed corrective actions.
• Compliance/audit results for assigned people processes.
• Improvement in leader ownership and timely resolution of routine people-management matters.
• Employee
  relations trends and escalation visibility to the HR Director.

Personal Style:

• Approachable, credible and confident.
• Practical and solutions-oriented.
• Comfortable navigating difficult conversations and employee situations.
• Demonstrates strong judgment and discretion.
• Proactive and highly accountable.
• Able to influence leaders while maintaining collaborative relationships.
• Comfortable working independently while knowing when to escalate.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Demonstrates integrity, confidentiality and sound professional judgment.

At Wholesome Kids Catering, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health, safety, and well-being of our employees while helping shape a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work every day.

Employment:     Full-Time

Hours of Work:  Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Flexibility is required to support operational needs, including employee relations matters, workplace investigations, meetings, employee activities, and requirements across shifts. Occasional afternoon and evening work will be required to provide HR support and visibility to the night-shift team.

Salary:       $80,000 – $90,000 per annum

Benefits:  Comprehensive Health & Dental Benefits including LTD, Life Insurance, AD&D, Health Care Spending Account (HCSA), and Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP).

Vacation:   2 weeks’ vacation per year, prorated, in accordance with company policy.

Wellness Days:   Up to 8 Wellness Days per year, prorated and administered in accordance with company policy.

*Wholesome Kids Catering is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing accommodation in accordance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, we will work with you to meet your needs. We thank all those applicants who have applied; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted*