Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Human Resources

General Accountability

Is accountable for the development, implementation and management of a regional human resources program to ensure that services respond to the current and future needs of departmental organizations in the Region.

Organization Structure

This is 1 of 13 positions at the third level reporting to the Director General, Regional Human Resources Operations. The others are 9 Regional Managers, Human Resources; Chief, Regional Human Resources Operations/Coordination; Chief, Regional Human Resources Operations/Administration; and Chief, Counselling, Research and Fitness.

Specific functions of the positions reporting directly to the Regional Manager, Human Resources (RMHR), are as follows:

Manager Pay and Benefits, (staff of 17) is responsible for managing and coordinating activities involving processing and providing information on pay and benefits.

Head, Operations Unit 1, (staff of 19) is responsible for providing a comprehensive human resources service to Regional Operations, including district offices, in areas such as classification, staffing and human resources services, to approximately 1,400 employees.

Head , Operations Unit 2, (staff of 5) is responsible for providing complete service to the Region, including a number of specialized sites, in the areas of classification and staffing.

Head, Operations Unit 3, (staff of 5) is responsible for providing complete service to specialized units in the Region in the areas of classification and staffing.

Regional Staff Relations (staff of 4) is responsible for overseeing employee/employer relations, the administration of collective agreements, and union/management committees.

Regional Human Resource Planning Officer (staff of 3) is responsible for the development and implementation of human resources and career planning.

Regional Training Officer (staff of 3) is responsible for the planning, coordination and assessment of the regional training program.

Regional Official Languages Officer is responsible for the application of the Official Languages Act and associated regulations, and the administration of language testing.

Regional Counsellor is responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive employee assistance program.

Employment Equity Coordinator (staff of 2) is responsible for the administration of programs targeted at disadvantaged groups.

Occupational Health and Safety Officer (staff of 2) is responsible for the application, inspection and training of managers and employees in the Region.

Nature And Scope

The Human Resources Branch in Vancouver operates under a decentralized system of human resources administration and provides services to approximately 3,000 employees in a variety of locations across the Region, including a number of specialized sites.

The RMHR plans, organizes and directs the provision of human resources services to all components of the Department in the Region. These services must respond to varied current and future needs while complying with legislation, central agency policies and regulations, departmental directives and policies, as well as numerous collective agreements, including those of bargaining agents that are not exclusive to the Public Service, such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The RMHR is directly responsible for the deployment and management of the resources allocated to the Branch and for providing advice and human resources services to management that contribute to the maximization of the Region's human resources. The incumbent must keep abreast of significant changes in central agency human resources strategies and policies, as well as collective agreements, in order to inform the management clientele of all important changes affecting the human resources aspects of operations.

Approximately 98% of the staffing and 96% of the classification workload and decisions are delegated to the Region. (In fact, all non EX staffing and classification is delegated.) Although grievance procedures are outlined in policy, the advice to managers at the early stages of the grievance procedure can have national impact. The RMHR must develop the appropriate strategy in providing advice on and monitoring labour disruptions and complex discipline cases. The Department's programs in the Region are operational at all times, with no interruptions, and labour relations issues can and do arise at any time, and require immediate response. The RMHR ensures the development and maintenance of consistent and equitable union/management relations necessary to maintain a stable and productive employer/employee relationship. During labour disputes when employees withdraw their services, the incumbent directs the establishment and operation of a comprehensive and highly efficient communications system with management in order to monitor the situation at all times and provide timely advice.

Another major challenge of this position is to promulgate an integrated approach to human resources service delivery in the Region, so that functions are compatible with one another and are mutually supportive. The approach should ensure that, for example, classification actions do not slow down the process to the detriment of staffing. The RMHR ensures the effective implementation of modernized approaches to the delivery of human resources services so as to increase speed, quality and efficiency of services and build strong working partnerships with client managers.

The RMHR identifies the immediate and long-term needs of management and initiates the appropriate means to meet those needs. These means can include redeployment of staff or the development of special programs, such as training and publishing brochures or handbooks. The RMHR must ensure that departmental development programs for career progression are implemented and enhanced effectively in the Region.

The RMHR has regular contact with senior departmental officials to discuss and recommend resolutions for a variety of issues relating to the functions and responsibilities of the Branch; with the Regional Director, Public Service Commission, to clarify or resolve staffing problems or to deal with Public Service Commission investigations; and with the Manager, Regional Pay Office, Public Works and Government Services Canada, to resolve pay problems, such as issues dealing with superannuation and isolated post pay regulations.

Specific Accountabilities

1. Organizes, directs and coordinates the activities of the Human Resources Branch in the Region.
2. Advises managers in the Region on human resources policies and practices and contributes to the maximization of the Region's human resources.
3. Directs the development and dissemination of guidelines and other information material in order to help management understand and use the facilities and services of the Human Resources Branch.
4. Controls the use of human and financial resources to ensure that expenditures remain within allocations and that deviations are approved, by allocating resources, approving requisitions, and analysing the need for new or additional expenditures.
5. Ensures the development and maintenance of equitable union/management relations in the Region.
6. Promulgates an integrated approach to human resources service delivery in the Region in order to facilitate management's dealing with human resources issues.

Evaluation Rationale

Regional Manager, Human Resources

Know-How

F

Extensive knowledge of legislation and regulations governing all personnel functions in the Public Service; and thorough knowledge of departmental policies and activities as they affect the Department's operations in the Region.

II

Coordination of services provided to line managers with specific and differing requirements.

3

Successful achievement of objectives requires the incumbent to deal with senior managers and individual employees.

460

Highest number reflects the complexity of the different operational requirements that must be met, especially staff relations, compensation and recruitment of highly skilled staff to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Problem Solving / Thinking

E

Thinking takes place within policies and precedents established by central agencies and by departmental policies and regulations.

4

Analytical and constructive thinking is required to reconcile local managerial requirements with service-wide and departmental policies and procedures.

(43) 200

Solid percentage reflects the well-defined human resources policies and procedures framework.

Accountability / Decision Making

E

Direction is provided by headquarters for all policies and procedures to which program implementation is closely linked.

2P

The position has a primary impact on regional human resources programs. The proxy selected to represent these programs is an operating budget of $630,000 (constant).

230

High number reflects the strong influence on the use of the Region's total human resources (3,000 FTEs) and the size of the budget.

Summary

Figure: 4 – N – 2 - Text version

Benchmark Number: 4 – N – 2

Regional Manager, Human Resources

The subject position is at the third managerial level reporting to the Director General, Regional Human Resources Operations, and there are 12 peer positions at the same reporting level.

Reporting to the Regional Manager, Human Resources are 1 Manager, 3 Heads, 4 Officers, 1 Counsellor, 1 Coordinator and 1 Regional Staff relations.

Linear organisation chart:

Director General, Regional Human Resources Operations

• 9 Regional Managers, Human Resources
• Chief, Regional Human Resources Operations/Coordination
• Chief, Regional Human Resources Operations/Administration
• Chief, Counselling, Research and Fitness
• Regional Manager, Human Resources
  • Manager, Pay and Benefits
  • 3 Heads for :
    • Operations Unit 1
    • Operations Unit 2
    • Operations Unit 3
  • 4 Officers for :
    • Regional Human Resource Planning
    • Regional Training
    • Regional Official Languages
    • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Regional Counsellor
  • Employment Equity Coordinator
  • Regional Staff Relations