Manager, Talent Programs

About Kinaxis

Are you looking to join an innovative, market-leading company where you can truly elevate your career? At Kinaxis we are serious about culture, we are serious about technology, we are serious about customers, and we are serious about not taking ourselves too seriously. If you are looking to be part of an incredible growth story, then we might just be the place for you!

In 1984, we started out as a team of three engineers. Today, we have grown to become a global organization with over 2000 employees around the world, 6 global office and a best-in-class HQ in Ottawa, Canada. As winners of several Top Employer awards globally, we are proud to work with our customers and employees towards solving some of the biggest challenges facing supply chains today.

Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains, and supporting the people who manage them. Our powerful, AI infused platform provides full transparency and visibility across end-to-end supply chains, enabling our customers to make faster, better decisions. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. With more than 40000 users in over 100 countries, we are expanding our team as we continue to innovate and revolutionize how we support our customers.

Location

Hybrid if in Ottawa or Toronto. Remote for other locations in Canada

About the team

The Manager, Talent Programs leads the implementation, integration and evolution of Talent programs and frameworks that strengthen performance, development, leadership capability and employee experience across Kinaxis. The role translates Talent strategy and business, people and organizational priorities into an integrated Talent Programs roadmap and ensures programs, practices and talent frameworks work together to support organizational capability, career growth and talent outcomes.

As a people leader, the Manager provides functional leadership across performance management, talent and succession, leadership and employee development, employee listening, Talent enablement and the continued evolution of Kinaxis’ talent and capability frameworks. The role translates strategic direction into portfolio priorities and program roadmaps, drives execution through the team, and is accountable for integrated delivery and outcomes across the Talent Programs portfolio.

Partnering closely across HR and with business leaders, the Manager brings Talent expertise and organizational insights to identify current and future capability needs, influence priorities and evolve Talent practices. The role leverages employee and talent insights, skills and workforce data, external research and emerging practices to continuously strengthen how Kinaxis identifies, develops and deploys talent across a global organization.

Vacancy Status

This is an existing job vacancy

What you will do

• Translate Talent strategy and organizational priorities into an integrated Talent Programs roadmap, establishing program priorities, sequencing and delivery plans.
• Lead the evolution of Talent and capability frameworks, including competencies, skills identification, talent mapping and career development approaches, creating greater consistency and connection across roles, career paths and Talent programs.
• Establish frameworks, standards and governance that support consistent approaches to competencies, skills and career pathways, partnering across HR and with the business to clarify accountabilities and strengthen alignment between job profiles, career progression and employee development.
• Lead the design, implementation and ongoing evolution of core Talent programs and practices, including talent reviews, succession planning, performance management and goal setting, within the broader Talent strategy and philosophy.
• Provide oversight and integration across leadership and manager development, employee learning and development, employee listening and Talent enablement, ensuring program roadmaps and priorities are connected to broader Talent and organizational objectives.
• Leverage employee listening and engagement insights to identify organizational and talent priorities, recommend changes to priorities, programs and approaches, and ensure insights are translated into meaningful actions and improvements.
• Partner across HR and with business leaders to identify talent, skills and organizational capability needs, provide strategic guidance and recommendations, and build alignment around Talent priorities, programs, frameworks and investments.
• Establish measures of success across the Talent Programs portfolio and leverage talent, skills, employee and program insights to evaluate impact, identify emerging needs, influence priorities and guide continuous improvement.
• Ensure Talent program designs are effectively translated into scalable processes, technology, communications, resources and experiences that drive adoption and enable employees, managers and HR to effectively participate in Talent programs.
• Champion innovation across the Talent portfolio, identifying opportunities to leverage technology, AI, automation, research and emerging practices to improve Talent practices, insights, employee experiences and scalability.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Talent professionals, establishing clear accountabilities and priorities and holding the team accountable for delivery and outcomes and fostering collaboration, innovation and high performance.
• Oversee Talent Programs resources, external partnerships and investments, balancing priorities and capacity to deliver the greatest impact against business and organizational needs.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business, Learning and Development or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 8+ years of progressive Human Resources, Talent Management, Organizational Development, Learning and Development or related experience, with demonstrated experience leading complex Talent programs and initiatives in a global organization; experience in a high-growth or technology environment is an asset.
• Broad Talent Management expertise with strong knowledge of performance management, talent assessment, succession, development, employee listening, competencies, skills and career development practices, and the ability to connect individual programs and frameworks into an integrated Talent approach.
• Demonstrated experience developing or evolving Talent frameworks, such as competency models, skills frameworks, talent mapping or career development approaches, and translating them into practical Talent practices and employee experiences.
• Demonstrated experience translating Talent strategy and business priorities into frameworks, program roadmaps and scalable solutions and leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with enterprise-wide impact.
• Strong strategic thinking, consulting and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate complex or ambiguous organizational needs, evaluate options and provide practical, evidence-informed recommendations.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to integrate talent, skills, employee and business insights to identify trends, establish priorities and evaluate organizational impact.
• Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills, with demonstrated ability to build alignment, influence decisions and effectively partner with senior leaders and HR stakeholders across a global organization.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, with the ability to establish direction, clarify accountabilities, coach and develop experienced professionals and create an environment of ownership, collaboration and high performance.
• Strong digital fluency and curiosity, with the ability to identify opportunities to leverage technology, AI and emerging practices to evolve Talent programs and ways of working.
• Strong portfolio and program management capability, with the ability to balance competing priorities, allocate resources and deliver high-quality outcomes across multiple enterprise initiatives.

Work With Impact: Our platform directly helps companies power the world’s supply chains. We see the results of what we do out in the world every day, when we see store shelves stocked, when medications are available for our loved ones, and so much more.

Work with Fortune 500 Brands: Companies across industries trust us to help them take control of their integrated business planning and digital supply chain. Some of our customers include Lockheed Martin, Unilever, P&G, ExxonMobil, Cisco and more.

Social Responsibility at Kinaxis: Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee weighs in on hiring practices, talent assessment training materials, and mandatory training on unconscious bias and inclusion fundamentals. Sustainability is key to what we do and we’re committed to a long-term net-zero operations strategy. We are involved in our communities and support causes where we can make the most impact.

People matter at Kinaxis and here are some of the perks and benefits we offer, which may vary by location and employee:

• Flexible vacation and Kinaxis Days (company-wide days off)
• Flexible work options
• Physical and mental well-being programs
• Regularly scheduled virtual fitness classes
• Mentorship programs, training, and career development
• Recognition programs and referral rewards
• Hackathons

For more information, visit the Kinaxis website at or the company’s blog at

Kinaxis is committed to ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment process. We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the initial step of the recruitment process to compare submitted resumes against the job description to identify candidates whose education, experience, and skills most closely match the requirements of the role. After the initial screening, all subsequent decisions regarding your application, including final selection, are made by our human recruitment team. AI does not make any final hiring decisions.