THE ORGANIZATION

Our client, Tokyo Smoke is an award-winning, design focused, recreational cannabis retailer. All involved believe cannabis is good, and your individual personalized shopping experience should be nothing short of great. Since legalization at Tokyo Smoke, they work everyday to change the public’s perception of recreational cannabis, through well-designed store layouts and an immersive retail experience. The brand has come a long way, always with the core belief that intentional cannabis use can better people’s lives. Tokyo Smoke empowers consumers to make well-informed decisions about safe high-quality products.

The concept first came to life as a cannabis culture coffee shop, which was a safe space to learn about cannabis and purchase curated accessories. The first Tokyo Smoke store opened October 17, 2018, in Manitoba. Today, Tokyo Smoke is part of a stable of brands owned by Canopy Growth Corporation. In Ontario, Canopy Growth Corporation has licensed the Tokyo Smoke marks to 2161907 Alberta Ltd. and its affiliate, 2733181 Ontario Inc. subsidiaries of the Katz Group.

Experiencing high growth and having that entrepreneurial spirit, the company has grown rapidly and has expanded to 62 retail locations in Ontario. With recreational cannabis use now legal in Canada, what started as a tiny Tokyo Smoke storefront now stands to change cannabis culture in a big way.

For more information on Tokyo Smoke please visit their website: www.ca.tokyosmoke.com.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As VP, Human Resources you are responsible for providing both strategic and tactical leadership, management, and vision on the division’s current and future people and staffing needs necessary to establish and execute on operational goals, strategies, plans, and policies. You will report jointly to the shared services SVP of People and Culture, and the head of the Retail Cannabis division. You will work directly with the senior leadership team to ensure that all parts of the business, and all stores have efficient and effective workforce planning, talent, employee relations and retention strategies and programs in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure fiscal responsibility and operating efficiency.

You have a deep understanding and experience in the retail world and can think and operate both on a strategic and a tactical level. You can assess and anticipate future needs and develop plans while being able to solve day to day challenges and build HR programs and services for both today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth. You have a strong understanding of people and organizational behaviour in the business environment. And you are savvy at developing strong relationships at all levels and continually foster a positive and productive working culture. You will be entrepreneurial and experienced in start up operations that are scaling and growing quickly. You can think strategically while rolling up your sleeves, operating at a tactical level with a small, nimble, and agile team, to get things done.

Your role includes interacting with the retail cannabis division executives, management, direct reports, internal departments, legal counsel, all retail stores, regional, district and front-line managers, external agents and vendors, and regulatory bodies. You will also ensure collaboration and integration within the shared service corporate function of People and Culture.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Vision and Strategy

• Establishing and directing both strategic and tactical goals, policies, and procedures for the Human Resources team, in collaboration with the overall People & Culture vision for the integrated organization.
• Assessing the competitiveness of all company human resource programs and practices against the relevant comparable companies, industries, and markets.

Leadership

• Working with management to develop, deliver, monitor, and continue to enhance the company’s learning and development programs and opportunities to meet the company’s operational and safety strategies.
• Leading and developing the Human Resources team.

HR Operations

• Enhancing, developing, implementing, communicating, and enforcing human resources related policies and procedures to improve the overall operation and effectiveness of the company.
• Maintaining knowledge of industry trends and legislation changes to ensure the company’s compliance.
• Ensuring compliance with cannabis regulations in the hiring of all employees and independent contractors.
• Monitoring and optimizing staff retention, while having a deep understanding of the realities of the retail cannabis workforce.
• Building and fostering a constructive and positive relationship with the unions that represent employees while strengthening employee relations in non-unionized operations to help ensure ongoing non-union status wherever possible.
• Maintaining the company’s collective bargaining agreements, and ensuring bargaining occurs on a timely basis and that grievances are appropriately managed.
• Ensuring appropriate security measures are in place to safeguard all human resources and payroll information.
• Monitoring metrics and reporting trends to improve the division’s human resources systems and ultimately operational performance.
• Developing, implementing and enhancing retail focused hiring practices, onboarding, training and development programs, including leadership and supervisory training.
• Be involved in creating a positive workplace culture.

Fiscal Accountability

• Developing and being accountable for the achievement of the division’s human resources (workforce) plans and budgets.
• Optimizing human resources and related business processes and performance, managing costs, and improving human capital discipline to maximize profitability.
• Conducting compensation and benefit program reviews in collaboration with the parent company headquarters and HR peers.
• Monitoring the cost, usage, and investments of the company’s pension and benefit programs in collaboration with the parent company headquarters and HR peers.

FIRST YEAR – MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Assess the current state of the business to gain an understanding of the priorities which may include and are not limited to labour relations, leadership development, workforce planning, succession planning and growth.
• Build a trusting relationship with the executive and store leadership team, demonstrating the value HR can bring to the business.
• Focus on workforce planning including capacity planning, labour consolidation and savings, and building an employer brand to attract talent.
• Develop a labour relations strategy.
• Review the HR infrastructure such as policies, procedures, systems and tools to ensure the business has a solid foundation for growth and scalability.

THE INDIVIDUAL

Given the pivotal role this individual will be expected to play in achieving the strategic objectives of Tokyo Smoke and in supporting the success of the organization, it is essential that the successful candidate possess the following core competencies, experience, and attributes:

Education

• Business, Human Resources or Labour Relations Degree or equivalent.

Experience

• 10+ years’ experience, including progressive experience as a senior executive in a human resources department or equivalent.
• An experienced leader and human resources professional, with experience in retail operations.
• Experience in labour relations and in working with unions is preferred.
• Experience in the cannabis industry is a strong asset.

Skills

• Ability to be direct and work in a very direct environment; understands human relations and knows how to foster a positive working culture in challenging situations.
• Knowledge and understanding of provincial labour, employment, human rights, pension, and privacy laws.
• Experience in collective bargaining negotiations as asset.
• A strategic visionary and tactical executor with significant human resources skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus. Can roll up the sleeves and work along side the business leaders at all levels as needed.
• A decisive individual who possesses a “big picture” perspective, exhibits sound and accurate judgment, and makes timely decisions.
• Identifies and resolves problems proactively and promptly.
• Looks for ways to improve and promote a positive employee experience and focuses on improving profitability through the success of people.
• Possesses a strong business acumen with a deep understanding of business principles.
• An intelligent and articulate individual who can relate to people at all levels of an organization and possesses excellent communication skills.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Delegates work assignments, gives authority to work independently, sets expectations, monitors delegated activities, and holds people accountable; and
• Inspires and motivates others to perform well and accepts feedback from others.
• Ability to develop direct reports and build a strong operating team of professionals.

Compensation

An excellent compensation package awaits the successful candidate.

Location

Toronto, Ontario. Tokyo Smoke works in a hybrid model spending time in office on Tues/Wed/Thurs with work from home on Mon/Fri. In addition, you will spend occasional time visiting the retail stores located in the Ontario region. For this reason, the successful candidate must reside in the GTA.

How to Apply

For the opportunity to join Tokyo Smoke in the role of VP, Human Resources, please email your resume to DreamBig@profoundtalent.com referencing Position ID # AKII-760858.

Should you have an inquiry regarding this position, please contact Terri Davis at 587-200-0114 ext. 101.

For further information on ProFound Talent Inc. please visit:

Website: www.profoundtalent.com

* We thank all applicants for your submissions; however, only candidates being considered for this role will be contacted. *