Do you have what it takes?

What employers are looking for in senior HR executives

Canadian HR Reporter talked to three executive recruiters to find out what organizations want in a senior HR professional.

Paul Gibbons
Managing partner
People First Solutions


At the executive level of HR, organizations are looking more and more for business backgrounds, according to Paul Gibbons, managing partner of People First Solutions in Vancouver.

The head of HR is involved in many strategic initiatives that affect the bottom line, including increasing the productivity of the workforce, increasing retention and overseeing recruitment policies, he says.

“They have to comprehend the business plan of the company to be able to effectively implement human capital strategies that will match the needs of the business,” says Gibbons.

And while a business background is important, the knowledge gained through a career in the HR function is invaluable, he says.

“We’ve seen some successful cross-over from different disciplines in the organization,” says Gibbons. “However, people coming up through the HR ranks, more often than not, they’re better prepared to serve the needs of the executive.”

Some of the most important experiences and skills for an HR executive to have include effective communication, strategic recruitment planning, teamwork, succession planning, performance management and career pathing.

“They must be an effective communicator. They must be able to lead and work as an integral part of a team,” says Gibbons. “You’re managing the most important asset in a company — the people. How you communicate with those people, how you work and liaise with those people, how you bring those people together is instrumental in determining your success as an HR executive.”

Most importantly, if an HR professional wants to make a move to an executive position, she needs to start taking on positions of increasing responsibility, says Gibbons.

“You can’t expect to be a mid-level manager for 15 years and then jump into an executive level,” he says. “You have to look for opportunities that will open some of those avenues for you.”


Vikki Mungre
Senior consultant
Controllers On Call


A Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation combined with an MBA or master’s degree in HR management will help an HR professional looking to climb the executive ranks, according to Vikki Mungre, senior consultant with Controllers On Call in Toronto.

“The CHRP gives you a broad overview of all the HR components and the degree gives you the added perspective in terms of being a senior executive,” he says.

And that solid HR knowledge is very important to organizations looking for an HR executive, says Mungre.

In a larger company, the vice-president will work with directors who specialize in various areas, such as compensation and benefits, so the vice-president’s job is to work with them and utilize their expertise to her advantage. In smaller organizations, the vice-president will need to play all those roles and will need a deeper knowledge of all areas of HR, says Mungre.

“The smaller the company, the broader the perspective,” he says.

If an HR professional wants to make the move to a senior executive position, she needs to keep in touch with current trends, stay on top of the business strategy and make connections with business leaders, says Mungre.

“An HR professional wanting to walk into an executive position should have the yearning to learn more and more and learn from everyone around them.”

While organizations want someone with industry-specific knowledge, which usually comes from 10 to 15 years of experience in a given sector, they also want someone who can network with people from other sectors, he says.

“It’s important to know the right people across the board. You don’t need to know people in your industry only, it’s important to interact and network with people in different industries because you can learn so much more from them,” he says.


Lisa Ludmer
Director of permanent and professional services
Adecco Canada


With a tightening labour force and looming baby boomer retirements, the focus of HR is now firmly on talent management, which means HR executives need to have experience in succession planning and retention, according to Lisa Ludmer, director of permanent and professional services at Adecco Canada in Toronto.

While recruiting the right people is important, that task will fall more to junior HR professionals while vice-presidents and directors of HR will focus more on keeping top talent because good recruits will be few and far between, she says.

“You’re only given one or two candidates for each job, so it’s harder,” says Ludmer. “They’re really concerned about the retention of employees.”

Because of the strategic nature of succession planning and the need to ensure an organization has the right people to meet future business needs, employers are increasingly looking for HR executives with more business experience and possibly even an MBA.

“They’re taking on more of a business analyst role,” says Ludmer.

Employers are also looking for HR executives who are problem solvers and can adapt to the changing market, she adds.

HR executives will also need a strategy for attracting foreign-trained professionals and helping them relocate to Canada as homegrown talent becomes more sparse, says Ludmer.

“We just don’t have the talent here in Canada. If we don’t have them, we have to think creatively and out-of-the-box about how we’re going to get them,” she says. “International recruiting is going to be increasingly important.”

Business savvy, openness to international recruiting and relocation, a business and strategic mindset combined with industry-specific knowledge will all help put an HR executive candidate over the top, says Ludmer.

On their way to getting there, HR professionals will have to step up and ask to become part of the business and strategic planning in the organization, she says.

“If you don’t ask, you don’t get, so you have to take the initiative.”

To read the full story, login below.

Not a subscriber?

Start your subscription today!