Toronto is Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and liveable cities. Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. Toronto delivers services through a dedicated workforce of more than 42,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $19B. As an Official Host City for the FIFA World Cup 2026™and the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, innovation and climate action and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses.

Reporting to the City Manager, the Chief People Officer will lead the City’s People and Equity Division, an accomplished team of approximately 400 professionals and budget of $50M through its next phase of transformation. The Chief People Officer will ensure the Division continues to deeply understand and align with the service delivery needs of City divisions, strengthening its role as a strategic partner across the organization. As a trusted advisor to the City Manager and senior leadership team, the CPO will provide strategic counsel on workforce priorities, organizational culture, equity, and change management. This executive leader will champion a high‑performing, inclusive, and modern public service workforce while driving significant enterprise‑wide human resources, culture, equity, and organizational change initiatives.

The People & Equity Division is responsible for recruitment, job evaluation and pay equity; management of human resources data and systems; organizational development, learning, and leadership development; and maintaining collaborative employee and labour relations. The Division works with partners to ensure that City services, programs and policies are responsive to the needs of Toronto’s diverse communities and provides advice and services to promote respect for human rights across the organization. The Chief People Officer is accountable for strategies, policies and programs that further the City’s People and Equity initiatives, ensure legislative compliance, education and inspire meaningful change to foster an engaged and diverse workforce that delivers exceptional service to the City.

As the ideal candidate for the Chief People Officer for the City, you bring a minimum of 15 years of progressive, strategic human resources leadership experience within complex public, private, and/or not‑for‑profit organizations. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide decisive and forward‑thinking leadership to ensure the effective execution of Council’s strategies, priorities, and directives. You excel at building strong relationships, leading large, diverse teams, and fostering a culture of collaboration and service excellence across the organization. With well‑developed political acuity, you are adept at providing sound strategic human resources counsel in dynamic and high‑visibility environments. You are driven by a deep commitment to public service and demonstrate a values‑based, ethical leadership approach—one that reflects the integrity and sound judgment essential to this senior role.

Reason for Posting: Existing Vacancy

To Apply

To explore this opportunity in confidence, please submit your cover letter and resume no later than April 20, 2026 at https://en-careers.odgers.com/en-ca/job/31077/

We thank all those who express an interest, however only those chosen for further development will be contacted.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

City of Toronto is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers and the City of Toronto throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.

Odgers is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our DEI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.