Company Overview

Durwest has been a trusted leader in Construction and Project Management for over 40 years, with a strong presence on Vancouver Island and projects exceeding $90M. We are in an exciting period of growth and transformation. We have new leadership, a revitalized brand, and an elevated commitment to operational excellence and the Durwest Building Experience.

We are actively seeking professionals who take ownership, embrace growth, and build lasting relationships; individuals ready to help us shape the next chapter of Durwest.

Role Overview

The People Operations Lead is a trusted partner within the Corporate Services team, responsible for delivering thoughtful, people-centered HR operations and internal services at Durwest.

This role serves as a primary point of contact for employees and leaders, offering practical guidance, support and sound judgment while ensuring compliant, consistent, and values-driven practices.

The role also plays a key part in building scalable people processes that enable connection, engagement, and growth as the organization evolves.

Areas of Focus

People Operations / HR

• Act as the first point of contact for employee and leader HR questions, including policies, benefits, and employee lifecycle matters.

• Manage full-cycle recruitment and onboarding for field and office roles.

• Support performance management, absence and leave management, and low-to-moderate complexity employee relations issues, escalating as needed.

• Administer employee lifecycle changes (hires, promotions, leaves, terminations) and maintain accurate HRIS records.

• Support compensation reviews, job evaluations, investigations, and labour relations activities in partnership with the Corporate Services Manager.

Policy, Compliance & Governance

• Support the development, interpretation, and rollout of people-related policies and guidelines.
• Ensure policies, templates, and processes remain current, compliant, and aligned with Durwest values.
• Help leaders apply policies consistently and fairly across the organization.

Employee Experience, Culture & Engagement

• Support employee training, development, and engagement initiatives.

• Coordinate engagement activities, events, and connection-building initiatives.

• Model and reinforce Durwest’s values through daily interactions and support.

Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain department SOPs and tools.

• Track and analyze HR metrics to identify trends and improvement opportunities.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes, improve systems, and enhance the employee experience.

Communications and Engagement

• Draft and coordinate people-related internal communications and announcements.

• Support external communications and content posting in alignment with brand guidelines.

• Assist with coordination and logistics for events and sponsorships.

Who You Are

You're someone who genuinely enjoys helping things run well (and run better!). You bring judgment and care to sensitive situations, take ownership of your work, and follow things through without needing to be chased. You build trust easily, communicate clearly, and have a natural service orientation that shows up in how you interact with people at every level.

You're organized and detail-oriented, comfortable managing competing priorities without losing sight of what matters. You're at home with systems and technology, and you find real satisfaction in improving how things work — whether that's a process, a tool, or the experience someone has when they need support.

You work well independently, but you stay connected to the people around you. You bring energy, practicality, and a people-first lens to everything you do.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, with a track record of growing responsibility across core people operations functions.

• CPHR designation or CPHR candidacy is an asset.

Why Join Durwest?

• **Trusted Reputation:**Join a well-established, locally rooted team with 40+ years of experience delivering projects across Vancouver Island.

• **Relationship-Driven Culture:**Be part of a team that values trust, collaboration, and long-term partnerships, not only with clients, consultants, and trade partners, but also within our own Durwest family.

• **Opportunities to Grow:**Be part of an exciting phase of transformation and growth, with opportunities to take ownership, expand your skills, and shape your career.

• **Competitive Rewards:**Receive a competitive salary, extended health benefits, RRSP matching, bonus opportunities, and other perks.

• **Lifestyle & Location:**Enjoy work-life balance in beautiful Victoria, BC, supported by a stable pipeline of local projects.

• **High-Performing Team:**Collaborate with professionals who value accuracy, professionalism, accountability, and fun in a supportive team environment.

We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

To help us identify the best fit, please ensure your resume highlights your most relevant qualifications and complete the three short pre-screening questions. Your time and attention here will strengthen your application and increase your chances of moving forward!

We understand that job applications take time, and we sincerely appreciate your effort and interest in building your career with Durwest.