Role Type

On-site • Permanent • Full-time

Description

Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent, on-site

Company: Porter O’Brien

Salary: $105,000 – 130,000, commensurate with experience

About Porter O’Brien

Porter O’Brien is a growing Canadian professional services firm specializing in communications and marketing, government affairs, management consulting, research and strategic advisory services.

Founded in Fredericton in 2019, we’ve grown into a multidisciplinary firm with offices across New Brunswick and team members elsewhere in Canada. We’re entrepreneurial, ambitious and committed to creating an environment where talented people can do exceptional work.

As we continue to grow, we’re looking for a Director, People & Operations to lead the internal functions that support our employees, our clients, and our business.

About the Role

Reporting jointly to the firm’s two Partners and Co-Owners, the Director, People & Operations will lead the firm’s human resources, finance administration, corporate operations and organizational modernization functions.

The Director will also play an important role in supporting the firm’s growth, including expansion into new jurisdictions, acquisitions and the integration of new businesses.

This is a senior leadership position with considerable autonomy, responsibility and influence. The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor to the partners, frequently serving as the third person in the room when important operational and organizational decisions are considered.

We’re looking for someone who combines the warmth and judgment to become a trusted resource for employees with the organizational discipline, business acumen and confidence to manage people, processes and performance.

We don’t believe there’s only one professional background that prepares someone for this role. You might come from human resources, finance, law, business administration or broader organizational leadership.

What matters most is your ability to lead people, take ownership, solve problems and help a growing business operate effectively.

Key Responsibilities

People & Culture
- Lead the firm-wide recruitment strategy, including candidate sourcing, screening, interview processes, and offer development in close collaboration with Practice Directors and firm partners.
- Serve as the firm’s senior HR advisor and a confidential resource for staff, coaching Practice Directors on performance management, employee relations, conflict resolution, and compensation administration.
- Oversee onboarding, benefits administration, professional development, and employee engagement initiatives, while designing HR policies that ensure multi-jurisdictional employment law compliance.
Finance & Business Administration
- Supervise, coach, and direct the internal financial administration team, establishing clear reporting priorities, daily workflows, and performance accountability.
- Oversee day-to-day financial operations-including client invoicing, accounts receivable and payable, expense management, payroll coordination, and financial administration across multiple corporate entities.
- Collaborate with firm partners and external accounting specialists on budgeting, cash flow forecasting, internal controls, and management dashboards to inform executive decision-making.
Corporate Operations
- Provide leadership to the property and office operations team, overseeing physical office facilities, lease agreements, property administration, and equipment inventories across firm locations.
- Design and maintain internal operating policies, administrative procedures, and business continuity plans that support both physical offices and distributed team members.
- Manage external service providers and vendor contracts, oversee procurement, and proactively identify operational bottlenecks or risks to improve efficiency.
Corporate Governance, Expansion & Acquisitions
- Maintain corporate governance systems, business registrations, mandatory reporting, insurance policies, and regulatory compliance across multiple provinces and potential international jurisdictions.
- Serve as the primary liaison coordinating external legal, tax, and accounting counsel, ensuring professional advice is effectively implemented during the setup of new subsidiaries or locations.
- Support operational due diligence for strategic acquisitions, leading the post-merger integration of personnel, HR policies, accounting workflows, and business systems.
AI Adoption & Organizational Modernization
- Drive the firm’s practical adoption of artificial intelligence tools, working across practice teams to identify opportunities that enhance client delivery, automate administrative tasks, and improve productivity.
- Establish firm-wide governance policies for responsible AI usage, ensuring strict safeguards around client confidentiality, data privacy, intellectual property, and appropriate human oversight.
- Coordinate staff training, change management, and technology onboarding to cultivate an adaptable, innovative workplace culture comfortable with modern tools.

What We’re Looking For

We’re interested in candidates with a strong combination of leadership experience, interpersonal skills and business judgment.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

Significant professional experience in human resources, finance, law, management or another relevant business discipline.
Proven people-management experience, including the ability to coach employees, establish expectations, address performance issues and build effective teams.
Strong interpersonal skills, empathy, discretion and the ability to earn employees’ trust.
The practical knowledge and judgment necessary to provide effective HR leadership, together with a willingness to develop any additional technical expertise required.
Financial literacy and an understanding of business administration and operational management.
Excellent organizational skills, initiative and independent problem-solving ability.
Confidence working directly with business owners, senior professionals and external advisors.
Experience managing compliance obligations, coordinating professional advisors or overseeing corporate governance processes.
Experience leading organizational change, improving processes or building management systems.
Technological curiosity and an interest in AI and its applications in the workplace.
Relevant post-secondary education or equivalent professional experience.

Particularly valuable experience would include:

Working in a professional services firm or growing small or mid-sized business.
Supporting organizational growth across multiple offices or jurisdictions.
Participating in acquisitions, integrations or international expansion.
Managing teams or functions spanning multiple business disciplines.
Supporting senior executives or business owners in organizational decision-making.

A CPHR, CPA, legal qualification or other relevant professional designation would be an asset, but none is required. We recognize that candidates may bring different combinations of these capabilities and do not expect direct experience in every area.

How to Apply

Please submit: