Description
WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS
First, we are on a mission to improve healthcare in Northwestern Ontario. Second, we have a brand new hospital coming to Kenora. To deliver on what’s ahead, we need a stronger, more sustainable workforce, built through creative recruitment, “grow our own” pipelines, and retention strategies that make LWDH a place people choose to build their careers. In this role, you’ll lead practical, measurable workforce initiatives that directly impact patient care and staff wellbeing. You’ll partner with leaders, educators, and community stakeholders to reduce vacancies, strengthen onboarding and first year retention, and build sustainable pipelines- using data, experimentation, and a deep understanding of what attracts and keeps talent in a northern, resource constrained environment.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Bring creativity, strategy, and operational follow through to the toughest workforce challenges in healthcare. Lake of the Woods District Hospital is seeking a Workforce Optimization Manager to lead a diverse portfolio that includes recruitment, staff wellness, education and learner placements, housing/accommodations, and internal workforce development. Reporting to the Director, People and Culture and partnering closely with the Employee and Labour Relations Manager, you will design and deliver “grow our own” workforce strategies, strengthen our employer brand, and build the partnerships and programs that attract, develop, and retain talent, grounded in metrics and real-world constraints.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
You will lead a broad portfolio and a multidisciplinary team, partnering with leaders, educators, community organizations, and external institutions. Responsibilities include:
- Lead and implement workforce optimization strategies across recruitment, retention, workforce planning, and internal development aligned to organizational priorities
- Build sustainable pipelines through “grow our own” strategies, succession planning, internal mobility, and partnerships with educational institutions
- Oversee recruitment and talent acquisition operations, including process improvement, equitable hiring practices, and employer branding/outreach
- Use workforce metrics (e.g., time to fill, vacancy rates, cost per hire, offer acceptance, turnover/first year attrition, pipeline health) to identify bottlenecks, set targets, and measure ROI
- Lead staff development, leadership development, and learner placements (high school, post secondary, medical learners), including support for physician education initiatives (e.g., Grand Rounds)
- Oversee staff wellness, engagement, recognition, and retention programming, strengthening a positive, inclusive culture
- Provide oversight of housing and accommodation services to support recruitment and retention in a northern community
- Manage workforce-related budgets (recruitment/advertising, agency spend, wellness, education, housing, development programs) and evaluate cost benefit tradeoffs
- Coach leaders and collaborate across departments to pilot solutions, scale what works, and continuously improve how LWDH attracts and retains talent
This role is well-suited to a curious, resilient, emotionally intelligent leader who thrives where traditional solutions don’t work. You’re comfortable operating with ambiguity and imperfect data, testing bold ideas responsibly, and translating insights into practical programs that improve staffing stability and the employee experience.
ABOUT YOU
You are a strategic, hands-on leader who blends creativity with analytics to solve complex workforce challenges. You build credibility quickly through collaboration, transparency, and follow through and you’re known for bringing people together to design solutions that are equitable, practical, and measurable.
Why Work with LWDH? In this position, there are many benefits to joining our team. But, here are a few highlights:
Compensation & Financial Benefits
- 5 weeks vacation prorated from date of hire
- 5 days of discretionary paid time off
- Desjardin Group Life Insurance coverage that includes basic life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, short/long-term disability coverage, and voluntary custom options
- Statutory holidays
- Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) – employer-matched defined benefit pension
- Relocation support ($10,000 moving allowance and 3 months of temporary housing)
- Subsidized parking
- Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan coverage that includes short-term sick pay and long-term disability
Health & Wellness
- Extended health benefits (vision, dental, prescription, paramedical, hospital accommodation)
- Staff physiotherapy services
- Onsite gym access
- Employee Assistance Program
- Staff wellness initiatives and employee perks program
- Short Term Disability, Long term Disability and EAP
Professional Development
- Annual professional development funding
- Access to internal training and continuing education
- Opportunities for mentorship and advancement within the organization
- Supportive, high performing executive team that supports change
Work-Life Balance
- Flexible working arrangements based on Hospital policy
- Optional 4 over 5 pre-paid leave plan (20% income deduction/savings plan for 4 years, allows you to take a one-year
paid leave in fifth year)
Requirements
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
This role is grounded in measurable workforce impact, reducing vacancies, strengthening retention, and building sustainable pipelines while improving the employee experience and supporting high-quality patient care. Success means balancing urgent staffing realities with longer-term, scalable solutions that fit a northern hospital context.
In your first 3–6 months, you will:
- Build strong partnerships with leaders, educators, community organizations, and other key stakeholders
- Gain a deep understanding of current workforce challenges, staffing gaps, workforce costs, and recruitment spend
- Collaborate with the team to assess the current recruitment process, employer brand, and pipeline health; identify bottlenecks and quick wins
- Establish credibility as a trusted advisor and strategic partner who delivers results
While the focus remains on doing the work well today, you will also help the organization prepare for what’s ahead by delivering the following outcomes:
- Deliver a clear workforce optimization roadmap across recruitment, retention, workforce planning, and internal development with measurable targets
- Improve recruitment performance through stronger outreach, streamlined processes, and equitable hiring practices (e.g., reduced time to fill, stronger offer acceptance)
- Support and strengthen the “grow our own” pipeline strategies through learner placements, partnerships, internal mobility, and succession planning
- Implement or enhance workforce analytics and reporting to support proactive decision-making and early risk identification
- Support the advancement of staff wellness, recognition, and retention initiatives that support a positive, inclusive culture and improved first-year retention
- Use budget and outcome data to evaluate tradeoffs (e.g., incentives vs. agency spend, internal development vs. external hiring) and guide sustainable decisions
Essential Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
- CHRL or CPHR designation (required)
- Minimum five (5) years of progressive HR experience, including leadership and/or project management experience
- Demonstrated expertise in recruitment strategy, workforce planning, and retention initiatives
- Strong knowledge of workforce planning approaches and labour market trends; able to translate data into action
- Experience leading organizational development, culture, or change initiatives (formal or informal)
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and relationship-building skills; proven ability to coach and develop teams
Desirable Experience
- Experience working in healthcare or another complex, resource-constrained and/or unionized environment
- Experience building partnerships with educational institutions, community organizations, and recruitment networks
- Strong command of workforce and recruitment analytics (e.g., vacancy rates, time to fill, cost per hire, offer acceptance, turnover/first-year attrition) and comfort creating dashboards or decision-ready reporting
- Experience designing, piloting, and scaling workforce initiatives (e.g., alternative staffing models, creative incentives, flexible roles, internal development pathways)
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, reconciliation, cultural safety, inclusion, and continuous improvement
Other Requirements
- Criminal Record Check
- Vulnerable Sector Check
- Verification of all required certifications
- Up-to-date vaccinations according to Hospital policy