Supporting Creative Institutions Through Strategic HR Hiring

The Challenge

A leading Canadian art and design university engaged us to recruit a Director of Human Resources at the executive level.

This wasn’t a standard HR search.

The university needed a senior leader who could bring strong executive HR experience while understanding the realities of a creative, academic environment. Someone who could guide strategy, support faculty and staff, and lead a diverse HR team — all while aligning with the institution’s values and long-term direction.

Adding to the challenge, senior HR leaders with experience in higher education are in high demand and often not actively looking for a move. Reaching the right person required thoughtful outreach and a strong network.

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Our Approach

We knew this search would require more than posting a job and waiting.

Focused Outreach

We conducted targeted research across LinkedIn and professional networks to identify senior HR leaders with experience in academic, creative, or mission-driven institutions.

Instead of narrowing our search to exact title matches, we looked at career paths and leadership impact — prioritizing leaders who had navigated similarly collaborative environments.

Activating Our Network

We leaned into our national referral network to reach experienced executives who were not actively job-seeking but open to the right opportunity.

This allowed us to engage thoughtful, established leaders who may not have surfaced through traditional methods.

Thoughtful, Thorough Assessment

We conducted multiple rounds of interviews to explore:

• Executive HR strategy and operational leadership
• Experience guiding diverse teams
• Decision-making in academic settings
• Leadership style and approach to collaboration

We also facilitated conversations with key stakeholders to ensure alignment around expectations, communication style, and long-term priorities.

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The Results

We successfully placed a Director of Human Resources who:

• Brought strong executive HR leadership experience
• Understood the nuances of academic and creative institutions
• Built early trust with senior leadership
• Stepped into the role with clarity and confidence

The university secured a senior HR leader equipped to support its evolving needs — and we reinforced our ability to deliver executive talent for specialized institutions across British Columbia.

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