People Operations Manager

About ANVIL

ANVIL is a Mission First organization and Canadian AI defence technology company on a mission to enable total knowledge dominance. We work with defence, public safety, law enforcement, and national security organizations to accelerate mission-critical decision-making through analytical tools, automations, and game-changing machine learning capabilities. ANVIL helps organizations discover, manage, enrich, fuse, and exploit the information available to them in support of Information Dominance and Decision Advantage.

Position Details

Job Type: Full Time Hybrid - Ottawa, Ontario (55 Murray Street Office)

Total Compensation: CAD $100,000 - $120,000 base salary - Placement within range based on experience and qualifications

Vacancy Status: This posting is for an existing vacancy. ANVIL is actively recruiting to fill this position.

Role Description

As a People Operations Manager at ANVIL, you will be the operational engine behind our efforts to build a team of remarkable individuals. Reporting to the Head of People Operations, you will own full-cycle recruiting while providing critical support across HR operations, employee lifecycle management, and administrative functions. Your work will directly enable ANVIL to attract, develop, and retain the talent powering Canada's AI defence future.

You will partner closely with hiring managers across engineering, product, and operations to fill critical roles, while also ensuring our people operations run smoothly—from onboarding new team members to maintaining HR systems and supporting employee experience initiatives. This is a foundational role with significant growth potential as ANVIL scales.

We're looking for someone who shares our belief that leadership is a state of mind, not a job title. You'll thrive here if you embrace "Type 2 fun"—challenges that are difficult in the moment but rewarding in retrospect—and if you're motivated by purpose over profit.

Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition (Primary Focus)

• Full-Cycle Recruiting: Own the end-to-end recruitment process, including job posting creation, sourcing, screening, interview coordination, offer negotiation, and onboarding handoff.
• Talent Sourcing: Proactively identify and engage passive candidates through LinkedIn, networking events, defence industry conferences, and creative outreach strategies.
• Hiring Manager Partnership: Collaborate with hiring managers to define role requirements, develop interview plans, and calibrate on candidate profiles.
• Candidate Experience: Champion an exceptional candidate experience that reflects ANVIL's values—ensuring timely communication, transparency, and respect throughout the process.
• Employer Branding: Contribute to ANVIL's employer brand by crafting compelling job descriptions, supporting careers page content, and representing ANVIL at recruiting events.

People Operations & Administration

• Onboarding Coordination: Design and execute comprehensive onboarding programs that set new team members up for success from day one.
• HRIS & Documentation: Maintain employee records, HRIS data integrity, and HR documentation with accuracy and confidentiality.
• Benefits Administration: Support benefits enrollment, employee inquiries, and liaise with benefits providers as needed.
• Employee Lifecycle Support: Assist with employee changes, leave management, and offboarding processes.
• Compliance & Process Improvement: Ensure HR activities comply with employment legislation and company policies; continuously improve processes, tools, and workflows to increase efficiency.
• Operational Support: Provide administrative support to the Head of People Operations across special projects and initiatives.

Prerequisites

• 3+ years of progressive HR experience, including full-cycle recruiting.
• Experience recruiting for technical roles (software engineers, data scientists, or similar).
• Familiarity with HRIS and applicant tracking systems (we use BambooHR).
• Experience with LinkedIn Recruiter or similar sourcing platforms.

Core Skills

• Sourcing Excellence: Proven ability to identify and engage hard-to-find talent through multiple channels beyond job boards.
• Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust quickly with candidates, hiring managers, and employees alike.
• Communication: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; able to craft compelling outreach and represent ANVIL's mission authentically.
• Organizational Skills: Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously—balancing active requisitions with HR operations—while maintaining attention to detail.
• Technical Fluency: Ability to understand and discuss technical roles credibly, even without a technical background.
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and ambiguity.
• Discretion: Ability to handle sensitive employee and candidate information appropriately, particularly given our work with defence and national security clients.

Nice to Have

• CHRP designation or working towards certification.
• Experience working in technology, government, or defence contractor environments.
• Understanding of security clearance processes and requirements.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and French.
• Experience with employer branding initiatives or recruitment marketing.

Why Join Us?

Our Mission

This is more than just a job; you'll be part of a team of dedicated professionals who share a common goal: to increase the safety and security of Western democracies through the effective use of data. Our workplace is not just a job; it's a community of like-minded people working together to make a positive impact on the world we live in.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salaries
• Flexible health benefits package through Equitable
• Industry-leading employer retirement contributions match
  

Work Environment

• Hybrid work model combining remote flexibility with meaningful in-person collaboration
• Modern office in the historic Carriageway building in beautiful downtown Ottawa
• Access to downtown amenities, transit, and Ottawa's vibrant cultural scene

What You'll Experience

• Work alongside dedicated professionals who value excellence and collaboration
• Contribute to building the team behind technologies with real-world security impact
• Ground-floor opportunity to shape people operations as ANVIL scales
• Join a culture where your expertise and ideas matter

Application Process

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and cover letter. The application process will likely include:

• A preliminary call with our team, which will be a chance for you to find out more about ANVIL and the role.
• An initial interview to discuss your experience and suitability for the role.
• A practical exercise to assess your approach to common scenarios in the role.

ANVIL welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process.

Use of AI in Recruitment: ANVIL does not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants for this position. All applications are reviewed by members of our recruitment team.