Head of People & Operations

Wärtsilä is an innovative technology company known for being a forerunner in the Marine and Energy markets. Every day, we – Wärtsilians - put our hearts and minds into turning Wärtsilä's purpose of enabling sustainable societies through innovation in technology and services into reality. Our ultimate aim is to provide increased value to both our customers and society. New, game-changing ideas and continuous improvement have been part of our DNA since 1834. Together, we can create new business opportunities and more sustainable future that we can all be proud of. 

We want to transition the world towards a decarbonised and sustainable future. By pushing the boundaries of engineering and technology, we can make it work. We are always on the lookout for future-oriented talent – want to join the ride?

As People Manager, your primary task is to support the development organization with all people related matters. You will act as line manager and primary interface between teams, Wärtsilä corporate environment, and external entities, such as recruiting agencies and academia.

You are someone who genuinely likes to support people to develop and grow. As a person you do not see hierarchies and recognize the value of teams.

The location for this permanent role is in Canada, Vancouver. 

Your main responsibilities

Act as line manager for self-managed teams

Act as interface towards Wärtsilä corporate for people related requirements

Support self-managed teams in all people related matters such as recruitment, performance review, targets setting, compensation, rewarding, etc.

Develop and execute all practices needed to enable self-managed teams in a corporate environment, such as succession planning, continuous education through trainings, talent management, budgeting, etc.

Identify, liaise, and manage local external recruitment and training agencies

Network with local academia to promote trainee, thesis work, and PhD programs

Qualifications

Degree in human resources, psychology, or other people development relevant studies, but having engineering background wouldn’t hurt

Track record in resource management or line manager positions, preferably in a corporate setting hosting software development organization with self-managed teams

Experience in procurement, negotiation, and management of recruitment services vendors

Experience with software development organizations based on agile principles, primarily knowing the software development job market with its recruitment and retention practices

Integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-motivated to help others to succeed

Strong drive, people management, influencing, and communication skills also at C-level

Fluency in English is a must

Last application date: 16/06/2026 

At Wärtsilä we value, respect and embrace all our differences, and are committed to diversity, inclusion and equal employment opportunities; everyone can be their true self and succeed based on their job-relevant merits and abilities. 

Please note that according to Wärtsilä policy, voluntary consent for a security check may be required from candidates being considered for this position, depending on the applicable country.

This is Wärtsilä 

Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. Our team of 18,300 professionals, in more than 230 locations in 77 countries, shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. Read more on www.wartsila.com.