Hitachi

HR Shared Services Lead, North America

Toronto Full time

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Hybrid)

This is a fixed-term role until December 2026

The HR Shared Services Lead, North America role supports Hitachi Rail across North America. This role supervises the daily tasks of the 1st Point HR team that provides exceptional first-level support to employees, HR, managers, and third parties with Human Resource needs. This includes but is not limited to areas of Benefits, Payroll, Immigration, company policy and procedures, HR systems, Onboarding, Off-boarding, etc. This role is central to employee lifecycle activities and reports to the Director, HR Operations, North America.

Key Accountabilities:

  • Team Lead Duties:

    • Supervise HR Shared Services Specialists

    • Assign and oversee daily tasks

    • Manage team schedules and ensure SLA compliance

    • Escalate issues as needed

  • Onboarding:

    • Manage end-to-end onboarding process for employees and contingents

    • Draft employment agreements and initiate background checks

    • Process one-time payments (e.g., referral, sign-on, completion bonuses)

    • Coordinate with hiring managers and Talent Acquisition as needed

    • Track and ensure onboarding completion

    • Coordinate immigration and relocation with vendors

    • Initiate any business-specific tasks required during the onboarding process

    • Support Talent Acquisition Team with any requisition corrections

    • Monitor probation completion

  • Projects:

    • Lead special HR projects and campaigns (e.g., salary reviews, bonuses)

    • Communicate project status and manage expectations

    • Equip the team with project-specific processes

    • Participate in audits and year-end activities

  • HRIS:

    • Maintain data integrity in HRIS and case management systems

    • Ensure timely and accurate data entry for employee changes

    • Audit and follow up on contract end dates

    • Generate reports and support analytics

    • Participate in HRIS testing and rollouts

  • Leave Management:

    • Initiate, coordinate, and manage STD claims

    • Administer new parent leaves and other leaves per policy

    • Track leave status and ensure completion

  • Payroll:

    • Action payroll-related items and audits

    • Ensure timely completion of pay matters

  • Case Management:

    • Respond to employee inquiries via phone/email

    • Document cases accurately and escalate when needed

    • Track and follow up on cases and employee-related matters

    • Collaborate with HR Partners and COEs

    • Monitor SLA compliance

  • Offboarding:

    • Prepare termination calculations and release letters

    • Coordinate post-termination activities

  • Other:

    • Other duties as needed and assigned

    • Develop HR knowledge materials and process guides

    • Maintain policy awareness and support HR with special projects and communications

    • Liaise with internal stakeholders

    • Drive continuous process improvement

    • Process HR invoices and prepare employee letters

    • Issue immigration documentation in consultation with legal

    • Prepare HR metrics and participate in audits

Key Requirements:

  • University degree or diploma in Human Resources or a related field

  • 5+ years of related HR experience

  • HR Certification/HR designation or working towards it is an asset (CHRP/CHRL preferred)

  • Experience in a customer service or shared services environment

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bilingual (English/French) is an asset

  • Strong customer service and collaboration skills

  • Critical thinking and escalation awareness

  • Excellent organizational, communication, and attention to detail skills

  • Ability to manage sensitive information with discretion

  • Adaptability and time management

  • Proficiency in MS Office, M365, Workday, and case management tools

  • Country-specific HR knowledge

Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest, we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs at https://www.hitachirail.com/careers.


At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We would be delighted if you would be one of our followers at https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachirail.

#LI-MA2