Experienced employee relations professional joins Human Resources team
Employee and labour relations at Concordia involves negotiating collective bargaining agreements. It is a distinct unit within the Human Resources Department that also advises and supports managers across the institution.
For Sonia Coutu, who assumes the new role of executive director of Employee and Labour Relations on August 25, it is an opportunity to enhance the leadership and administrative support at the university.
“Sonia brings the solid background in employee relations and organizational development as well as the collaborative and engaging personality needed to effectively lead this unit,” explains Carolina Willsher, associate vice-president of Human Resources. “She will also play a key role on the Human Resources management and leadership team.”
Providing strategic leadership to the Labour Relations unit, including the review and implementation of the university’s collective bargaining framework, is part of her mandate as well as advising and assisting managers in establishing practices for employee relations.
On August 25, Sonia Coutu assumes her new role as executive director of Employee and Labour Relations.
Coutu comes to Concordia from her previous position as director of Human Resources at Collège Lionel-Groulx where where she oversaw all aspects of human resources, including labour relations, collective bargaining, compensation, benefits and organizational development.
“I am very pleased to join the Concordia Human Resources team. I strongly believe in a collaborative approach and I strive to achieve well-being, development and engagement through employee relations,” she says. “I look forward to working to enhance the work experience of staff and faculty, and to foster an environment built on mutual trust and respect.“
She also served with the Commission scolaire des Samares, where, for many years, she held several leadership positions including vice-director, Human Resources, vice-principal and principal at the secondary and primary school levels.
Coutu holds a bachelor's in special education and a master’s in comparative education from Université de Montréal and a master’s in management of education from Université de Sherbrooke.