Tara Talbot

About

While most HR leaders work behind the scenes, I’ve led from the boardroom to the broadcast studio – shaping culture inside organizations and stories in the national media. I partner directly with the C-suite and boards to guide transformation through M&A, leadership transitions and business evolution. I’m often brought in during periods of complexity or growth – not just to manage change, but to shape what comes next. As EVP, Global Talent at WildBrain – the media company behind Peanuts, Teletubbies, and Strawberry Shortcake – I helped unify 22+ countries under a shared values framework and drove talent expansion into new markets while having a keen focus on development across the organization. Earlier in my career, I held dual responsibilities as VP of HR and corporate spokesperson at Workopolis, Canada’s largest online job platform at the time. I drove the internal culture and talent strategy, while also representing the company across CBC, CTV and national publications – shaping the conversation on labour trends, work culture and the future of hiring. I've also led national HR functions at Rogers and TeraGo (a Canadian telecom provider), where I supported growth and organizational change across sales, marketing and technology teams. Regardless of industry or mandate, I bring a grounded presence, strategic clarity and a belief that culture isn’t an add-on – it’s the operating system that drives performance. I’m actively exploring my next HR leadership opportunity and open to full-time, interim or consulting roles. If you’re aware of any opportunities or would like to connect, I’d welcome the conversation.

Experience

• Fractional CHRO / Strategic Advisor · North Shore Advisory2025-01-01 –

  Providing flexible, executive-level HR support to small and mid-sized businesses. Partner directly with CEOs and leadership teams to align people strategy with business goals, offering both strategic guidance and hands-on support. With a practical and collaborative approach, I help organizations build strong HR foundations that support growth and performance. Focus areas include: • HR strategy and organizational planning • Talent acquisition and development • Leadership coaching and employee relations • Culture and engagement • HR policy and compliance

• EVP, Global Talent · WildBrain2016-01-01 – 2025-01-01

  Reported to the CEO and Chair of HR Compensation Committee and managed a team of 25+. Led the global HR function in 22+ countries, with full accountability for people strategy, culture, total rewards and systems. Partnered with executive leadership to drive growth, integration and transformation. Notable Accomplishments: • Co-created and implemented a global values framework that unified 22+ regional offices and embedded culture into recruitment, performance and leadership development practices. • Spearheaded the design and launch of a global equity program (phantom share plan) for all non-executive employees • Directed the successful HR integration of Peanuts Worldwide following a $345M acquisition, retaining 100% of transitioned employees. • Oversaw WildBrain’s expansion into seven new Asia-Pacific markets, scaling teams from initial hires to 40+ employees and leading end-to-end onboarding, culture alignment and talent experience. • Served as executive sponsor for three annual Belonging Reports, positioning DEI as a visible, data-driven organizational priority. • Directed the global implementation of HRIS, payroll, talent management and performance systems, generating over $100K in annual savings through streamlined operations and improved user experience. • Served as executive sponsor for a 10-month global leadership development program, equipping cross-functional leaders with coaching and management tools tailored for diverse, distributed teams.

• Georgian College · Georgian College2015-01-01 – 2017-01-01

  Delivered high-quality instruction in courses including Introduction to HR, Recruitment, and Training & Development, fostering student engagement and building essential HR competencies

• Vice President, Human Resources & Communications · Workopolis2012-01-01 – 2016-01-01

  Reported to the President and served on the senior leadership team, leading the HR function through transformation in a rapidly evolving digital environment. Oversaw a business-focused employee experience team and partnered with product development and marketing to align talent strategies with innovation and growth. Championed a culture of agility, continuous improvement and brand credibility. Notable Accomplishments: • Served as corporate spokesperson, positioned Workopolis as a thought leader in Canadian labour market trends and workplace insights, significantly increasing brand visibility and credibility. • Partnered with product and marketing teams to co-develop innovative client solutions, including Scout, a recruitment tool for small businesses and Applify (a cost-effective job posting network), which expanded reach and applicant volume. • Contributed to transformative initiatives that repositioned Workopolis from a job board to a strategic recruitment partner, enhancing its market competitiveness. • Redesigned the organization’s compensation structure, introducing a broadband framework, launching new sales incentive programs and implementing personalized Total Rewards statements to improve transparency and engagement. • Played a central role in preparing the company for acquisition, including workforce restructuring, product retirement and the introduction of scalable strategic partnerships.

• Vice President, Human Resources · TeraGo Networks2007-05-01 – 2012-01-01

  Reported to the CEO and Chair of the Compensation Committee, led the HR function for a national telecom company, navigating growth through organic expansion and acquisition. Oversaw a team of 5 and developed people strategies to support a high-performance sales and technology culture. Notable Accomplishments: • Led the successful integration of MetroBridge Networks following acquisition, expanding the business into British Columbia’s lower mainland and unifying employee practices and culture. • Co-designed a sales recruitment and development program in collaboration with the VP, Sales, improving performance and reducing sales team turnover by 50%; the program was profiled in The Street Savvy Sales Leader by Mark Welch. • Achieved company recognition as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2012) by providing strong early-career programs and a dynamic workplace culture.

• Director, Human Resources · TeraGo Networks2007-01-01 – 2008-01-01
• Director, HR · Rogers Communications2006-01-01 – 2007-01-01
• HR Manager · Rogers Communications (formerly Sprint Canada)2000-01-01 – 2005-01-01
• Employee Relations Consultant · St. Joseph's Health Care London1999-01-01 – 2000-01-01
• Human Resources · Casino Rama1996-01-01 – 1999-01-01

Education

• Royal Roads UniversityMBA, Executive Management
• Schulich School of Business - York University
• McMaster UniversityBachelor of Arts, Sociology
• ODCVI

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