Joseph Perera
Ottawa,Canada
Summary
Certified Career Coach with expertise in senior recruitment, executive search, and strategic workforce development. Charismatic, collaborative and results-driven recruitment strategist with over 20 years of experience leading talent acquisition initiatives, workforce integration programs, and executive search projects across corporate, government, and community sectors. Recognized for building high-impact partnerships, aligning recruitment strategies with organizational goals, and delivering exceptional hiring outcomes for senior and executive-level positions. Adept at managing the full recruitment lifecycle – from strategic sourcing and targeted headhunting to selection, onboarding, and retention – while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Skilled in stakeholder engagement, employer branding, and labour market analysis. Committed to driving organizational growth by connecting top-tier talent with transformative opportunities. Core strengths include Stakeholder Engagement, Workforce Planning & Development, Employer Branding, Candidate Sourcing & Screening, Senior Recruitment Strategy, High-Volume Recruitment, Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives, Talent Acquisition Leadership, Client Relationship Management. Technical proficiencies include Microsoft Office Suite (MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, MS Word).
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Career Development
Herzing College
01.2004 - 01.2024
- Drawing on two decades of expertise in career services leadership, workforce integration strategy, partnership development, and community engagement, appointed to direct Herzing College’s career development initiatives to expand educational access and enhance graduate employability. Led collaborations with industry, government, and community stakeholders.
- Aligned career programming & curriculum development with labour market needs. Led business development initiatives, securing partnerships with organizations, government agencies, and funding bodies to support training, scholarships, and employment opportunities.
- Negotiated and managed channel partnerships, fostering sustainable collaborations that benefited students & employers.
- Directed scholarship program development with stakeholder support – promoted student achievement/skill recognition.
- Key Impact: Increased graduate employment outcomes and expanded access to education for marginalized groups by implementing targeted career initiatives, labour market–driven programming, and strategic industry partnerships.
- Achievements Snapshot: Designed and executed the Professional Guest Speaker Program, connecting students with industry leaders to enhance learning and professional readiness.
Business Development Manager
MCO Business Group Inc.
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Leveraging expertise in stakeholder engagement, and strategic marketing, selected to secure government-funded projects, expand client partnerships, and strengthen organizational market presence. Served as liaison with funding agencies, government officials & community stakeholders, driving the promotion and delivery of human resources & training initiatives.
- Directed the research and development of targeted marketing plans for human resources and training programs, aligning strategies with government and industry priorities. Led recruitment and selection projects for customer service representatives, ensuring the delivery of high-quality candidates to meet client service requirements.
- Prepared large, complex proposals for government-funded activities, ensuring compliance with funding guidelines.
- Key Impact: Helped secure and expand government-funded partnerships and built relationships with key decision-makers. Delivered solutions that strengthened MCO’s positioning in the public sector & enhanced program success rates.
Senior Resource Manager (IT Recruiter)
SPS Information Technology
01.2001 - 01.2002
- Handpicked to lead end-to-end IT recruitment initiatives – conducted market analysis, developed marketing strategies, and coordinated with account managers to meet diverse client staffing needs. Managed the full recruitment cycle, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, reference checks & placement. Key point of contact for clients & senior management.
- Served as a trusted liaison between clients, executives, and account managers on workforce planning, organizational change initiatives, and staffing strategies. Provided tailored recruitment solutions and candidate recommendations.
- Utilized multiple recruitment channels including online job boards, and in-person events to source top-tier IT talent.
- Represented SPS at job and career fairs to conduct on-site recruiting, enhance brand presence, and build strong networks.
- Key Impact: Expanded SPS’s IT talent pipeline and increased client satisfaction through targeted recruitment campaigns, proactive market engagement, and development of new business accounts via networking and relationship building.
Manager of Career & Graduate Services
Toronto School of Business
01.1999 - 01.2001
- Recruited to lead the development & execution of career services strategies, fostering partnerships with industry, government, & community stakeholders to enhance graduate employability and expand access to business education for under-represented groups. Provided strategic guidance on curriculum development, labour market alignment, and business growth opportunities.
- Conceived, developed, and implemented outreach programs in collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
- Conducted labour market surveys to inform program design, job placement strategies & targeted marketing campaigns.
- Primary liaison between the School and diverse stakeholders – aligned academic offerings with emerging industry trends.
- Key Impact: Increased graduate employment outcomes and strengthened community engagement through workforce integration initiatives – created sustainable pathways from education to employment for under-represented groups.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Herzing University
Minneapolis, MNDiploma - Personnel Management
Institute for Information Technology
Diploma - Business Administration
Association of Business Executives
Skills
- Career Access & Inclusion Leadership – Pioneered and executed programs that increased access to post-secondary education for marginalized groups, creating sustainable pathways from education to meaningful employment
- Strategic Partnerships & Funding Success – Secured and managed partnerships with industry leaders, government agencies, and community organizations, resulting in funded training programs and employment opportunities
- Recruitment & Workforce Development Expertise – Directed full-cycle recruitment and workforce integration strategies across multiple roles, from IT staffing to aligning graduate skills with labour market needs
- Academic accolades – Career Coach Certificate in Supervisory Management Business Administration degree
Languages
Sinhalese
English
Affiliations
- Executive Board Member / The Ottawa Chamber of Commerce
- President – Ottawa-Chapter / International Personnel Management Association Canada
- Member – Board of Directors / Canadian Institute of Management (NCR)
- Member , Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa
- Member , Sri Lanka Canada Cultural Association.
Certification
- Career Coach Certificate, International Association of Professions Career College, 2022
- Certificate in Supervisory Management, Canadian Institute of Management
- Certified in Management (C.I.M.) Canadian Institute of Management
- Certified Human Behaviour Consultant, Insights Institute, USA
- Chartered Manager (C. Mgr.), Canadian Institute of Management
EARLIER EXPERIENCE
- Human Resources Manager / Rainbow Skills Development Centre, Ottawa, ON
- Job Development Officer & Employment Counsellor / Catholic Immigration Centre, Ottawa, ON
Timeline
Director of Career Development
Herzing College
01.2004 - 01.2024
Business Development Manager
MCO Business Group Inc.
01.2002 - 01.2003
Senior Resource Manager (IT Recruiter)
SPS Information Technology
01.2001 - 01.2002
Manager of Career & Graduate Services
Toronto School of Business
01.1999 - 01.2001
Diploma - Personnel Management
Institute for Information Technology
Diploma - Business Administration
Association of Business Executives
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Herzing University
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