Maria Watson
Regional People Director, North America @BMT
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WORK HISTORY
Regional People Director, North America @BMT
Senior HR leader responsible for shaping and delivering people strategy across Canada and the U.S. within a global organization. Member of the Regional Leadership Team and trusted advisor to senior executives, operating in a complex matrix environment while maintaining strong regional focus. • Partner with regional and global leadership to translate global people strategy into meaningful regional outcomes • Lead and develop the North America People team, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on delivery in a lean, high-impact function• Ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient people practices across multi-jurisdictional operations, navigating both Canadian and U.S. regulatory environments • Contribute to regional and global initiatives, including systems rollouts, transformation projects, and broader people program • Drive employee engagement, performance, DEI, and organizational effectiveness initiatives aligned to business priorities • Provide leadership through change, advising on people decisions that support growth, performance, and culture
EDUCATION
Toronto School of Business
Small Business Management, Small Business Administration/Management
Pontiac High School
High School Diploma
Carleton University
Bachelor of Commerce - BCom, Human Resources Management and Services
SKILLS
ABOUT MARIA WATSON
I’m a people-first HR leader who brings clarity, calm, and momentum to complex organizations. Known for my strong work ethic, adaptability, and steady presence under pressure, I operate comfortably at the executive level while staying grounded in practical execution.I partner with senior leaders to shape people strategies that support organizational health, business goals, and long term growth. I’m comfortable navigating the ambiguity between business and employee needs to provide structured, thoughtful options, that help leaders make informed decisions that balance satisfy risk, compliance, and employee experience. My approach is pragmatic, strategic, and focused on building scalable, sustainable ways of leading the business.Developing leaders and strengthening performance cultures are central to my work. I coach executives and teams through challenging conversations, support succession planning and organizational change, and am trusted to handle complex employee matters with professionalism, tact, and empathy. Having worked within global organizations, I bring fluency across Canadian and U.S. regulatory environments and the resourcefulness to find answers when navigating the unknown.
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