Get to Know Us Better.
Meet the Stratford Team
Hi,
I'm Jesse.
Meet Jesse Dors. As Director, Total Rewards at Stratford People & Culture, Jesse brings over 12 years of experience specializing in Total Rewards strategy and implementation. He is a trusted advisor in compensation planning, helping organizations design and execute remuneration programs that attract, retain, and reward top talent while aligning with business objectives.
Jesse has led compensation teams at major Canadian organizations and has worked across the telecom, aviation, and public utility sectors. With a background spanning both consulting and industry roles, he provides a well-rounded perspective on Total Rewards challenges. His expertise covers broad-based and executive compensation, job architecture, benefit plans, and people analytics, ensuring that organizations have competitive, fair, and strategically designed compensation structures.
Jesse’s strengths include stakeholder relations, strategic compensation planning, and providing insights into labour market dynamics and data. He has worked closely with Boards and executive leadership to develop and implement compensation frameworks, incentive programs, and pay equity strategies. Recognized for his cross-collaborative approach, Jesse helps organizations navigate compensation complexities while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
His areas of expertise include:
- Compensation Strategy – Broad-based and incentive compensation frameworks for union and non-union employees, executive compensation, equity-based programs, and long-term incentive plans.
- Job Architecture & Evaluation – Structuring job frameworks to support organizational effectiveness.
- Business Partnership – Advising leadership teams on Total Rewards strategies.
- Data Analytics & HRIS – Leveraging data to drive compensation decisions and optimize HR systems.
- Process & System Optimization – Enhancing operational efficiency in Total Rewards programs.
- Pay Equity & Pay Transparency – Ensuring compliance and fairness in compensation structures.
Jesse holds a B.Comm from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. He has held senior leadership roles overseeing Compensation and Total Rewards functions, served as a subject matter expert for multiple bargaining committees, and provided expert testimony in regulatory proceedings.
“I want our clients to see the same uniqueness that I see as an employee. They aren’t hiring a team of suits to come dictate what to do – we are a collective of experts with genuine personalities and unique approaches to solving problems. We are here to help, and that’s not just a platitude."
Jesse Dors on the impact he hopes Stratford has on its clients.
An Interview
with Jesse.
Beyond our credentials, what sets us apart are the values we share and the ways we work. Every member of our team has a passion for giving back and helping organizations reach their goals. It’s why clients often tell us that when they met our people, they knew they wanted to do business with us.
To help you get to know us a little better, we sat down with some of our team members and interviewed them on everything from professional experience and obstacles to extracurricular activities and playlist recommendations. We thought you may appreciate seeing the personal side of our team through their shared personal insights, recommendations and hobbies.
What is your favourite part of your job or type of client engagement?
I love working remotely with a team that still lets me feel connected; and I really like diving deep into number crunching and analysis work with large sets of data.
What is your favourite way to give back to your community?
I’m a think global, act local person. I volunteer with our community association and the Calgary Food Bank when I have hours to spare.
What is the biggest misconception people have about your job/position?
Fortunately I think other corporate HR functions take most of the negative stereotyping. My friends and family see my job as sort of a Chandler Bing black hole. Generally speaking though, I think a lot of people think management consultants are hired to help companies not fail. In my experience though, it’s often companies that are very far from failure that have the foresight to know what they don’t know who hire good consultants.
What is a skill you think everyone should have?
Critical thinking and healthy skepticism.
What was your first job?
I pumped gas at Petro-Canada.
Best book you’ve read/movie you’ve seen recently?
How good is Severance?!
What do you listen to while at work?
I like to keep my Spotify algorithm always guessing. There’s no genre I’m totally opposed to.
Your go-to karaoke song?
I Will Always Love You–Whitney Houston...and sorry folks, you’ll never hear it.
Your most obscure hobby?
I shamefully collect Pokémon cards.
Your most used productivity hack?
Lately? ChatGPT. It’s gotten so much better over the last little while and I’m really starting to leverage it.
Do you have any favourite quotes that motivate you?
"There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in." ―Leonard Cohen
"Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge." —Simon Sinek
What is something you are passionate about?
Mental health, inside and outside the workplace.
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Only when the bun breaks all the way through. This creates a paradigm shift where the contents are now bound by two distinct pieces of bread removing all uncertainty of sandwich-ness.
Stratford People & Culture.
Tell The Reader More
Strategic and hands-on HR support to attract, develop and engage talent to drive business outcomes and improve company performance.