Chief People & Culture Officer

YMCA of the USA; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 153,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Paid time off

YMCA membership

YMCA Retirement Fund with employer 12%

Job summary

YMCA of the Triangle seeks a Chief People Officer to shape the culture and guide 6,000+ staff across 18 branches and camps. You will lead a high-performing People team, align HR strategies with the YMCA’s mission, and partner with the CEO, C-Suite, and Board to ensure equity, safety, and excellence in every employee experience—from recruitment to retirement.

The ideal candidate brings executive presence, strategic judgment, humility, and hands-on leadership to foster trust, collaboration, and a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of senior leadership in mission-driven organizations.
• Strong knowledge of HR laws, compensation, benefits, and performance systems.
• Experience advancing community impact strategies across orgs.
• Proven leadership of staff, volunteers and cross-functional teams.
• Non-profit experience preferred; aligns with YMCA values.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic vision and lead all People Department initiatives.
• Embed YMCA culture in leadership practices and employee experience.
• Drive employee experience, trust, belonging, and excellence across the org.
• Integrate equity and inclusion into policies, benefits, and leadership.
• Unify cross-functional efforts across operations and enterprise teams.
• Develop and implement risk management strategies with COO/ Risk.
• Direct inclusive recruitment and talent strategies for a high-performing workforce.
• Oversee compensation, benefits, and salary administration across staff levels.
• Lead governance interactions with Board HR Committee and compensation oversight.
• Own annual People Department budget and modernization of HRIS systems.

Skills

Leadership

Executive presence

Strategic thinking

HR laws & compliance

Communication

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, organizational development, or related field

Advanced degree or equivalent experience (preferred)

Tools

HRIS (UKG)

Job description

YMCA of the Triangle seeks a Chief People Officer to shape the culture and guide 6,000+ staff across 18 branches and camps. You will lead a high-performing People team, align HR strategies with the YMCA’s mission, and partner with the CEO, C-Suite, and Board to ensure equity, safety, and excellence in every employee experience—from recruitment to retirement.

The ideal candidate brings executive presence, strategic judgment, humility, and hands-on leadership to foster trust, collaboration, and a