Chief People Officer

YMCA of the USA; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA of Alaska seeks an innovative Chief People Officer to shape and lead our people, culture, and HR operations across the association. You will drive workforce strategy, succession, and leadership development while partnering with the CEO and Board to align talent with our mission.

You will champion a positive, inclusive workplace, oversee compensation and benefits, and guide staffing and organizational change across multiple programs and facilities in Alaska.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field required.
• Five+ years of progressive HR or people-leadership experience at director/executive level.
• Experience advising executives, coaching leaders, and managing complex employee-relations.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation, benefits, performance management, and planning.
• Experience developing culture, engagement, retention, leadership development, and succession plans.
• Nonprofit or YMCA experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an association-wide people strategy aligned with the YMCA's mission and priorities.
• Advise the CEO and Board on workforce trends, compensation, succession planning, and employment risk.
• Lead organizational change efforts and help leaders implement changes effectively.
• Oversee talent acquisition, onboarding, and leadership development programs.
• Champion a positive culture, engagement, morale, wellness, and retention.
• Oversee HR operations, compensation, benefits, and workforce budgeting.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Employee relations

Communication

Change management

Succession planning

Staff development

Performance management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field

SHRM-SCP or SPHR (or equivalent senior HR credential)

Tools

HRIS

HR analytics

Job description

The CPO is an executive leader responsible for developing and leading the YMCA of Alaska's people, culture, and human resources.

Job Description

Executive Leadership & People Strategy

• Develop and execute an Association-wide people strategy aligned with the YMCA's mission, strategic plan, operational priorities, and financial capacity.
• Provide recommendations regarding organizational structure, staffing models, workforce planning, leadership capacity, and succession needs.
• Lead organizational change efforts and help leaders communicate and implement changes consistently and effectively.
• Advise the CEO and Board, as requested, on workforce trends, organizational health, executive compensation, succession planning, and employment risk.

Culture & Employee Experience

• Champion a positive workplace culture grounded in the YMCA's mission, values, professionalism, belonging, accountability, and service.
• Create strategies that strengthen employee engagement, recognition, communication, morale, wellness, and retention.
• Promote a consistent employee experience across departments, programs, facilities, and seasonal operations.
• Establish methods for gathering employee feedback, identifying workplace concerns, and responding to organizational trends.
• Partner with leaders to build healthy teams and a welcoming, member-focused environment that advances community impact.

Talent Acquisition, Development & Succession

• Lead workforce planning, recruitment strategy, selection practices, and employer branding for frontline, professional, managerial, and executive roles.
• Strengthen onboarding and orientation so employees understand the YMCA mission, position expectations, safety standards, and performance requirements.
• Develop leadership pathways, supervisor training, coaching resources, succession plans, and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required; equivalent senior-level experience may be considered.
• Five plus years of progressive human resources or people-leadership experience, including significant responsibility at the director or executive level.
• Demonstrated experience advising executives, coaching leaders, leading organizational change, and managing complex employee-relations matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation, benefits, performance management, talent acquisition, HR operations, and workforce planning.
• Experience developing culture, employee engagement, retention, leadership development, and succession-planning strategies.
• Professional certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or an equivalent senior HR credential preferred.
• YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.
• YMCA or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, sound judgment, fairness, and integrity.
• Exceptional relationship-building, executive communication, facilitation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution in a fast-paced, multi-department organization.
• YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.
• YMCA or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Lead by example using the YMCA Core Values as a guiding star – Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility and FUN.

Essential Functions

Employee Relations & Performance Management

• Serve as the senior organizational resource for employee relations, conflict resolution, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns.
• Lead or oversee workplace investigations and ensure concerns are addressed promptly, consistently, fairly, and confidentially.
• Coach leaders through performance management, corrective action, improvement plans, separations, and difficult employee conversations.

Compensation, Benefits & HR Operations

• Oversee compensation philosophy, wage structures, job evaluation, benchmarking, and market competitiveness.
• Provide executive oversight of benefits, leave administration, workers' compensation coordination, personnel records, and HR systems.
• Partner with Finance leadership on personnel budgeting, compensation planning, benefit costs, audits, and workforce reporting.
• Maintain accurate workforce data, job descriptions, organizational charts, and employment documentation.
• Evaluate HR processes and technology to improve efficiency, consistency, data quality, and the employee experience.

Required Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required; equivalent senior-level experience may be considered.
• Professional certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or an equivalent senior HR credential preferred.
• YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.