Vice President Human Resources

USO; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

USO seeks a Vice President, Human Resources to lead global HR functions and shape enterprise strategy. Reporting to the CAO, this role advises the CEO and senior leadership on workforce matters and drives a high-performance, mission-driven culture across headquarters, field, and international operations.

The VP HR oversees total rewards, talent management, employee relations, talent acquisition, and HR operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or related field.
• 15+ years progressive HR experience, including 7+ years in senior leadership overseeing broad HR portfolios.
• Nonprofit or mission-driven, volunteer-supported experience strongly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law and HR governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR functions globally and execute enterprise HR strategy.
• Partner with CEO and executive team on workforce planning and organization design.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. and international employment laws and guide investigations and employee relations.
• Oversee HR governance, data privacy, vendor management, and workforce data use.
• Champion fair hiring and succession planning for leadership roles.
• Lead performance management, learning, and leadership development programs.

Skills

Executive HR leadership

Strategic workforce planning

Employee relations

Talent management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business related field

Master's degree preferred

SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification preferred

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Analytics tools

Job description

The Vice President, Human Resources (VP HR) provides strategic and operational leadership for all HR functions supporting the USO’s geographically dispersed employees and volunteers. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the VP HR develops and executes enterprise HR strategy, advises the CEO, CAO, senior leadership, and Board committees on workforce matters, and advances a high-performance, mission-driven culture. The role requires executive expertise across total rewards, talent management, employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational development, HR operations, and globally dispersed workforce practices.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (*Essential Duties)

• Lead all HR functions across the USO’s global footprint and execute an enterprise HR strategy aligned with organizational goals and the needs of a large, federated nonprofit.*
• Partner with the CEO and executive team on workforce planning, talent alignment, organization design, change leadership, and major initiatives across headquarters, field, and international operations.*
• Ensure compliance with applicable U.S. and international employment laws and provide expert guidance on investigations, accommodations, leave, wage and hour, employee relations, and other sensitive workforce matters.*
• Anticipate and mitigate HR-related legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks; uphold the USO’s ethical standards and Congressional charter obligations; and ensure workforce decisions are timely, documented, and grounded in law, policy, and sound judgment.*
• Oversee HR governance, data privacy, vendor management, records retention, and workforce data use, ensuring practices are lawful, secure, and aligned with USO standards.*
• Champion fair, consistent hiring and succession planning for leadership and critical roles, and equip managers to make effective talent decisions.*
• Lead performance management, learning, leadership development, career development, and talent programs that build accountability, manager effectiveness, organizational capability, and a strong internal succession pipeline.*
• Design and regularly evaluate total rewards, including compensation, benefits, incentives, recognition, job architecture, location-based pay, and pay transparency, balancing market competitiveness, internal equity, compliance, and fiscal stewardship.
• Lead HR budgeting, forecasting, workforce-cost modeling, position control, vendor spend management, and financial analysis in partnership with Finance.*
• Build an inclusive, engaged culture for employees and volunteers through surveys, feedback channels, recognition, communications, and consistent people-management practices.*
• Provide executive oversight of employee relations, holding the VP, Employee Relations accountable for effective day-to-day manager consultation, investigations, corrective action, conflict resolution, accommodations, and documentation.
• Partner with Volunteer Management and Operations to align volunteer engagement and workforce practices with HR policies and organizational culture.
• Lead HR crisis response and workforce continuity planning for emergencies affecting staff and volunteers, partnering across functions to maintain safety, critical operations, and personnel support.*
• Lead HR technology, analytics, automation, and responsible use of AI-enabled tools to improve service delivery, decisions, compliance, security, and the employee and manager experience.
• Advise relevant Board of Governors committees on executive compensation, CEO performance evaluation, succession planning, and human capital strategy, and represent the USO’s HR function externally as needed.
• This is an in-person position located in Arlington, VA.

Job Specifications

• Education & Certification: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related field required. A relevant master’s degree and current senior-level HR certification, such as SHRM-SCP or SPHR, are strongly preferred.
• Executive HR Experience: 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 7 years in senior leadership roles overseeing broad HR portfolios in complex, multi-site organizations. Requires executive-level depth across total rewards, talent management, employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational development, HR operations, and globally dispersed workforce support. Nonprofit or mission-driven, volunteer-supported experience is strongly preferred.
• Strategic Leadership: Proven ability to align HR strategy with organizational goals and culture and advise executive leadership. Experience leading organizational change, culture transformation, HR modernization, service improvement, or functional turnaround in a large organization is highly desirable.
• HR Expertise & Compliance: Deep knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law and advanced expertise in talent management, total rewards, performance management, talent acquisition, employee relations, investigations, organizational development, and HR governance. Requires success managing compliance and risk at comparable scale; global HR, labor relations, union, and volunteer workforce experience is a plus.
• People & Culture: Strong record of building inclusive, engaged workplaces and developing employees. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, resolve conflict, coach leaders, challenge assumptions constructively, and influence at all levels.
• Operational & Analytical Skills: Expertise in HRIS, analytics, budgeting, payroll partnership, process improvement, and service delivery. Must use HR metrics to guide decisions and possess the organizational and project-management skills to lead multiple initiatives and a dispersed team from diagnosis through implementation.
• Strong commitment to the USO’s mission is required.

Details

• The anticipated base salary range is $180,000-$225,000. Compensation is based on geographic location, relevant experience, specialized skills, certifications, and alignment with position requirements, consistent with market competitiveness and internal equity.
• This is an in-person position located in Arlington, VA.
• Background checks include education, criminal, and driving records.
• This description summarizes the position’s responsibilities and essential functions and is not all-inclusive. Additional duties may be assigned to cover absences, meet peak workload needs, or balance work across the organization.