Job Details

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.

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