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.
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Job Tags
Seasonal work