Chief People & Workforce Officer (CPWO)

Riverbend Community Mental Health•Concord, NH

About The Position

Riverbend Community Mental Health is seeking an experienced Chief People and Workforce Officer (CPWO) to lead organization-wide workforce, talent, culture, and leadership development strategy. The executive will help align workforce priorities with organizational strategy, financial sustainability, regulatory expectations, and community needs, working closely with the CEO, executive leadership, clinical leaders, and operational teams. As Riverbend advances toward Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) certification and participates in New Hampshire behavioral health transformation and Rural Health Transformation initiatives, the CPWO will ensure the organization has the people, capabilities, leadership, and sustainable talent pipelines needed to support growth and high-quality care. The role extends beyond traditional human resources leadership, shaping how Riverbend attracts, develops, supports, and retains its workforce. The CPWO will lead workforce planning and organizational development; CCBHC and behavioral health transformation readiness; talent acquisition, retention, and professional development; employee engagement, culture, and leadership development; and external partnerships and workforce investment. This position is part of Riverbend's executive leadership team and offers the opportunity to influence organizational strategy and workforce transformation across New Hampshire's behavioral health system.

Requirements

A master's degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred; a bachelor's degree with substantial relevant executive leadership experience will be considered.
SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification is strongly preferred.
At least seven years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience in human resources, workforce development, organizational development, healthcare, or human services.
Demonstrated knowledge of HR best practices and employment law compliance.
Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise workforce strategy, organizational change, talent development, and cross-functional initiatives.
Strong skills in workforce analytics, strategic planning, executive communication, collaboration, and translating strategy into measurable results.

Nice To Haves

Experience in community mental health or a complex healthcare or human-service setting is strongly preferred.
Educational or workforce partnerships are preferred.
SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification is strongly preferred.
A master's degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a multi-year workforce strategy aligned with organizational growth, service delivery needs, CCBHC requirements, and long-term financial sustainability.
Partner with executive and program leadership to evaluate staffing models, workforce capacity, skill mix, role design, and succession planning.
Establish workforce forecasting strategies that anticipate service needs, recruitment challenges, and changing organizational priorities.
Use workforce analytics, dashboards, and organizational data to guide executive decisions about vacancies, turnover, retention, staffing capacity, and workforce trends.
Translate organizational strategy into actionable workforce initiatives that support operational effectiveness and long-term growth.
Provide executive leadership for workforce-related CCBHC readiness, including staffing plans, competency development, training oversight, and ongoing workforce compliance.
Collaborate with clinical and operational leadership to align workforce strategies with Community Needs Assessment findings, access standards, integrated care expectations, and service delivery requirements.
Advance workforce initiatives supporting culturally responsive, trauma-informed, person-centered, and recovery-oriented behavioral healthcare.
Lead workforce development initiatives supported through Rural Health Transformation funding, emphasizing measurable outcomes, sustainable infrastructure, and long-term organizational impact.
Ensure workforce planning evolves alongside state and federal behavioral health transformation priorities.
Establish organization-wide recruitment, retention, and talent development priorities, particularly for hard-to-fill clinical and specialized behavioral health positions.
Develop sustainable talent pipelines through internships, academic partnerships, clinical supervision opportunities, licensure support, and internal career pathways.
Champion a “grow our own” philosophy that encourages employee advancement, professional development, and internal mobility.
Establish measurable workforce goals and evaluate recruitment effectiveness, retention trends, employee engagement, and talent development outcomes.
Partner with leaders to strengthen recruitment strategies, improve the candidate experience, and position Riverbend as an employer of choice in New Hampshire's behavioral health workforce.
Lead organization-wide strategies to strengthen employee engagement, workplace culture, organizational effectiveness, and change management.
Establish leadership competencies and development opportunities that build accountability, strengthen management capabilities, and support organizational growth.
Partner with executive and program leaders to identify and develop future leaders and establish succession plans for critical positions.
Foster a culture grounded in collaboration, transparency, inclusion, professional growth, and commitment to Riverbend's mission.
Support leaders in navigating organizational change, building high-performing teams, and creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered.
Cultivate strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, professional training programs, workforce development agencies, and statewide behavioral health organizations.
Identify and pursue workforce-related funding opportunities, grants, and collaborative initiatives that expand recruitment, training, professional development, and career pathways.
Represent Riverbend in regional and statewide workforce development, behavioral health transformation, and talent investment initiatives.
Strengthen Riverbend's presence as a collaborative partner in addressing New Hampshire's behavioral health workforce challenges.

Benefits

Competitive wages depending on education and experience.
Choice of three medical plans.
Prescription benefits.
Health Reimbursement Account (HRA).
Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Doctor on Demand.
Harvard Pilgrim Well-Being Program benefits.
Choice of two dental plans.
Vision plan.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life and supplemental life insurance plans.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Generous paid time off (PTO) accrual and extended illness leave.
Eight paid holidays.
403(b) retirement plan with company match.
Tuition reimbursement, tuition discounts through partnered colleges, and training opportunities.
Qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and NH State Loan Repayment Program.
Structured clinical supervision and ongoing training for graduate-level, license-eligible clinicians.