Chief People & Experience Officer

Aspire Chicago•Hillside, IL

31m•$155,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Shape the Future of People, Culture, and Organizational Excellence At Aspire, we believe that exceptional experiences begin with exceptional people. We are seeking an innovative, strategic, and people-centered Chief People & Experience Officer (CPXO) to join our executive leadership team. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a transformational executive who is passionate about building high-performing cultures, developing inspiring leaders, and creating an exceptional team member experience that advances our mission of empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live their fullest lives. As our Chief People & Experience Officer, you will lead enterprise-wide strategy for human resources, organizational development, workforce planning, leadership development, team member engagement, organizational effectiveness, and change management. You will also provide executive oversight of Aspire's outsourced technology partnership, ensuring technology investments, cybersecurity, and information systems support operational excellence, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. If you believe people are an organization's greatest competitive advantage—and you thrive on helping organizations grow through culture, leadership, innovation, and purpose—we would love to meet you.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Psychology, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in Human Resources, People Operations, or Organizational Development.
At least five years of executive or senior leadership experience.
Demonstrated success creating systems, programs, and team member experiences that build high-performing, values-driven cultures.
Experience developing leadership development programs and organizational learning initiatives.
Experience partnering with executive and operational leaders as a strategic business partner.
Experience leading RFP processes for HRIS, payroll systems, and employee benefits.
Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation strategy, organizational development, and HR best practices.
Valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or comparable certification.
Experience in nonprofit, healthcare, human services, disability services, or other mission-driven organizations.
Knowledge of person-centered practices and disability rights.
Experience overseeing managed technology services or outsourced IT partnerships.
Experience with mergers and acquisitions.
Expertise in workforce analytics, dashboards, and people metrics.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute long-range people and workforce strategies that support organizational growth and resilience.
Guide enterprise-wide organizational development and leadership succession planning.
Lead transformational change initiatives that strengthen engagement, performance, and mission impact.
Champion innovative uses of technology and AI to improve communication, learning, collaboration, and operational efficiency.
Leverage workforce analytics and organizational data to drive strategic decision-making.
Build organizational capability to successfully navigate growth and change.
Advance a culture of belonging, accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.
Design innovative engagement, recognition, well-being, and retention strategies.
Lead organization-wide listening initiatives, including engagement surveys, focus groups, and feedback systems.
Strengthen internal communications that foster transparency and alignment.
Champion accessibility, inclusion, and person-centered values across the organization.
Lead succession planning and talent assessment strategies.
Modernize performance management and feedback systems.
Develop leadership development programs and career pathways.
Coach leaders to build engaged, high-performing teams.
Partner across the organization to align people strategies with business priorities.
Lead innovative talent acquisition and workforce planning strategies.
Enhance onboarding and orientation experiences.
Build programs that support professional development and career growth.
Partner with operational leaders to address workforce challenges and future talent needs.
Provide executive leadership for all aspects of Human Resources, including: Employee relations, Talent management, Organizational effectiveness, Performance management, Total rewards and compensation, Benefits strategy, Compliance and risk management, HR policies and governance.
Provide executive oversight of technology strategy and investments.
Ensure cybersecurity, infrastructure, and information systems support organizational success.
Lead vendor relationships, budgeting, contracts, and service-level performance.
Monitor business continuity, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity initiatives.
Advise executive leadership on emerging technology opportunities and organizational technology strategy.
Ensure people practices reflect our mission, support operational excellence, and create an outstanding employee experience while maintaining compliance with all employment laws and regulations.