Chief People Officer (CPO)

Johnson Lambert LLP•Atlanta, GA

1d•$200,000 - $240,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief People Officer (CPO) will partner with the COO, Managing Partner, and Executive Committee to align people strategies with business growth and service objectives. This role provides vision and foresight on critical people-related opportunities and challenges. The CPO will ensure compliance with employment laws, develop analytics-based approaches to track engagement and turnover, and foster an inclusive, values-driven internal culture. Key responsibilities include setting the firm's hiring strategy, building employer brand, and standardizing onboarding processes. The CPO will also oversee Learning & Development, including CPE compliance, technical upskilling with AI and automation, creating leadership pipelines, and improving performance frameworks. The role requires a strategic leader with a strong understanding of the professional services environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required.
Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience.
Minimum 3 years of executive management experience within a CPA firm or professional services environment.
High level of personal accountability with a consistent orientation toward achieving measurable business results.
Capacity to cultivate deep, trust-based partnerships across all levels and business units within the firm.
Demonstrated ability to maintain objectivity and apply sound judgment and confidentiality in all matters.
Superior listening and coaching abilities with the faculty to engage stakeholders throughout the organization.
History of successfully expanding HR & L&D functions within complex or rapidly growing professional environments.
Proven expertise in synthesizing talent initiatives with overarching corporate growth strategies. Streamline processes for efficiency and data accuracy.
Ability to articulate and advocate for people strategies, learning and development initiatives before senior leadership and the firm at large.
Masterful proficiency in both verbal and written professional communication.
Understanding of public accounting career paths, utilization rates, and billable hour business models.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification highly preferred.
Hands-on experience or strategic oversight of Rippling (HRIS), Quantum Workplace (Performance/Engagement), and LCvista (LMS/CPE tracking) is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Partner with the COO, Managing Partner, and Executive Committee to align people strategies with business growth and service objectives, providing vision and foresight on critical people-related opportunities and challenges.
Ensure total compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
Develop analytics-based approaches to track engagement, turnover risk, and operational workforce costs, translating findings into targeted action that improves retention and workforce efficiency.
Foster a strong, inclusive, and values-driven internal culture that keeps top talent engaged and committed to the firm.
Set the firm's overall hiring strategy—rethinking who we hire and how at every career stage in light of the impact of technology on the profession, evolving screening approaches, and evaluating the right mix of outsourced/offshore resources.
Take a hands-on role in unique, specialized, and executive-level hires, while providing light-touch oversight of standard recruiting programs led by the team.
Build and promote the firm's external reputation and market presence to attract high-caliber tax, audit, and advisory professionals.
Standardize automated integration processes to accelerate new-hire productivity and own onboarding strategy in partnership with other leaders across the full first year of employment.
Ensure the L&D team maintains compliance automation so all professional staff meet mandatory state board credit requirements.
Own the strategic vision for how AI and automation should reshape training priorities—determining what we train, who needs it, and when, as the profession evolves.
Ensure L&D partners closely with practice leaders to translate that vision into training on tax changes, audit methodologies, and software/tool adoption that genuinely upskills staff.
Create structured programs preparing high-potential seniors and managers for Partner/MD track positions.
Continuously improve and modernize performance cycles and goal-tracking systems, and design how feedback from performance management informs L&D programming through macro trend analysis.