Chief People Officer

RFKCA•Lancaster, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

RFK Community Alliance (RFKCA) is seeking a collaborative and mission-driven Chief People Officer (CPO) to join its Executive Leadership Team. This role is responsible for leading the organization’s people, culture, learning, and inclusion strategy. The CPO will shape and advance a comprehensive people-centered strategy to strengthen organizational culture, promote equity and belonging, develop leadership capacity, and ensure RFKCA remains an employer of choice in the human services sector. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CPO will serve as a trusted advisor on workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, culture, and diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity (DBIE). This role provides strategic oversight of Human Resources, Learning & Workforce Development, and DBIE functions, collaborating with HR operations, training, and the DBIE Committee to align organizational priorities and foster an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming workplace. The CPO will champion a workplace culture reflecting RFKCA’s values and contribute to building a diverse, engaged, and high-performing workforce.

Requirements

Significant experience (10-15) in senior HR leadership roles
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management or a related field.
Strategic leadership in a non-profit or other mission driven organization with a strong unwavering commitment to the organization’s values and mission.
Proven ability to direct entire departments with a focus on strategic leadership, shaping and reinforcing an inclusive organizational culture and translating goals into action plans, effectively managing and empowering senior level direct reports.
Expertise in compliance, risk management and the equitable application of HR policies and labor laws.
Expert knowledge and significant people leadership experience with demonstrated advanced, senior level strategic thinking by developing and implementing transformative HR strategies that drive organizational success and align with broader organization goals, vision and culture.
Excel in addressing systemic interpersonal challenges and leading organization culture initiatives.
Lead by example, promoting empathy and trust building.
Active listening and mentoring skills.
Ability to give and receive feedback in a supportive manner, seeing constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
Experienced at motivating and developing professional staff who are held to high levels of accountability.
Able to create a work culture that is welcoming, psychologically safe, and collaborative across all teams guided by human resource best practices.
Understand and/or personally represent the lived experiences of the communities served, particularly communities of color and/or low-income communities.
Skilled listener graciously willing to consider all opinions and make informed decisions.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive people strategy aligned with RFKCA’s mission, strategic plan, and organizational goals.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO, Executive Leadership team, and Board on workforce trends, organizational design, talent development and sustainability, and culture initiatives.
Lead efforts to strengthen organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and workforce resilience.
Partner with executive leaders to anticipate workforce challenges and identify innovative solutions that support long-term organizational success.
Partner with leaders across all programs and departments to advance organizational goals through people-centered strategies.
Establish and monitor key people metrics and organizational health indicators to inform strategic decision-making.
Lead the next phase of RFKCA’s DBIE vision, strategy, goals, and accountability measures.
Chair the organization’s DBIE Committee, leading initiatives that engage and inspire staff to advance diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity across RFKCA.
Foster a culture of inclusion, belonging, and equity across all levels of the organization.
Partner with leadership teams to embed equitable practices into policies, programs, leadership behaviors, and decision-making processes.
Using objective data, monitor organizational progress toward diversity and inclusion objectives and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
Expand on systems that advance equitable recruitment, retention, promotion, leadership development, and employee engagement practices.
Serve as an organizational thought leader and advocate for equity-centered practices that strengthen outcomes for employees and the communities RFKCA serves.
Oversee RFKCA’s training team, and organizational learning and professional development initiatives that support employee growth, retention, and career advancement.
Advance leadership development and succession planning strategies to build a strong internal leadership pipeline.
Promote a culture of continuous learning that supports innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
Partner with organizational leaders to identify critical workforce capabilities and future talent needs.
Ensure learning and development initiatives align with organizational goals, employee needs, and industry best practices.
Champion initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, well-being, recognition, and organizational culture.
Partner with leaders throughout the organization to reinforce RFKCA’s values and cultivate a workplace where employees feel respected, supported, and empowered.
Guide organization-wide change management efforts related to workforce transformation, growth, and strategic initiatives.
Use employee feedback, engagement data, and organizational assessments to inform culture and employee experience strategies.