Chief Talent & Inclusion Officer

Holland & Hart Staff • Denver, CO

2d

About The Position

The Chief Talent & Inclusion Officer (CTIO) is a member of the Firm’s executive management team and its senior-most leader responsible for a unified talent strategy across Human Resources, Recruiting and Professional Development, and Diversity and Inclusion. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the CTIO sets the vision and strategic direction for an integrated talent function that supports the Firm’s growth strategy, business objectives, and core values. The role aligns talent priorities across attorneys and business professionals, strengthens coordination and accountability among talent functions, and preserves the Firm’s collaborative, relationship-driven culture while leading organizational change.

The CTIO advises Firm leadership on talent strategy and oversees the strategic integration of the talent functions. The position develops and executes a multi-year talent strategy; advances recruiting, professional development, inclusion, retention, succession planning, and organizational effectiveness; and uses talent data, technology, analytics, and workforce trends to inform decisions. The CTIO also oversees departmental budgets, leads the relevant teams, and collaborates with Marketing and Business Development on employer branding and related initiatives.

The role leads and develops the Human Resources, Recruiting and Professional Development, and Diversity and Inclusion teams. It establishes expectations, distributes workloads, provides coaching and performance feedback, conducts evaluations, and manages personnel matters in accordance with Firm policy and legal guidelines.

The position is based in a professional office atmosphere and involves primarily sedentary work, with prolonged sitting or standing. Occasional off-hour work, meetings, and events, as well as periodic travel to Firm offices and industry events, may be required. The stated salary ranges vary by location, and a discretionary performance-based bonus may be available.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 12 years of progressive leadership experience in human resources, talent management, legal talent, recruiting, professional development, organizational effectiveness, or management leadership.
• At least five years leading multiple functions at a senior or executive level.
• Deep understanding of large law firm business models, including partnership structures, associate development tracks, compensation models, and lateral attorney markets.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, compensation strategy, and workforce compliance across multi-state operations.
• Expertise across the talent lifecycle for timekeepers and business professionals, including recruitment, development, engagement, retention, and succession.
• Expertise in designing and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that develop and maintain an inclusive work environment.
• Ability to connect talent strategies with Firm-wide business goals and market challenges.
• Ability to understand and use data to generate insights and influence decisions.
• Strong coaching skills and ability to build teams and collaborate toward Firm goals.
• Knowledge of high-performing cultures, leadership pipelines, and workforce planning.
• Expertise in organizational design and change management in professional services environments.
• Executive leadership presence and demonstrated ability to advise senior executives, firm management, professionals, and business leaders, including navigating complex, sensitive, high-stakes decisions.
• Ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for extended periods; manipulate weights of at least 10 pounds; perform repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements using a computer or office equipment; speak clearly and concisely; and understand another person’s speech.

Nice To Haves

• MBA, J.D., or an advanced degree in human resources, organizational development, or a related field.
• Experience within an Am Law firm; alternatively, significant law firm experience combined with leadership experience in a similarly structured professional services or partnership environment.
• Experience responding to client diversity questionnaires, RFP scorecards, or law firm talent surveys.
• SHRM, HRCI, or equivalent professional certification.

Responsibilities

• Advise Firm leadership on talent strategy, recruiting, development, inclusion, organizational effectiveness, compensation, and benefits.
• Oversee the strategic integration and direction of Human Resources, Recruiting, Professional Development, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year talent strategy supporting Firm priorities, growth objectives, and culture.
• Elevate attorney and lateral recruiting in alignment with practice group and Firm growth priorities.
• Ensure employment-law compliance and promote consistent talent policies, practices, and processes across the Firm.
• Facilitate discussions about capabilities, talent needs, resource allocation, growth readiness, succession planning, risks, and opportunities.
• Establish governance, accountability, and measures across talent functions.
• Advance leadership development, career growth, retention, and business continuity programs for attorneys and business professionals.
• Embed diversity and inclusion throughout recruiting, development, advancement, retention, and employee experience initiatives.
• Use talent data, technology, analytics, and workforce trends to inform strategy and improve decision-making.
• Advance educational, training, and development programs supporting the Firm’s “Our Diverse Workforce” core value.
• Incorporate practice-area growth, legal-market trends, workforce capacity needs, service delivery, and emerging workforce dynamics into talent strategy.
• Lead change initiatives that improve employee experience while preserving the Firm’s collaborative, relationship-driven culture.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Business Development on employer branding, talent-market positioning, and client-facing diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Oversee departmental budgets and align resources with strategic priorities and Firm objectives.
• Lead, coach, train, and develop the Human Resources, Recruiting and Professional Development, and Diversity and Inclusion teams.
• Organize team scheduling, workload distribution, and productivity; set expectations, recognize performance, provide feedback, and complete performance evaluations.
• Review and approve direct reports’ timecards and vacation requests, and manage discipline or termination in accordance with policy and legal guidelines.
• Perform additional duties and tasks assigned in support of the Firm’s objectives.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour scheduled work week for most staff employees.
• Robust wellness program.
• Generous PTO and holiday pay for eligible employees.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, EAP, short-term disability, and long-term disability benefits for eligible full-time employees.
• Voluntary supplemental life, accident, critical illness, and long-term care insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Programs that may provide educational assistance and free or discounted legal services.
• Volunteer opportunities through the Holland & Hart Foundation.
• A discretionary performance-based bonus may be available.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive