Vice President of People

Wheeler Machinery Co•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

The Vice President of People is a senior leader responsible for designing and leading Wheeler Machinery’s organizational strategy, people systems, and leadership capability to enable business performance and long-term growth. This role ensures the organization is structured effectively, roles are clearly defined, and leaders are equipped to execute at a high level across a multi-location environment. The VP of People architects and governs the company’s HR operating model, ensuring that people processes, decision rights, and service delivery are aligned, scalable, and consistently executed across the enterprise. This role drives organizational design, workforce planning, and leadership development to ensure Wheeler has the right structure, talent, and accountability systems in place to support its strategic objectives. This role ensures that talent, culture, safety, and organizational effectiveness are aligned with Wheeler Machinery’s strategic objectives. The VP of People acts as a strategic integrator, elevating the sophistication, impact, and consistency of People systems across the organization. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the VP of People partners closely with business leaders to diagnose organizational needs, design solutions, and build a high-performing, disciplined organization where expectations are clear and performance is consistently delivered.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required
12 to 15+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including executive-level roles
Demonstrated experience operating in a multi-entity, decentralized, or holding company environment
Proven track record of designing and implementing enterprise-wide People strategies and systems
Experience partnering with executive leadership teams to align people strategy with business objectives
Experience leading or influencing: Workforce planning and talent strategy, Organizational design and transformation, Leadership development and succession planning
Enterprise mindset with the ability to balance standardization and flexibility across business units
Systems thinker capable of designing scalable, repeatable People processes
Ability to lead and influence without direct authority across decentralized teams
Exceptional executive communication and stakeholder management skills
Proven ability to coach and develop senior leaders and HR professionals
Proven ability to lead organizational change and transformation
Strong execution capability able to translate strategy into practical application across business units
Experience building and scaling People systems (performance management, engagement, development, etc.)
Experience leveraging data and analytics to drive People decisions
Familiarity with modern HR systems, workforce analytics, and digital enablement

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MBA, MA in Organizational Leadership, or related discipline) preferred
Experience working in industrial, operational, or field-based environments (preferred)
Experience in unionized / labor relations environments (strongly preferred based on your context)
SHRM-SCP (Society for Human Resource Management – Senior Certified Professional)
SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources)
Other relevant certifications in leadership, organizational development, or change management

Responsibilities

Define and lead a comprehensive, holistic People Strategy aligned with Wheeler's vision, values, and business objectives for sustained growth and operational excellence
Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, influencing enterprise-wide decisions
Translate business strategy into actionable workforce, leadership, and organizational plans
Establish a clear philosophy on workforce segmentation and differentiated people strategies
Ensure alignment with core pillars of operational excellence, growth, and financial performance
Architect, document, and continuously evolve the Wheeler People Playbook as the single source for how Wheeler attracts, develops, manages performance, compensates, and ensures compliance
Establish clear standards, frameworks, and repeatable processes — scalable across all locations and aligned with union agreements
Design and govern Wheeler's HR Operating Model, defining roles, service delivery model, and ownership of people processes
Establish KPIs, service standards, and accountability structures across all HR functions
Own enterprise-wide organizational design strategy, ensuring structure supports scalability, efficiency, and operational performance as Wheeler grows
Define an enterprise methodology to identify critical roles across business units, focusing on roles with disproportionate impact on safety, operations, customer outcomes, and financial performance
Lead design and redesign of business units, functions, and leadership structures based on growth, M&A integration, and operational needs
Establish enterprise principles for: Span of control, Role clarity and accountability, Layering and decision rights
Drive enterprise organizational effectiveness initiatives, including role clarity models, team effectiveness reviews, and decision-making frameworks
Partner with business leaders to proactively diagnose organizational gaps and design targeted solutions
Ensure alignment between strategic priorities, organizational design, and talent investment
Lead development of a forward-looking workforce planning approach tied to business strategy, ensuring Wheeler has the talent and capabilities needed to compete in the future
Partner with divisional and departmental leaders to identify future capability and skill requirements, capacity gaps, and workforce risks (retirement, attrition, skill obsolescence)
Align workforce plans with growth initiatives, digital transformation, and operational excellence priorities
Establish a consistent framework to identify top talent, high-potential employees, and critical skill holders across all business units
Create enterprise-level visibility into talent pools, bench strength, and organizational risks, enabling leadership to understand where talent exists, where gaps are developing, and where mobility opportunities exist
Enable strategic movement of talent across business units to accelerate development, address critical capability gaps, and scale institutional knowledge
Design and implement an enterprise succession planning process focused on critical roles, reducing dependency on single individuals and building a deep leadership bench
Ensure identified successors exist for key positions with structured development plans
Provide enterprise-level visibility, rigor, and governance around succession readiness
Support divisional and departmental leaders in making high-impact talent decisions, particularly for critical roles
Oversee development of a comprehensive leadership and technical training strategy that equips leaders at all levels to lead teams effectively, drive performance, and uphold safety and culture standards
Partner with the Training Director to implement structured development programs: Frontline leadership training, Mid-level leader capability building, Executive leadership development
Align development programs directly to organizational needs and succession planning requirements
Mentor and lead direct reports - Safety Manager, Skills & Development Manager, HR Manager - to organizational and career path success
Utilize coaching techniques and challenge traditional thinking to help company leaders grow and maximize their impact
Ensure all HR practices comply with relevant labor laws, regulations, and industry standards, mitigating risk and maintaining ethical, consistent practices across the enterprise
Oversee HR systems and technology, ensuring they support efficient processes, data integrity, and a seamless employee experience
Manage employee relations, providing guidance to HR and leadership on handling complex personnel issues fairly and consistently
Continuously assess and improve HR policies, procedures, and programs to meet evolving business needs
Ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and employment law across all locations
Define enterprise HR systems strategy and data standards; drive adoption of tools that enable consistency, insight, and scalability
Partner with IT / Digital to modernize and streamline People processes
Establish and champion Wheeler's enterprise-wide safety philosophy, cultivating a ground-up, total safety management culture rooted in zero-risk behaviors and continuous improvement
Develop and execute a strategic safety plan aligned with the company's overall objectives
Drive consistent safety outcomes across all locations, functions, and workforce segments
Adapt a data-driven, continuous improvement approach to defining and measuring safety success
Cultivate a shared vision and inherent purpose for enhancing employee commitment to zero-risk behavior values
Partner with Safety Manager and operational leaders to embed safety accountability at every level
Design and implement a consistent enterprise performance management philosophy and system, ensuring alignment between company strategy and individual performance
Provide core tools for goal-setting, coaching, and evaluation frameworks
Drive accountability through clear expectations, measurable outcomes, and leadership ownership
Oversee development of performance frameworks, coaching practices, and talent differentiation strategies
Ensure performance management is directly tied to business outcomes, compensation, and organizational design decisions
Support divisional and departmental execution while maintaining enterprise consistency
Define the enterprise culture framework aligned with Wheeler's values, safety standards, and performance expectations — ensuring a consistent, high-quality employee experience across the full lifecycle
Lead enterprise-wide employee engagement strategy, including surveys, listening sessions, and action frameworks
Enable divisional leaders to drive engagement locally using shared tools, data, and best practices
Drive initiatives that increase engagement, reinforce accountability and pride, and strengthen retention of critical talent
Align culture initiatives with the operational realities of a CAT dealership environment
Recognize and reward high performance, promoting both individual and team achievements
Establish enterprise-level compensation philosophy, structure, and guardrails ensuring external competitiveness and internal equity across all business units
Conduct regular market analysis to ensure pay equity and competitiveness, adapting to changes in industry standards and employee expectations
Oversee the development and administration of competitive compensation structures, benefits, and incentive programs
Manage employee recognition programs aligned with company values
Provide guidance and oversight to divisional execution of compensation and benefits programs
Provide enterprise leadership on labor relations strategy - including union engagement, negotiation readiness, and compliance - mitigating risk through strong governance and consistent policy application
Establish and maintain relationships with bargaining unit representatives to foster continuous dialogue on people-based issues
Partner with executive leaders on negotiations and labor strategy alignment
Ensure consistency in risk management, compliance, and policy approach across all locations
Mitigate risk through strong governance, audits, and compliance practices
Establish a data-driven approach to people decisions, leveraging analytics and modern HR technology to inform strategy, drive continuous improvement, and increase enterprise efficiency
Define and monitor key metrics across talent acquisition, retention, leadership effectiveness, and organizational health
Establish core talent analytics capabilities, including bench strength, succession coverage, and retention of top talent
Use data to guide hiring priorities, development investments, and organizational design decisions
Leverage technology and HRIS capabilities to increase efficiency and insight
Drive continuous improvement across all people systems, processes, and programs
Performs all other duties as assigned