Summary: The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, shaping and executing a comprehensive human capital strategy that enables the Authority to achieve its mission of delivering reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality water and sewer services. This role leads the development of a modern, data-driven HR function that drives organizational performance, workforce sustainability, and a culture of inclusion, safety, and accountability.
The CHRO partners closely with senior leadership to align talent strategy with long-term business objectives, ensuring the Authority attracts, develops, and retains a diverse, high-performing workforce of over 1,000 employees. This leader champions organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and cultural transformation while ensuring compliance, equity, and operational excellence across all HR functions.
Posting Period: 6/4/2026 to 6/17/2026
Location: Deer Island (Winthrop), MA
Salary: $178,500.00 - $191,700.00 Annually
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm
Strategic Responsibilities:
- Enterprise HR Strategy & Leadership
- Develop and execute a forward-looking human capital strategy aligned with organizational priorities, operational demands, and regulatory requirements.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and senior leadership on organizational design, workforce risks, and talent optimization.
- Lead HR as a strategic business partner model that proactively supports divisions in achieving performance goals.
- Organizational Effectiveness & Workforce Planning
- Drive workforce and succession planning strategies to ensure leadership continuity and preservation of institutional knowledge.
- Lead organizational design initiatives, change management efforts, and workforce transformation to improve efficiency and agility.
- Establish and monitor key HR metrics and analytics to inform decision-making and measure organizational health.
- Talent Management & Culture
- Build and sustain a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, inclusion, and continuous development.
- Oversee integrated talent management strategies including recruitment, leadership development, performance management, and retention.
- Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a core business priority, embedding it into all talent systems and practices.
- Labor Relations & Risk Management
- Provide executive oversight of collective bargaining strategy, labor negotiations, and contract administration across multiple unions.
- Mitigate organizational risk by ensuring consistent, fair, and legally compliant application of HR policies and practices.
- Partner with legal and compliance functions to address complex employee relations matters and evolving regulatory requirements.
- Oversees collective bargaining negotiation, contract administration and grievance proceedings for five bargaining units.
- Total Rewards & Employee Experience
- Ensure compensation, benefits, and classification systems are competitive, equitable, and aligned with organizational goals.
- Enhance employee engagement, well-being, and workplace safety through integrated HR and cross-functional initiatives.
- Oversee modernization of HR systems (HRIS) and processes to improve service delivery and employee experience.
- Operational Excellence & Governance
- Lead and develop a high-performing HR team across multiple functional areas, fostering innovation and accountability.
- Manage HR operations through disciplined budgeting, resource allocation, and performance management.
- Present strategic HR insights and recommendations to the Board of Directors to inform governance and decision-making.
Required Qualifications:- Proven executive-level leadership in human resources, with a track record of aligning HR strategy to organizational outcomes.
- Deep expertise in public sector HR, labor relations, and regulatory compliance.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational transformation, workforce planning, and culture change initiatives.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders.
- Thorough understanding of human resources administration and management as acquired through at least ten (10) years' relevant work experience of which at least five (5) years are in a supervisory and/or managerial capacity and at least three (3) years are in the public sector; or any equivalent combination of education or experience.
- Valid Class D Driver's License
- Flexibility to respond to urgent business needs outside of standard working hours
- This position has been designated as essential in instances where the MWRA Executive Director requires essential personnel to report to work such as inclement weather or other emergencies.
Preferred Qualifications:- Advanced degree or graduate certificate in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business, Law, or a related field
- Experience working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or a Massachusetts municipality
- Professional HR certification such as SPHR or PHR (SHRM), or SCP or CP (IPMA-HR)
- Willingness to participate in a weekly on-call rotation with HR leadership
Core Competencies & Skills:- Strong analytical thinking with the ability to translate insights into strategic action
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels
- Skilled in negotiation, conflict resolution, and strategic planning
- Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with senior leadership and key stakeholders
- High level of discretion, professionalism, and commitment to confidentiality
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Confident public speaker with the ability to deliver clear, engaging, and professional presentations
Other Position Information
PCR: Division: Administration
Department: Admin Director's Office
Union/Grade: Non-Union/Grade 16
