YMCA.com

Chief People Officer

YMCA.com • $110K — $130K *
Anchorage, AK 99504In-Person
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in human resources or related field; equivalent experience considered
  • 5+ years in progressive HR or people leadership
  • Experience advising executives and managing change
  • Strong knowledge of employment law and HR operations
  • Experience in employee engagement and retention strategies
  • Professional certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred
  • YMCA or nonprofit experience preferred

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute people strategy aligned with YMCA's mission
  • Provide recommendations on organizational structure and staffing
  • Lead organizational change efforts and support leadership in communication
  • Advise CEO and Board on workforce trends and executive compensation
  • Champion positive workplace culture and employee engagement
  • Strengthen onboarding processes for new employees
  • Develop leadership pathways and professional development opportunities

Benefits

  • Professional development opportunities
  • Positive workplace culture grounded in YMCA's mission
  • Opportunity to influence organizational change
  • Exposure to executive leadership in a nonprofit environment
  • Engagement with a community-focused organization
Full Job Description
The CPO is an executive leader responsible for developing and leading the YMCA of Alaska's people, culture, and human resources.

Job Description

Executive Leadership & People Strategy
  • Develop and execute an Association-wide people strategy aligned with the YMCA's mission, strategic plan, operational priorities, and financial capacity.
  • Provide recommendations regarding organizational structure, staffing models, workforce planning, leadership capacity, and succession needs.
  • Lead organizational change efforts and help leaders communicate and implement changes consistently and effectively.
  • Advise the CEO and Board, as requested, on workforce trends, organizational health, executive compensation, succession planning, and employment risk.

Culture & Employee Experience
  • Champion a positive workplace culture grounded in the YMCA's mission, values, professionalism, belonging, accountability, and service.
  • Create strategies that strengthen employee engagement, recognition, communication, morale, wellness, and retention.
  • Promote a consistent employee experience across departments, programs, facilities, and seasonal operations.
  • Establish methods for gathering employee feedback, identifying workplace concerns, and responding to organizational trends.
  • Partner with leaders to build healthy teams and a welcoming, member-focused environment that advances community impact.

Talent Acquisition, Development & Succession
  • Lead workforce planning, recruitment strategy, selection practices, and employer branding for frontline, professional, managerial, and executive roles.
  • Strengthen onboarding and orientation so employees understand the YMCA mission, position expectations, safety standards, and performance requirements.
  • Develop leadership pathways, supervisor training, coaching resources, succession plans, and professional development opportunities.


Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required; equivalent senior-level experience may be considered.
  • Five plus years of progressive human resources or people-leadership experience, including significant responsibility at the director or executive level.
  • Demonstrated experience advising executives, coaching leaders, leading organizational change, and managing complex employee-relations matters.
  • Strong knowledge of employment law, compensation, benefits, performance management, talent acquisition, HR operations, and workforce planning.
  • Experience developing culture, employee engagement, retention, leadership development, and succession-planning strategies.
  • Professional certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or an equivalent senior HR credential preferred.
  • YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.
  • YMCA or nonprofit experience preferred.
  • Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, sound judgment, fairness, and integrity.
  • Exceptional relationship-building, executive communication, facilitation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution in a fast-paced, multi-department organization.
  • YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.
  • YMCA or nonprofit experience preferred.
  • Lead by example using the YMCA Core Values as a guiding star - Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility and FUN.


Essential Functions

Employee Relations & Performance Management
  • Serve as the senior organizational resource for employee relations, conflict resolution, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns.
  • Lead or oversee workplace investigations and ensure concerns are addressed promptly, consistently, fairly, and confidentially.
  • Coach leaders through performance management, corrective action, improvement plans, separations, and difficult employee conversations.

Compensation, Benefits & HR Operations
  • Oversee compensation philosophy, wage structures, job evaluation, benchmarking, and market competitiveness.
  • Provide executive oversight of benefits, leave administration, workers' compensation coordination, personnel records, and HR systems.
  • Partner with Finance leadership on personnel budgeting, compensation planning, benefit costs, audits, and workforce reporting.
  • Maintain accurate workforce data, job descriptions, organizational charts, and employment documentation.
  • Evaluate HR processes and technology to improve efficiency, consistency, data quality, and the employee experience.


Required Certifications

  • Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required; equivalent senior-level experience may be considered.
  • Professional certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or an equivalent senior HR credential preferred.
  • YMCA Multi Team Leader certification, or ability to obtain within an established timeframe, preferred.


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About YMCA.com

The YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) is a non-profit organization that provides community services such as health and fitness programs, child care, and social programs. The organization was founded in 1844 in London, England and has since expanded to over 120 countries. The YMCA's mission is to promote healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility. The organization is funded through donations, grants, and membership fees. The YMCA has over 2,700 locations in the United States and serves over 22 million people each year.
Learn more about YMCA.com
Size
60,000 employees
Industry
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Founded
1844
* Ladders Estimates
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