Chief Human Resources Officer

Our client is an industry-leading global designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad portfolio of pool equipment and associated technology. They have expanded product offerings and built their global footprint to include the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

They are hiring a Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for a full-time position based at their new headquarters in Charlotte, NC. This role reports to the President & CEO and has 8 direct reports. They also work closely with the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee.

OVERVIEW

As the leader of the human resources function, the CHRO will be a key part of the Company’s executive leadership team. The CHRO will be responsible for overseeing the Company’s overall people leadership, as well as playing a key role in developing and implementing a strategic HR plan to grow the enterprise value of the company. He/she will help create value and capability that demonstrates proven success to investors and key stakeholders. The CHRO will be more than just a trusted human resources adviser and is expected to partner closely with the CEO and have a collaborative partnership with the senior management team and the Board of Directors. This person should be a credible business leader within the Company and be a key contributor to important strategic and operational decisions. The CHRO will help drive new insights and programs to improve innovation, create value and increase business performance.

The ideal candidate will have a strong global background in the industrial distribution, supply chain or manufacturing industries and be familiar with various business and commercial models. This person also ideally possesses high emotional intelligence, strong change management experience and the ability to anticipate and proactively respond to evolving business conditions.

DESIRED OUTCOMES

• Ensure successful implementation, utilization, and ROI of a comprehensive HRIS
• Play a critical role as trusted advisor to the CEO. Foster a strong and cohesive leadership team.
• Assess, improve, and support the overall global organizational design and play a vital role in enhancing operating effectiveness, incorporating leading technology and key tools.
• Continue evolution of the culture from a family-owned business to a highly focused, highly accountable publicly traded company with strong performance management which is highly linked to compensation and bonuses.
• Play a key leadership role in future M&A due diligence, onboarding, and integration as needed, ensuring the right organizational structures, people plan, and harmonized processes are in place.
• Create a high-value HR strategic plan to optimize the human capital assets of the company. Improve the overall enterprise value, through improving human capital and focus on DE&I.
• Establish and maintain credibility to push and accelerate the company’s talent and people capabilities. Establish a robust and contemporary strategic approach to talent management, including DE&I, recruitment, assessment, retention, development, succession planning, and performance management.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

A hands-on, energetic, strategic, and operationally oriented executive who is passionate about Human Resources. They will create strong value, operate with a sense of urgency, and champion the company’s culture of high performance, inclusion, and engagement. Prior experience in a dynamic, operationally rigorous, and highly complex industrial business with a proven track record of value creation is desired. Superior HR functional skills, engagement with operating businesses, and team leadership skills are critical skill sets and values. He or she will possess strong business acumen, and communication skills to help drive the company’s vision and strategy in support of business growth and profitability. This individual will have an entrepreneurial growth mindset, and desire to build, grow, and own the outcomes of the company’s success. They will possess a compassionate, inclusive leadership style, strong relationship building skills and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Strong network of talent and understanding of HR best practices.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA and/or HR certifications preferred.
• Manufacturing industry experience is required.
• Technology savvy with a strong understanding of a comprehensive HRIS, preferably Workday.
• Global experience is preferred, publicly held company experience is preferred.
• 10-15 years’ experience as either a sitting CHRO or top HR Leader is required.

Global Industrial Manufacturing Experience

• Experience in a distribution, manufacturing or services business is required. Market-oriented with a strong understanding of customers. Leads from the front—as comfortable in plants as in the board room. Familiarity with operating conditions across diverse geographies, including mature and emerging markets. Understanding of the sensitivities of distributed manufacturing employee base and experience optimizing.

Entrepreneurial Growth Mindset

• Desire to build, grow, and own the outcomes of the company’s success. Energetic business partner who wants and values the opportunity to lead business in its transformation phase to become more innovative. Will have a continuous improvement mindset capable of driving results, often with limited or incomplete information. Takes initiative to learn quickly and runs with information that is available.

ESG Strategy / Support Experience

• Support and ensure a sustainable, auditable ESG strategy with focus on key stakeholders: investors, employees, regulators, and customers. Understand the company’s commitment and how to measure progress.

Private Equity Experience

• Experience working within a private equity-backed business is beneficial but not required.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Strategic Business Mindset

• Identifies ways to take functional action, which also provides compelling business value or clear business opportunities to support growth.
• Adds significant value beyond his/her own functional area.
• Initiates and engages with senior business leaders as a peer, confidant, and coach. By developing deep knowledge of the business model and the industry and bringing a strong understanding of business drivers and financials, the CHRO builds trust and credibility with senior leaders that leads to improved organizational effectiveness.

Assess Workforce Capacity to Drive Business Performance

• Identifies linkages between people-related requirements and obstacles (macro and micro levels) and the achievement of corporate goals.
• Possesses strong insight into workforce capacity as well as shortcomings, identifying gaps that need to be bridged.

Identify Drivers of Company Culture

• Sets strategies, policies, and programs to attract, retain and develop employees.
• Understands that the right culture drives organization success, how others drive and impact the culture and continuously reinforces desired behaviors. Makes the culture “real” for the company.

Align Human Capital Drivers

• Aligns all levers that drive desired behaviors – employee engagement, development, rewards and recognition, and the culture.

Lead Transformations

• Ensures employees at all levels are motivated and prepared to embrace, drive, and support change.

Base Salary: $300,000-$400,000. Final determination of salary will be based on an evaluation of experience, education, budget, etc. Additional comp includes bonus plan and LTI plan.