Vice President Of People & Culture

Ready to shape culture, develop leaders & turn people strategy into impact? Join us as VP of People & Culture and help lead what’s next.

Job Description

OUR CULTURE:


Our mission and core values are brought to life through our culture. At the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day.

We are welcoming: we are open to all and create spaces where people can belong and become.
We are genuine: we value people and embrace individuality.
We are hopeful: we believe in the potential of people to grow, lead and become catalysts for change.
We are nurturing: we support individuals throughout their journey to reach their full potential.
We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with our people.


Our culture is not a People & Culture initiative; it is how we lead, serve, develop talent, make decisions and deliver on the YMCA's mission.


POSITION SUMMARY:


Reporting to the Chief People & Culture Officer (CPO), the Vice President of People & Culture serves as the second-in-command for the People & Culture function and a key enterprise leader helping shape how the YMCA attracts, develops, engages and retains its people.


This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for an experienced People & Culture leader who is energized by building culture, developing talent and turning people strategy into organizational impact. Leading a team of senior People & Culture leaders, the Vice President connects strategy and execution across People Operations, Talent Management, Benefits & HRIS, employee experience and organizational development.


As a key culture driver, the Vice President helps turn the YMCA's values into how we lead and work every day. This leader advances the organization's talent journey, including Y University, leadership development, talent reviews, succession planning and career development, and serves as a trusted advisor to leaders navigating workforce, talent and organizational challenges.


As the CPO's primary deputy, the Vice President will have the opportunity to influence the future of the association and develop an exceptional People & Culture team.


Reporting to the Vice President are the Senior Director of Benefits & HRIS, Senior Director of Talent Management and two Senior Directors of People Operations.


Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field and 7+ years of progressive human resources leadership experience; equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated senior-level experience leading across multiple HR disciplines, including talent management, employee relations/HR business partnership, benefits, organizational development, and culture and engagement.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders, leading organizational change, developing leaders and teams, and translating business priorities into effective people strategies.
• Working knowledge of applicable employment laws and regulations and demonstrated experience exercising sound judgment in complex and sensitive employee matters.

PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES:

• Strategic, enterprise-minded leader who can move effectively between long-term strategy and execution.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, coach, and build trusted partnerships with leaders at all levels of the organization.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experience managing departmental budgets and using data to evaluate organizational impact.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and change while managing multiple organizational priorities.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other advanced HR certification preferred

Essential Functions

Culture & Team Member Experience

• Serve as a visible champion and culture driver, translating the YMCA's mission, values and leadership expectations into meaningful experiences throughout the team member lifecycle.
• Lead the YMCA's Culture Champions in partnership with the Senior Vice President and Vice President of Operations, creating a strong connection between employee voice, organizational culture and action.
• Use engagement data, employee listening and organizational insights to identify trends, strengthen connection and belonging, and influence strategies that improve the team member experience.
• Coach and influence leaders to recognize their role as culture carriers and create healthy, inclusive and high-performing teams.

Talent, Development & Organizational Readiness

• Provide strategic leadership for the YMCA's integrated talent strategy, including Y University, performance and talent reviews, individual development planning, succession planning, career pathways and leadership development.
• Partner with the CPO, Executive Leadership Team and Senior Director of Talent Management to identify leadership readiness, talent risks, critical roles and future organizational capability needs.
• Create an environment where development is an organizational expectation, connecting employee aspirations and potential with meaningful opportunities to grow, lead and advance.
• Ensure talent and development strategies produce measurable outcomes in leadership capability, internal mobility, retention and organizational readiness.
• Connect insights gathered through HR business partnership across the association to identify systemic trends, organizational risks and opportunities requiring enterprise-level action.
• Coach leaders through complex people decisions while strengthening their capability and accountability to lead teams effectively.
• Ensure HR business partnership is connected to the YMCA's broader talent strategy so workforce planning, performance, development, succession, engagement and retention are addressed as interconnected business priorities rather than independent HR processes.

Strategic HR & Workforce Partnership

• Lead and strengthen the YMCA's HR business partnership model, coaching the Senior Directors of People Operations and serving as a trusted advisor to executive and senior leaders on complex workforce, leadership, employee relations and organizational matters.
• Maintain a strong connection to YMCA operations, using workforce data and organizational insight to anticipate people needs, identify emerging risks and develop proactive solutions.
• Partner with Operations on workforce and recruitment strategy, including anticipating seasonal needs, addressing hard-to-fill positions, strengthening leader recruiting capability and identifying broader workforce trends. Day-to-day recruiting execution resides within Operations.
• Lead through organizational change with empathy, sound judgment and a clear understanding of both the team member experience and the needs of the organization.

People & Culture Leadership & Stewardship

• Serve as the CPO's primary deputy, translating People & Culture strategy into coordinated priorities and execution across People Operations, Talent Management, Benefits & HRIS and other people initiatives.
• Lead, coach and develop the People & Culture senior leadership team, creating clarity, accountability, collaboration and a shared commitment to exceptional service.
• Provide leadership oversight for employee benefits and HRIS and ensure the organization's people programs, systems and practices remain effective, compliant and responsive to organizational needs.
• Oversee the People & Culture budget with strategic guidance from the CPO, aligning investments and resources with the organization's highest people priorities.
• Represent People & Culture with executive leadership and across the association.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:


This position operates in a professional office and community-based environment and regularly interacts with team members, leaders, board members, vendors, and other stakeholders. The role requires use of a computer and other standard office equipment, prolonged periods of sitting or standing, and the ability to communicate and exchange information effectively. Occasional travel and flexible hours, including evenings or weekends, may be required based on organizational needs.


The YMCA of South Hampton Roads provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, consistent with applicable law.


ACCOUNTABILITY:


Accountable for achieving assigned organizational and People & Culture goals as measured through strategic priorities, cause-driven measures, operating results, team member experience, and supervisor evaluation.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory performance and successful completion and maintenance of applicable position requirements, which may include background screening, driver's license review, CPS screening, drug and/or alcohol testing, or other screenings as required by the position or applicable law.


COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:


Starting Salary Range: $90,000 - $115,000 annually


The salary range provided reflects the YMCA of South Hampton Roads’ good-faith determination of the minimum and maximum starting salary for this position.


In addition to base compensation, the YMCA of South Hampton Roads offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, including an employer-funded retirement contribution equal to 12% of eligible compensation, health and welfare benefits, paid time off, and other YMCA benefits.

Cause-Driven Leadership Competencies

• Change Leadership
• Communication & Influence
• Developing Self and Others
• Fiscal Management
• Functional Expertise

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