Vice President, Human Resources

Vice President, Human Resources

With a mission that spans the globe, the USO provides a rewarding and fulfilling work environment. Our team is exceptional, and we offer generous paid time off, including volunteer days and military leave. We have a remarkable 401k match, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for training and education reimbursement. Our team members are passionate about putting the mission first, and we have a lot of fun while doing it. Working for the USO isn't just a job – it's a calling, and we believe in doing what you love and loving what you do.

Don't just take our word for it—our people have spoken. According to the Great Place to Work® 2025–2026 survey:

• 96% feel good about how we support the community
• 94% are proud to tell others they work at the USO
• 92% say their work has special meaning—it's not "just a job"
• 91% felt welcomed from day one
• Over 88% agree all employees are treated fairly, regardless of race or gender

The Vice President, Human Resources (VP HR) is a high-impact, enterprise-level leader responsible for providing visionary and operational leadership for the full spectrum of HR functions across a geographically dispersed workforce of employees and volunteers. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and serving as the principal and senior technical expert, analyst, and advisor, the VP HR develops and executes a comprehensive cross-cutting HR strategy to advance the USO's mission and values while driving a high-performance, mission-driven culture.

This role requires a seasoned, decisive HR executive with demonstrated depth across total rewards, talent management, employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational development, HR operations, and global or internationally dispersed workforce practices.

The VP HR ensures enterprise-wide HR governance and compliance for the USO workforce, balancing clear global standards with local execution. The VP HR is a trusted advisor to the CEO, CAO, and senior leadership on all workforce-related matters and serves as the staff liaison to Board committees.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (*Essential Duties)

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all HR functions across the USO's global footprint, developing an enterprise HR strategy that aligns with organizational goals and the unique demands of a large, federated nonprofit while ensuring the function has the expertise, discipline, and accountability required to operate at a best-in-class level.
• Partner with the CEO and executive team to ensure HR planning supports the USO's mission, growth, and operational model, including workforce planning, talent alignment, organization design initiatives, and the practical change leadership required to implement improvements across headquarters, field, and international operations.
• Ensure full compliance with all federal, state, and local U.S. employment laws, as well as any applicable international labor regulations for overseas activities, and provide expert guidance on complex employee relations, investigations, accommodations, leave, wage and hour, and other sensitive workforce matters.
• Implement risk management practices to anticipate and mitigate HR-related legal, financial, operational, or reputational risks; maintain scrupulous adherence to the USO's ethical standards and Congressional charter obligations; and ensure HR decisions are timely, well-documented, and grounded in applicable law, policy, and sound judgment.
• Oversee HR governance, compliance, risk management, and data privacy across domestic and applicable international operations, ensuring policies, workforce decisions, employee relations practices, vendor management, records retention, and HR data use are legally compliant, well-documented, secure, and aligned with USO standards.
• Champion fair, consistent, and legally sound hiring practices and succession planning for key leadership and critical roles to secure the organization's future talent pipeline and ensure leaders have the tools, coaching, and accountability needed to make strong talent decisions.
• Implement and ensure the continuous process improvement of a performance management system that fosters accountability, develops talent, differentiates performance, supports constructive manager feedback, and aligns individual goals with USO's objectives.
• Lead the design of a competitive, mission-appropriate total rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, incentives, recognition programs, and job architecture, to ensure market competitiveness, internal equity, fiscal stewardship, and alignment with nonprofit best practices.
• Regularly evaluate compensation frameworks, including location-based pay considerations, special pay, bonus plans, benefits utilization, pay transparency expectations, and equity considerations, maintaining fairness, compliance, and the ability to motivate strong performance.
• Conduct HR budget planning, forecasting, and resource stewardship in partnership with Finance, including compensation and benefits cost modeling, workforce-cost scenario planning, position-control discipline, vendor spend management, and financial analysis to support sustainable staffing and total rewards decisions.
• Develop implement, and oversee learning, leadership development, and talent management programs to build organizational capabilities, strengthen manager effectiveness, and prepare emerging leaders for greater responsibility.
• Ensure effective succession planning and career development frameworks, particularly within a multi-site and globally dispersed context, so that internal talent can progress to leadership roles in alignment with the USO's growth, continuity needs, and mission delivery model.
• Develop and champion initiatives and employee engagement programs that foster a positive, unifying environment for staff and volunteers.
• Implement strategies (such as engagement surveys, feedback channels, and recognition programs) to assess and improve employee satisfaction and morale.
• Advise managers at all levels on HR policies and effective people management practices, reinforcing legal compliance and organizational consistency.
• Provide executive oversight of the employee relations function, ensuring consistent, legally compliant practices for manager consultation, investigations, corrective action, conflict resolution, accommodations, and documentation, while holding the VP, Employee Relations accountable for effective day-to-day execution.
• Volunteer Workforce Integration: Collaborate closely with the Volunteer Management and Operations teams to ensure volunteer engagement and workforce practices are aligned with HR policies and organizational culture.
• Crisis Management & Continuity Planning: Lead HR crisis response and workforce continuity planning, including preparedness for scenarios such as natural disasters, public health emergencies, or other crises impacting staff and volunteers. Develop and maintain plans for business continuity and employee safety, working with cross-functional leadership to ensure the USO can sustain critical operations and support to personnel during emergencies.
• Lead HR technology, analytics, and digital transformation efforts in partnership with Information Technology, ensuring HR systems, data, automation, and AI-enabled tools improve service delivery, decision-making, compliance, security, transparency, and the employee and manager experience.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Work in close partnership with the CEO and executive leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and major organizational initiatives from a human capital perspective. Provide expert counsel on workforce implications of strategic decisions, organizational design changes, and major initiatives. Engage with the Board of Governors' relevant committees (e.g., Compensation or HR Committee) on executive compensation, CEO performance evaluation, succession planning, and overall human capital strategy. Represent the USO's HR function externally as needed, embodying best-in-class nonprofit HR practices.
• This is an in-person position located in Arlington, VA.

Job Specifications

• Education & Certification: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related field required. Master's degree in HR, MBA, or related field preferred. Current professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP or SPHR) strongly preferred.
• Executive HR Experience: 15+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 7 years in senior HR leadership roles (director level and above) leading broad HR portfolios in complex, multi-site organizations. Candidates should bring demonstrated executive-level depth across multiple HR disciplines, including total rewards, talent management, employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational development, HR operations, and global or internationally dispersed workforce support. Nonprofit sector experience or work in mission-driven, volunteer-supported environments strongly preferred.
• Strategic HR Leadership: Proven ability to design and implement HR strategies aligned with organizational goals and culture, acting as a trusted advisor to executive leadership. Experience leading organizational change, culture transformation, HR modernization, service delivery improvement, or functional turnaround initiatives in a large organization is highly desirable.
• HR Expertise & Compliance: Deep knowledge of U.S. employment laws (federal and multi-state) and HR best practices, including advanced expertise in talent management, benefits, compensation, performance management, talent acquisition, employee relations, workplace investigations, organizational development, and HR governance. Demonstrated success managing compliance and risk in an organization of similar scale. Experience with global HR matters, labor relations/union environments, and volunteer workforce programs is a plus.
• People & Culture Orientation: Strong track record of building inclusive, engaged workplace cultures, with a passion for DEI and employee development. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills,