Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

A privately held, multi-site retail services business operating across Texas is seeking a Chief Human Resources Officer. This role will support the strategic HR capability to sustaining and accelerating growth. The business operates across multiple Texas markets, with an actively expanding footprint across the state. The team is energetic, fast-paced, and deeply values people who bring genuine passion to what they do. The CHRO role will provide the senior-level strategy, compliance expertise, and systems leadership the organization needs at this stage of growth. Key Responsibilities HR Strategy and Executive Leadership Develop and own a comprehensive HR strategy aligned with the company's rapid growth agenda and expanding store footprint. Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leadership and ownership on workforce planning, organizational design, and labor trends. Provide clear, confident, and proactive guidance on employment law, regulatory change, and compliance obligations before issues arise. Lead the development, documentation, and rollout of HR policies and procedures from the ground up across all locations. Talent Acquisition and Retention Redesign and rebuild the company's hiring and onboarding processes. Lead high-volume recruitment strategy for frontline, supervisory, and management roles across multiple Texas locations. Develop retention programs tailored to the realities of high-volume retail, convenience, and food service environments. HR Systems, Payroll, and Operations Assess and recommend consolidation of HR, payroll, and onboarding systems, providing confident guidance on platform selection and implementation. Oversee accurate and timely payroll processing across all locations, and improve timecard and labor reporting workflows. Introduce people analytics capabilities to improve visibility into retention, absenteeism, labor productivity, and workforce planning. Compliance and Employee Relations Ensure full compliance with Texas and federal employment law including FLSA, OSHA, Texas Workforce Commission requirements, wage and hour regulations, and at-will employment practices. Lead employee relations, including investigations, conflict resolution, unemployment claims, workers' compensation, and leave administration. Review, redline, and advise on employment-related contracts, reducing reliance on external legal counsel for routine matters. Compensation, Benefits, and Incentive Design Design competitive compensation structures for both hourly and salaried employees Oversee benefits administration and provide confident, current guidance to ownership on insurance and benefits matters. Support the development and structuring of formal performance incentive and bonus programs. Leadership Development and Team Management Lead, mentor, and develop the existing HR team. Build internal capability and succession pipelines for store managers and field leaders. Design and implement training programs covering customer service, operations, safety, and leadership readiness. Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related discipline. 15 or more years of progressive HR experience, including significant time at an executive or enterprise leadership level. SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent professional HR certification. Experience in high-growth, privately-held, or entrepreneurial business environments. Direct experience in the retail, convenience store, travel center, or multi-site fuel sector. Demonstrated track record of building and implementing HR policies, systems, and processes from the ground up. Deep, current knowledge of Texas and federal employment law, including FLSA, OSHA, TWC requirements, and at-will employment. Hands‑on experience with multiple HR and payroll platforms, with the ability to evaluate and recommend systems confidently. Strong background supporting large hourly and frontline workforces in retail, convenience, hospitality, food service, or similar environments. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in HR Management, Business Administration, or a related field. Familiarity with HR and payroll platforms (Paychex, ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, Workday, Paycor, Success Factors etc) Experience partnering with legal counsel and agencies on HR and employment matters. Background in multi-location retail or food service with a distributed hourly workforce. Base Salary $145,000 to $185,000 - dependent on experience Discretionary Performance Incentive Healthcare benefits provided. Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Both Haldren and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers. For all positions, whether with Haldren or our clients, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected status. Commitment to Diversity: Haldren and its clients are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where all individuals are valued and respected. Reasonable Accommodations: Both Haldren and our clients are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and pregnant individuals. We engage in an interactive process to determine effective, reasonable accommodations. Compensation Information: For client positions, compensation information is available in the job post. If not provided, it will be shared during the interview process in accordance with applicable laws. When required by law, salary ranges will be included in job postings. Actual salary may depend on skills, experience, and comparison to current employees in similar roles. Salary ranges may vary based on role and location. Compliance with Laws: Both Haldren and our clients comply with federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all employment terms and conditions, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Workplace Harassment: Both Haldren and our clients expressly prohibit any form of workplace harassment based on race, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. E-Verify Participation: Haldren and/or our clients may participate in E-Verify. Information about E-Verify participation will be provided during the application process where applicable. Privacy and Pay Equity: California Residents: For more information about the categories of personal information we collect for recruiting and employment purposes, please review our Privacy Policy at Colorado, Nevada, New York City, California, and Washington Residents: Compensation information is available in the job post or will be provided during the interview process if not initially available. Both Haldren and our clients are committed to pay equity and conduct periodic pay equity analyses in accordance with applicable laws. State-Specific Information: Rhode Island: We do not request or require salary history from applicants. Connecticut: We provide wage range information upon request or before discussing compensation. New Jersey: We do not inquire about salary history unless voluntarily disclosed. Veteran Status: Both Haldren and our clients provide equal employment opportunities to veterans and comply with applicable state laws regarding veteran preference in employment. If you are a veteran, please inform us during the application process. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment Haldren and our clients may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the recruitment and candidate evaluation process. These tools are used exclusively to support human decision-making by helping to review and assess candidate qualifications and materials. AI is never used to automatically reject, disqualify, or make final hiring decisions about candidates. All AI-assisted evaluations are reviewed by experienced recruitment professionals, and all hiring decisions are made by qualified human recruiters. Our use of AI is designed to enhance fairness, consistency, and efficiency while maintaining our commitment to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination principles. Genetic Information: In accordance with federal and state laws, both Haldren and our clients do not discriminate based on genetic information. We do not request or require genetic information from applicants or employees, except as permitted by law. Local Laws: Both Haldren and our clients comply with all applicable local laws and ordinances regarding employment practices in the areas where we operate. #J-18808-Ljbffr Keller Executive Search