Chief People Officer at Conservation International

• As a strategic partner to the CEO, executive team, and Board of Directors, you will need to inspire colleagues, solve problems, and manage change. Your leadership will align our workplace values, HR capacity, processes, technology, and tools to deliver our mission. The incoming CPO will develop a strategic plan to meet the HR needs of a growing, global non-profit with staff in 30 country offices across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. You will report to the Chief Operating Officer and have direct access to the Chief Executive Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

You will directly oversee a team of HR professionals and work with and through HR colleagues in CI offices around the world. Specifically, you will:

• Provide strategic advice to the Executive Team, Chief Field Officers, and CI’s Board of Directors.
• Serve as a trusted partner on human resources issues, promoting high standards and shared values across CI’s diverse international network.  
• Develop HR strategic plans for scaling capacity, improving processes and structures, and using new technology to support CI’s rapid growth and organizational goals.
• Provide superior team leadership to the People Operations team.
• Promote staff engagement, well-being, capacity, and productivity and develop, track, and analyze metrics to assess progress.
• Drive progress on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues.
• Oversee HR staff, budgets, programs, and projects. Ensure fiscal oversight of the CIPO division’s budgets.   
• Oversee talent acquisition, compensation, benefits, performance management, employee relations, workforce planning, professional and organizational development.
• Advise members of the global HR network in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas on HR best practices, employee relations issues, conflict resolution, and risk management.
• Work with the global HR network to ensure compliance with all applicable labor and employment laws and liaise with CI’s general counsel team to mitigate risks.
• Serve as the primary advisor on HR audits and donor-related HR compliance issues.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Regular travel to the Arlington, Virginia global support office will be required along with a willingness to travel to offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
• Availability to deal with pressing business, emergencies, and unanticipated crises or opportunities that may arise related to CI’s institutional needs or management, including outside of normal office hours.
• Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process.
• For the health and safety of our employees, their families, and our community, all US-based Conservation International staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This mandatory vaccine requirement applies to all staff working remotely, in a hybrid work arrangement, and on-site in CI US offices. CI follows CDC recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. Requests for reasonable accommodations or exceptions related to medical or religious reasons will be considered. Candidates are NOT required to state their COVID-19 vaccine status in their application.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 15+ years experience with at least 5 in a senior leadership position managing HR in an international, multi-location organization.
• 7 or more years of supervisory experience. 
• Prior success in leading HR efforts in a large and/or growing organization, aligning structure with organizational strategy, and recruiting and onboarding staff at pace.
• Experience in securing, retaining, and building the talent needed for a growing, global organization.
• High emotional intelligence who will instinctively think of our staff.
• Experience in the full spectrum of HR activities, including staffing, compensation, benefits, performance management, employee relations, compliance, professional and organizational development.
• Commitment to support CI as a global, evolving, non-profit that is mission-driven.
• Strong understanding of labor laws and conditions of employment in a global context.  
• Expertise with HR information management systems and in improving data management.
• Experience creating and implementing professional development and succession programs and managing an organization through periods of change. 
• Superior communication skills (written, oral, and listening) with the ability to relate to a diverse workforce and solve problems.
• Skilled at getting individuals, teams, and leaders to perform at a higher level and to embrace change.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Management, or related field.
• Proficiency in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.
• Experience in a global, non-profit organization with similar size and scope of activities.