Chief People Officer

TITLE: Chief People Officer 

SALARY: $208,790.40 - $271,419.20; FLSA Exempt

OPENING DATE: 08/14/2026 

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled 

JOB TYPE: Regular, Full-Time 

UNION: Non-Represented 

OPENINGS: 1 

LOCATION: On site 

DEPARTMENT: People & Culture 

 

 

HOW DO YOU ZOO? 

More than 1.3 million people visit Woodland Park Zoo each year. We connect people with wildlife and remind them of what's at stake in our changing world. Our job is to motivate people to take action and provide them with the tools needed to join us in saving endangered species. Working for the zoo means upholding our mission, "To save wildlife and inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives."  

 

WHO YOU ARE 

As our Chief People Officer, you will be successful in this role because you are: 

• A visionary people leader who translates organizational goals into innovative workforce and culture strategies. 
• An experienced employee and labor relations professional with a successful track record working in union and nonunion environments. 
• A trusted executive advisor who builds credibility with employees, union leaders, senior leadership, and the Board of Directors. 
• A collaborative and inclusive leader who champions employee engagement, belonging, equity, and organizational development. 
• A strategic thinker who leverages data, analytics, and business insight to improve workforce performance and organizational effectiveness. 
• Passionate about developing talent, strengthening leadership capability, and creating exceptional employee experiences. 

 

YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead the development and execution of organization-wide people and culture strategies that bridge organizational goals with organizational capability. 
• Partner with the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors to provide strategic guidance on organizational design, people strategies, etc. 
• Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, accountability, mission aligned productivity outcomes, and continuous improvement for both represented and non-represented employees. 
• Direct labor relations strategy, including collective bargaining negotiations, grievance management, contract interpretation, and collaboration with union leadership. 
• Oversee compensation, benefits, wellness programs, HR operations, compliance, HR technology, talent acquisition, learning and development, and leadership development initiatives. 

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience leading people and culture functions within a mission-driven, nonprofit, conservation, education, or public-serving organization. 
• Advanced degree such as an MBA, Juris Doctor, or related graduate-level credential. 
• Ability to speak a language in addition to English. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. 
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent senior-level Human Resources certification. 
• Twelve (12) or more years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including at least five (5) years in a senior executive role such as CPO, CHRO, VP of HR, or equivalent. 
• Demonstrated experience leading labor relations to maintain collaborative, productive partnerships with the unionized workforce and union representatives. 
• Proven success scaling organizations while maintaining a strong focus on employe