Chief People Officer - Alliance College-Ready Public School

Alliance College-Ready Public Schools is one of the largest and most successful nonprofit public charter school networks in the nation, operating 25 high-performing middle and high schools that educate nearly 13,000 scholars who comprise the heart of Los Angeles’ Latinx, Black, and recent immigrant communities. Alliance schools have been recognized as among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report , Newsweek , the U.S. Department of Education, and the California Department of Education. We strive to uplift our scholars and their communities by fostering unparalleled educational opportunities that encourage scholarly thought, resilient learning, powerful communication, mind-body wellness, and community advocacy. To learn more, visit www.LAalliance.org . ROLE SUMMARY The Chief People Officer (CPO) will drive the evolution of talent and people practices at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, building leadership capacity, strengthening talent systems, and fostering a thriving community culture for more than 1,400 employees across 25 schools. With an eye toward future growth and expansion, the CPO will shape and lead a people strategy that ensures Alliance can continue to attract, develop, and retain talented employees. The CPO will provide leadership across human resources, staffing, employee relations, performance management, compensation, and related functions. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CPO will serve on the Senior Leadership Team and lead four Vice Presidents and a team of more than 25 staff members. The CPO's primary focus will be designing and implementing Alliance's long-term people and talent strategy, anticipating future needs, strengthening leadership capacity, and evolving the systems, structures, and practices necessary to support a thriving and sustainable organization. While ensuring strong leadership and accountability for the Talent function, the CPO will operate primarily as a strategic executive rather than a day-to-day functional leader. This role requires navigating Alliance's differentiated decision-making structure, with clear authority over network-wide talent policies and systems while recognizing principals' authority over defined school-level decisions. Success will require strategic foresight, effective cross-functional collaboration, and trusted partnerships with school leaders to advance a coherent people strategy that balances network-wide priorities with the distinct needs of each school community. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES Systems and Strategic Leadership Serve as a strategic thought partner and member of the Senior Leadership Team, bringing a people-centered perspective grounded in the needs of students and adult learners, navigating trade-offs, and shaping decisions and priorities that advance Alliance’s mission. Shape Alliance’s 5–10-year people and talent strategy, anticipating evolving needs in leadership, workforce planning, and organizational design to support continued success and future growth. Apply a systems lens to network decisions, anticipating implications for staffing, compensation, budgets, compliance, school leaders, and scholars to mitigate risks and support long-term sustainability. Partner with legal counsel and the Chief of Staff to shape labor relations strategy, navigate complex workforce matters, and support fair, consistent practices across unionized and non-unionized schools. Drive change management for major talent initiatives, building understanding and support among school and home office leaders through clear communication and effective implementation. Talent Team Leadership and Development Set the vision, strategic priorities, goals, and measures of success for the Talent Team across performance management, human resources, staffing, employee relations and engagement, and strategic initiatives. Hire, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Talent Team, including Vice Presidents, strengthening their leadership capacity and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability. Establish clear direction and decision rights to deliver on the Talent Team’s commitments while balancing team capacity and managing the annual operating budget. Align and integrate systems and practices across talent functions to provide schools and home office teams with consistent, responsive, and effective support. Leverage talent data and emerging technology, including AI, to inform strategic decisions, improve operational effectiveness, and strengthen talent systems across Alliance. Equity, Organizational Health, and Employee Experience Champion Alliance’s commitment to being an anti-racist, pro-Black organization by examining talent policies, practices, and data for equitable impact and taking action so staff are seen, heard, and supported. Shape organizational culture through initiatives, policies, and practices that reflect Alliance’s values and foster a positive staff experience. Drive a proactive, fair, and consistent approach to employee relations and engagement across schools and the home office, setting clear expectations for navigating complex personnel matters, mitigating risk, and fostering trust and accountability. Assess organizational health, identify systemic challenges and opportunities, and partner with leadership teams to implement strategies that strengthen culture and create the conditions to attract, develop, and retain a diverse and talented workforce. Spearhead initiatives that support the development, engagement, and advancement of staff and leaders across Alliance, securing the resources and organizational commitment needed to sustain them. School Leader Partnership and Service Build trusted relationships with principals and school leaders through a regular presence in schools, developing a deep understanding of their priorities and how talent decisions affect scholars and instruction. Establish consistent channels for school leader input and feedback to inform talent strategies, decisions, and initiatives, while maintaining clear communication about priorities and changes. Set high standards for Talent Team service and responsiveness, establishing clear processes, accountability, and timely follow-through to consistently meet school needs. Maintain shared and consistent talent practices while allowing flexibility to address each school's specific needs and requirements. Talent Management and Human Resources Partner with the VPs to lead Alliance’s human resources strategy, strengthening policies, systems, and practices to manage high-volume processes, deliver responsive service, mitigate risk, and maintain compliance with evolving employment laws and regulations. Provide strategic input and direction on the talent acquisition and workforce planning strategy to attract, select, and retain diverse, highly effective teachers, leaders, and staff while improving hiring quality and strategic staffing decisions across Alliance. Oversee the consistent implementation of Alliance’s performance management system, advancing evaluation practices, accountability, and managers’ capacity to coach, provide meaningful feedback, and lead their teams effectively. Set a competitive, equitable, transparent, and fiscally sustainable compensation strategy in partnership with Finance to support talent attraction and retention. Support a robust continuum of professional growth and leadership development for school and home office staff, expanding career pathways, internal talent pipelines, and opportunities for advancement. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE Proven experience leading complex, organization-wide initiatives within school systems or comparable multi-site organizations, with a track record of strong performance outcomes, and data-informed decision-making. Direct school-based experience is strongly preferred. Strong command of talent and human resources functions, with the ability to navigate nuanced personnel matters, assess organizational risk, and engage legal counsel appropriately. California employment experience and experience in unionized environments are preferred. Exceptional people leadership and emotional intelligence, with demonstrated success in building high-performing teams, developing senior functional leaders, and strengthening the leadership capacity of managers across an organization. Analytical rigor and execution discipline, translating priorities into actionable plans, managing complex initiatives, and using talent, instructional, and performance data to inform decisions that strengthen school quality and long-term sustainability. Strong systems thinking that anticipates how talent decisions affect organizational culture, compliance, instructional quality, and performance across schools. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. 12+ years of professional experience in a related field, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple talent or human resources functions within a large organization. Broad talent experience, with deep expertise in at least two of the following functional areas: recruitment and staffing, human resources, compensation, performance management, employee relations and engagement, or diversity, equity, and inclusion. Demonstrated experience developing and implementing human capital and organizational culture systems, with a commitment to educational equity and excellence in Los Angeles. COMPENSATION $205,000 - $260,000 WORK LOCATION This position is hybrid, combining work from home, time at our network office, and a regular presence at school sites. APPLICATION PROCESS To apply, please submit your resume to [email protected] . Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so it is in the candidates’ best interest to apply as soon as possible. Please note: Only applicants who submit materials through our search partner Leveled Talent will be considered.