VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES - CHARTWELLS HIGHER EDUCATION (CHARLOTTE, NC)

Job Summary

Chartwells Higher Education is seeking a Vice President of Human Resources leading a team of approximately 55 HR professionals across a $2.75 billion business. The role is not a traditional HR position but one that shapes culture, elevates performance, and brings people strategy to life to enable operational excellence and client success.

Responsibilities

- Partner with executive leadership to shape and execute business strategy, ensuring alignment between people priorities, operational performance, and client outcomes. - Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team on all aspects of talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness. - Translate business priorities into a forward-looking people strategy that drives growth, retention, and performance across a complex, multi-campus portfolio. - Guide and nurture the growth of a national human resources team. - Lead the development and execution of scalable HR solutions in partnership with Centers of Excellence (Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Compensation, etc.), ensuring consistency, practicality, and impact in the field. - Strengthen leadership capability by coaching senior leaders, enhancing executive presence, and building a robust succession pipeline. - Drive a high-performance, values-based culture that reinforces accountability, engagement, and operational excellence. - Provide strategic oversight of employee and labor relations, navigating complexity and mitigating risk across union and non-union environments. - Partner with operations and commercial teams to support client retention, new business, and overall sector growth. - Optimize HR processes, systems, and service delivery models to improve efficiency, scalability, and field adoption. - Leverage data and analytics to inform decision-making, measure impact, and continuously improve people and business outcomes. - Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements while maintaining a pragmatic, business-focused approach to risk management. - Build strong, trust-based relationships with leaders, clients, and key stakeholders across the organization. - Contribute as a senior member of the Compass Group North America People Leadership Team, influencing broader enterprise people strategy.

Qualifications

- 15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including senior-level partnership with business leaders in complex, multi-site environments. - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. - Demonstrated experience leading across multiple HR functions with a strong balance of strategy and execution. - Deep experience in unionized environments, with hands-on involvement in labor relations and workforce strategy. - Strong business acumen with the ability to connect people strategy to operational and financial outcomes. - Proven ability to coach and influence senior leaders, driving leadership effectiveness and organizational impact. - Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills across all levels of the organization. - Experience supporting high-volume, frontline workforces (hospitality, food service, retail, healthcare, or similar environments preferred). - Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment with a high degree of complexity and ambiguity. - Willingness and ability to travel as needed (25-30%).

The Benefits

- Opportunities for Training and Development - Retirement Plan - Associate Shopping Program - Health and Wellness Programs - Discount Marketplace - Identity Theft Protection - Pet Insurance - Voluntary Benefits, including Critical Illness Insurance, Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Legal Services, and Choice Auto and Home Program - Medical - Dental - Vision - Life Insurance/AD - Disability Insurance - Commuter Benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Application Information

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.