Chief People Officer

Are you a compassionate healthcare professional driven by the desire to make a profound impact in the lives of individuals across various healthcare settings? If so, we invite you to join our exceptional team at Care Initiatives. As a leading provider in skilled nursing communities and hospice services, we are committed to providing unparalleled care and support. Additionally, we have our own internal staffing agency, AffiniCare, ensuring seamless coverage for temporary staffing needs within our organization.

With a network of over 40 skilled nursing communities spanning Iowa and several hospice offices across Iowa and Nebraska, we are dedicated to delivering personalized care at every step of the healthcare journey.

We are seeking a visionary and strategic Chief People Officer (CPO) to lead all aspects of our people and culture function. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CPO will be responsible for fostering a thriving, inclusive, and values-driven culture that aligns with our mission and drives high performance across the organization. This leader will oversee talent acquisition, employee experience, DEI, organizational development, HR operations, and total rewards — with a core focus on building and nurturing a world-class company culture that engages, retains, and inspires.

Culture and Engagement

• Champion a strong, inclusive, and mission-aligned culture across all levels of the organization.
• Lead culture-building initiatives that promote belonging, recognition, accountability, and psychological safety.
• Conduct regular employee engagement surveys and translate insights into meaningful action plans.
• Serve as a culture coach and ambassador for executive leadership and management.
  
  

Strategic People Leadership

• Design and implement a future-focused people strategy aligned with business objectives and organizational growth.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive team on all people matters.
• Drive leadership development, succession planning, and organizational effectiveness.
  
  

Talent Acquisition & Development

• Oversee recruitment strategies that attract, engage, and retain top talent, with a strong emphasis on diversity and values alignment.
• Build internal career pathways and robust learning and development frameworks.
• Promote mentoring, coaching, and continuous feedback across the organization.
  
  

People Experience & Operations

• Lead HR operations including onboarding, performance management, compensation, benefits, and compliance.
• Ensure a consistent and employee-centered experience from hire to retire.
• Foster data-driven decision-making using people analytics and metrics.
  
  

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

• Embed DEI principles throughout talent practices, leadership, and culture-building efforts.
• Set measurable DEI goals and hold leadership accountable for inclusive behaviors and outcomes
  
  

Qualifications

Training & Work Experience

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or People Strategy.
• Proven experience as a strategic culture-builder in high-growth or transformative environments.
• Strong track record of leading high-impact people strategies and executive-level advising.
• Deep understanding of HR compliance, DEI, and change management best practices.
• Exceptional communication, influence, and leadership coaching skills.
• Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business, Psychology, or related field required or master’s degree.
• HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred.
  
  

Skills/Abilities

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work independently in organizing, scheduling, and work completion.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to prepare routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to deal with problems in different situations and troubleshoot problems that arise.
• Good reasoning, sound judgment and ability to make decisions.
  
  

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Care Initiatives will honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

Care Initiatives is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. Care Initiatives complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, parental status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.