Our client a leader in infrastructure development and construction space with divisions across the US is seeking a talented individual to join their team in this newly created position reporting to the President. This person can come in at the Director to Vice President level depending on their level of experience.
Position Summary
The Vice President of Organizational Development and People Strategy serves as a vital member of the executive leadership team. This role is responsible for driving organizational effectiveness, leadership development, cultural transformation, and comprehensive people strategies tailored to a large, self-performing construction workforce.
The VP will translate business growth objectives into scalable workforce plans, fostering a high-performance culture that bridges the gap between field operations and corporate support. This role owns talent strategy, succession planning, change management, and employee engagement, ensuring our people strategy supports safe, efficient, and profitable project delivery.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Organizational Development & Design
- Partner with the executive team to design organizational structures, roles, and processes that support growth and increase field productivity.
- Drive change management initiatives during mergers, acquisitions, or shifts in business strategy, ensuring smooth adoption across field and office locations.
- Identify, collect, and analyze workforce performance metrics (ROI on training, turnover, productivity) to identify areas for improvement and guide data-driven decisions.
2. People Strategy & Talent Management
- Develop and implement a comprehensive "People Strategy" that attracts, retains, and develops talent for both craft labor and corporate roles.
- Lead succession planning and talent reviews for key roles, identifying high-potential employees and crafting leadership development roadmaps.
- Oversee onboarding, performance management frameworks, and career pathing to strengthen employee development culture.
3. Culture, Engagement & Retention
- Act as the custodian of company culture, strengthening the alignment between field workers and corporate staff.
- Lead the "Voice of the Employee" initiatives, interpreting survey results and implementing action plans to increase engagement and retention in a high-turnover industry.
- Partner with field leadership to develop retention programs and field-oriented perks that reduce turnover in a competitive labor market.
4. Leadership Development & Training
- Create a Leadership Development Roadmap that builds management capability at the foreman, superintendent, project manager, and executive levels.
- Oversee the design and delivery of training programs—using a blended approach of classroom, field-based, and virtual learning—to enhance skills and meet compliance needs.
5. Executive Leadership & Collaboration
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership regarding organizational effectiveness and workforce planning.
- Collaborate with HR Ops, Safety, and Project Management teams to ensure that people strategies enhance, rather than hinder, project delivery and safety standards.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field. MBA or Masters in Organizational Psychology/HR preferred.
- Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in organizational development or senior HR leadership, with at least 5 years in a leadership role responsible for the full employee lifecycle. Prior construction operations background a plus
- Industry Knowledge: Proven experience in the construction, manufacturing, or heavy industrial sectors is highly preferred, with a strong understanding of the challenges surrounding self-performing labor.
- Leadership: Demonstrated experience building and managing teams, leading cultural transformation, and driving change management initiatives.
Skills & Competencies
- Strategic Thinking: Systems thinker capable of analyzing complex organizational challenges and developing scalable solutions.
- Interpersonal & Influencing Skills: Strong consultative skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly with field workers, project managers, and executive leadership.
- Data-Driven: Proficiency with HRIS tools, workforce analytics, and leveraging data to drive business results.
- Safety Mindset: Commitment to nurturing a culture of safety, as a core component of people strategy.
Work Environment & Physical Demands
- Standard indoor office setting, with regular travel required to field job sites to engage with employees, superintendents, and project teams.
