Chief People Officer

Chief People Officer

The Chief People Officer (CPO) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and is responsible for developing and leading the overall people strategy of the organization. The CPO oversees all aspects of Human Resources, including talent acquisition, organizational culture, performance management, employee relations, leadership development, diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), compensation and benefits, and compliance.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, effective communicator, and passionate advocate for people-centered leadership who can scale and sustain a healthy, mission-driven culture aligned to organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive people strategy that aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and growth objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO/Founder/Superintendent and executive team on all people-related matters.
• Lead organizational change and culture initiatives to drive engagement, retention, and performance.

Talent Management & Workforce Planning

• Oversee full-cycle recruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning to ensure the organization attracts and retains top talent.
• Develop leadership development and succession planning programs.
• Design and implement performance management systems that promote growth and accountability.

Culture & Engagement

• Champion an inclusive, values-driven, and equity-centered organizational culture.
• Lead initiatives that foster employee engagement, satisfaction, and well-being.
• Facilitate transparent internal communications and feedback systems.

Compensation & Benefits

• Design competitive, equitable compensation and benefits structures that align with the organization’s budget and values.
• Oversee payroll, compliance, and benefits administration with accuracy and timeliness.
  

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local labor laws and employment regulations.
• Mitigate risk by developing and enforcing clear HR policies and procedures.
• Serve as the point of contact for employee relations issues, investigations, and conflict resolution.
  

Team Leadership

• Build, manage, and coach a high-performing People/HR team.
• Create systems that support professional growth, collaboration, and operational efficiency.
  

Senior Leadership:

• Be a senior leader who always models our mission, beliefs, and values
• Make leadership decisions with students’ and families’ best interests and needs in mind and holds peers and staff accountable to do the same
• Work hand-in-hand with the Superintendent and other Chiefs, to achieve exceptional organization goals and results for all stakeholders
• Along with the CEO/Founder/Superintendent and other members of the Executive Team, serve as one of the most senior leaders in our organization, helping us achieve our goals and exercising strong judgment in making critical decisions about what we prioritize and how we operate
• Leverage effective change management practices and strategies that are people- and relationship-centric
• Model excellence as a manager, developing others, and modeling an Etoile work ethic for teams

Oversees and creates the vision for the HR Team:

Talent Recruitment & Hiring

• Develop and execute a comprehensive recruitment strategy to attract high-quality candidates for teaching, leadership, and support roles.
• Build partnerships with universities, teacher preparation programs, and community organizations to create a sustainable talent pipeline.
• Lead proactive outreach and engagement efforts, including attending career fairs, networking events, and leveraging social media to attract diverse candidates.
• Manage the full-cycle hiring process, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, and onboarding candidates.
• Collaborate with hiring managers and school leaders to ensure a streamlined and equitable hiring process that aligns with organizational goals.
• Utilize data-driven decision-making to track recruitment metrics, analyze hiring trends, and improve processes.
• Develop and implement inclusive hiring practices to ensure a diverse and equitable workforce.
• Provide training and resources to hiring managers and leaders on equitable hiring, bias reduction, and inclusive leadership.
• Manage off-boarding and exit interviews as it impacts forecasting and recruitment.

Leadership Development & Retention

1. Design and implement leadership development programs to cultivate emerging and existing leaders within the organization.
2. Support school leaders with coaching, professional development, and succession planning to build internal leadership capacity.
3. Facilitate new teacher and leadership induction programs to improve retention and accelerate professional growth.
4. Work closely with Chiefs and school leadership to establish effective retention strategies, including mentorship, growth pathways, and recognition initiatives.
5. Monitor staff engagement and satisfaction through surveys and feedback mechanisms, using insights to improve talent initiatives.
6. Manage and oversee the Leadership In Residence (LIR) program for new leaders.
7. Collaborate cross functionally with the Chiefs to ensure alignment on talent development.

Performance Management

• Develop and oversee a performance management system that includes clear performance expectations, goal setting, and regular evaluations.
• Provide guidance to school leaders and managers on delivering constructive feedback and coaching for staff development.
• Ensure employees receive ongoing professional development aligned with their performance evaluations and career growth aspirations.
• Utilize data from evaluations and observations to identify trends, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement.
• Work with Chiefs and leadership to address performance concerns and create development plans for employees needing additional support.
• Foster a culture of accountability and excellence by ensuring alignment between performance expectations and organizational goals.

Goals & Expectations

• 80 % Teacher Retention
• 90% Highly Effective Teacher/Leader Retention
• 95 % Hired by May 30th
• 100 % fully Staffed by first day of Summer Professional Development
• 85 % Staff report successful onboarding experience
• 80 % Staff believe Etoile recruits top talent
• 80% Hired Tier 2 or above in rating system
• 100 % vacancy fill rate and 10% reduction for candidate time in pipeline
• 65% of students meet or exceed MAP growth goals in reading and math.
• 71% of students meet STAAR growth goals by showing measurable academic progress in all tested subjects.
• Ensure 50% of students show at least one composite level of improvement on TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System).

We look for team members who embody our REACH values listed below:

• Open to sharing and implementing feedback with reverence and professionalism for the work (Respect).
• Authentic care for student results and effective teaching (Excellence).
• Setting a higher bar for yourself and others each day (Ambition).
• Honest contribution and collaboration to the community (Community).
• Do what is needed to achieve results (Hard Work).
• Believes in education as a profession and holds oneself to a high level of conduct and professionalism.
• Minimum of 40+ hours spent on organizational work per week. 
• Additional responsibilities may include: after-school tutoring or Saturday leadership development school, or REACH for leaders professional development sessions.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in Education, Human Resources, Psychology, Business, Organizational Development/Leadership, or related field.
  8–10+ years of senior leadership, progressive HR leadership experience, including school principal, executive-level responsibilities, Superintendent experience in K-12 school setting preferred.
• Certification: Texas teaching certification and Principal, Superintendent certifications preferred – or ability to obtain certification within two years.
• Experience: Prior teaching & principalship leadership experience is required, especially in a K-12 setting. 6+ years of experience in talent recruitment, leadership development, or a related role in K-12 education, prior school Principal and Superintendent experience preferred.
  • A minimum of three years as a teacher or school-based role is preferred.
  • A minimum of three years of professional leadership experience in high-performing urban schools, with specific experience in principalship, coaching, and developing teachers is preferred.
  • Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred, but not required.
• Skills & Competencies:
  • Proven ability to attract, hire, and develop high-performing educators and leaders.
  • Strong project management skills, with the ability to execute multiple initiatives simultaneously.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  • Experience with HR systems, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and recruitment technology preferred.
  • Passion for educational equity and developing future leaders in K-12 schools.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills.
  • Ability to build relationships with candidates and hiring managers.
  • Knowledge of recruitment processes and best practices.
  • Ability to use Applicant Tracking (ATS). Linkedin Recruiter, Breezy, and learn other recruiting tools quickly.
  • Proven ability to attract, hire, and develop high-performing educators and leaders.
  • Experience designing and implementing performance evaluation frameworks.
  • Strong project management skills, with the ability to execute multiple initiatives simultaneously.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  • Passion for educational equity and developing future leaders in K-12 schools.
  • A demonstrable commitment to pursuing equity and ensuring all students have access to high-quality education.
  • Proven ability to manage change and work in an ambiguous, fast-paced, start-up environment while driving toward clarity and solutions.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with staff, students, and families.
  • Demonstrated success in fostering student achievement and language acquisition.
  • Strong understanding of emotional intelligence, with the ability to manage emotions effectively, ensuring impactful school leadership.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in strategic HR planning, team building, and systems design.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain inclusive and equitable workplace cultures.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of relevant employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
• PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SCP certification preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a school leader/principal role with a record of achieving outstanding results for students from traditionally under-resourced communities or populations
• Experience managing and/or coaching school leaders/principals to drive student academic/human capital results
• Deep knowledge and experience in the design, integration, implementation, and management of school systems including knowledge of curricula, instructional practices, school operations and management, and teacher and leader development
• Drives to action, delivers results-ensures work is getting done; proactively recognizes and addresses hurdles; thinks beyond just 'the work today' and incorporates that perspective into the planning and execution
• Ability to work independently but also comfortable asking for help/input from others where needed
• Comfort with ambiguity-works to resolve open questions, can define a process to resolve ambiguity, is comfortable that the plan may change
• Concise and effective verbal and written communication skills-can talk easily to a variety of audiences
• Self-motivated and tenacious-looks for interesting and meaningful analysis and insights, seeks opportunities to do things better (doesn't just wait for people to ask for an analysis)
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment in decision-making
• Demonstrated effectiveness in exceptional people leadership and management, including selection and hiring, coaching and development, managing and improving performance, building inclusive and effective adult culture, and retention and promotion of top performers
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities
• Ability to synthesize knowledge and present it to stakeholders in a comprehensive manner
• Strong organizational and planning skills

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary based on experience and merit.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance. District life insurance.
• Participation in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).
• Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
• Remote work option for senior leadership team.

Étoile Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the organization's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), may contact HR at 713.265.8657.