Chief People Officer

Location: Golden, CO preferred

Hours: Full-time

Position Mission

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a member of the executive leadership team, the Chief People Officer will provide strategic leadership for the organization’s People and Talent functions, with a primary focus on building, scaling, and managing the missionary recruitment program. Additionally, they will oversee leadership development, training, and human resources strategy across a complex and rapidly growing national apostolate.

The successful candidate will be an authentic, faithful Catholic leader who combines a passion for mission with the executive maturity required to lead a large and increasingly sophisticated people and recruiting function. 

The Chief People Officer will play a critical role in fueling the distinctive mission and culture of FOCUS by developing scalable systems and people strategies to accompany its growth. FOCUS currently supports 1,000+ missionaries nationwide and seeks significant expansion in the years ahead across college campuses and parishes. Over the next 5 years, FOCUS aims to increase its missionaries for Collegiate Outreach by 20% YoY (currently 1,000), and Parish Outreach by 100% YOY (currently 60). The incoming CPO will have substantial organizational support and executive partnership to build and optimize the recruiting systems and infrastructure necessary to support this vision.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an executive HR leader who has led the recruitment of hundreds (preferably thousands) of employees annually, who is energized by the opportunity to serve one of the most influential missionary apostolates in the Church today.

Position Responsibilities

MISSIONARY RECRUITMENT & TALENT ACQUISITION 

• Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive missionary recruitment and talent acquisition strategy focused on sustainable year-over-year growth. 
• Increase Campus Outreach missionaries 20% YOY, and Parish Outreach missionaries 100% YOY for the next 5 years.
• Build and optimize recruiting infrastructure necessary for a thriving program: tools, technology, SOPs, and systems.
• Develop accountability systems and data-driven recruiting practices – including scorecards and KPIs—that improve effectiveness and measurable outcomes. 
• Identify the target audiences that will feed the missionary talent pipeline.
• Craft the messaging and story that will inspire candidates to discern joining FOCUS as a missionary on campus or in a parish.
• Measure missionary retention and identify the trends the lead to various outcomes.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

• Strengthen leadership development, onboarding, succession planning, performance management, and employee engagement strategies across the organization. 
• Help identify and develop the next generation of leaders across the apostolate. 
• Ensure the operational practices exude excellence and fidelity to the mission and culture of FOCUS. 

HUMAN RESOURCES OPERATIONS 

• Provide executive oversight of core Human Resources functions including compensation strategy, benefits collaboration, employee relations, compliance, performance management, workforce planning, and internal mobility processes. 
• Evaluate and improve systems and policies to support organizational effectiveness and scalability, while remaining faithful to the mission of FOCUS.
• Partner closely with finance and leadership on compensation philosophy, budgeting, and organizational planning. 

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic thought partner to the CEO and executive leadership team on organizational growth, talent strategy, leadership development, culture, and employee engagement. 
• Help guide the organization through a season of continued expansion, organizational maturity, and leadership transition
• Partner across the organization to ensure that talent strategy, organizational structure, and leadership development initiatives align with the apostolic mission and evolving needs of FOCUS.

Candidate Profile

FOCUS seeks a deeply mission-driven leader with a passion for evangelization who has successfully built and managed a recruitment function for an organization that hires hundreds or thousands of employees per year. This person will bring the knowledge, track record, and expertise necessary to capitalize on FOCUS’ greatest opportunity: recruiting more missionaries to joyfully spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The successful candidate will bring experience overseeing the HR function of a large organization, combined with the ability to preserve and strengthen the missionary culture and spiritual identity that define FOCUS. 

This individual will understand how to build scalable systems, accountability structures, and organizational discipline without diminishing the entrepreneurial spirit and missionary dynamism that have fueled the apostolate’s growth and impact.

Most importantly, the successful candidate will possess a deep love for Jesus Christ and His Church, a heart for evangelization and discipleship, and a personal commitment to advancing the mission of FOCUS through faithful and servant-oriented leadership.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success building and leading a recruitment function responsible for hiring hundreds or thousands of employees per year, preferably in a people-centric industry.
• Experience designing a scalable recruiting infrastructure, system, and team. 
• Experience implementing metrics, accountability systems, and performance management frameworks that improve recruiting and workforce outcomes. 
• Executive leadership experience within Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and People Operations within large and complex organizations.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and align stakeholders across a large organization. 
• Demonstrated success building and leading organizational cultures centered on professional development, leadership training, continuous learning, and employee growth.
• Proven success leading teams through growth, transformation, and change management. 
• Skilled at leading through influence, trust-building, and authentic relationships rather than hierarchy alone.

Compensation & Benefits

For this role, we anticipate paying $250,000 - $300,000/year. This range is an estimate. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the provided range and will be adjusted based on various factors including qualifications, experience, abilities, geographic location, and duties.

As a FOCUS staff member, you and your family will have access to several benefits that are designed to help care for the whole person and make your career at FOCUS rewarding. You will receive:

• Medical, Vision and Dental insurance
• Ability to contribute to a Health Savings Account
• Employer-provided life insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Option to purchase additional life insurance for yourself, your spouse and your child(ren)
• 403(b) retirement plan with a discretionary employer-match for eligible staff
• Option to purchase LifeLock Identity Protection
• Integrity-based Paid Time Off
• Paid parental leave
• We observe many paid holidays recognized by fellow Americans and also some of the feast days of Holy Mother Church. In addition, we recognize the Sacred Christmas Respite by closing the office from December 24-January 1 each year.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold (full-time, part-time or temporary), and your tenure with FOCUS. Specific benefits may change at FOCUS's discretion.