Vice President, People and Culture

Lifelong is a community health organization committed to removing barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For over 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone can have the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

The Vice President of People and Culture is a member of Lifelong’s executive leadership team and is responsible for executing Lifelong’s people strategy, fostering an inclusive and engaging organizational culture, and ensuring excellence in human resources operations. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on involvement in labor relations, colleague engagement, talent recruitment, retention and management, training and development, and organizational development. The VP serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive team, guiding decisions that impact the workforce and aligning people initiatives with the mission, vision, and strategic objectives of the agency. In a mission-driven, compliance-focused and unionized environment, , the VP balances cultural stewardship with operational rigor, ensuring both compliance with employment laws and collective bargaining agreements and the advancement of a colleague experience that drives retention and performance. This is a regular, full-time, exempt, non-union position.

Essential Duties:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive people and culture strategy aligned with Lifelong’s strategic plan, direction and objectives
• Serve as a member of the executive leadership team, contributing to organizational planning, decision-making, and governance.
• Advise the CEO and executive team on workforce trends, leadership development, organizational culture, and labor relations strategy.
• Partner with compliance to ensure training programs integrate with onboarding, culture,  professional development initiatives, and program requirements.

Organizational Culture and Engagement

• Act as a culture champion, ensuring that policies, practices, and leadership behaviors reflect the organization’s values and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
• Lead organization-wide initiatives to strengthen employee engagement, recognition, and retention.
• Integrate DEIB principles into all aspects of the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to succession planning.

Labor Relations

• Serve as the primary management lead in labor relations, including contract negotiations, grievance resolution, labor-management meetings, and union communications.
• Ensure consistent interpretation and application of the collective bargaining agreement across the organization.
• Build collaborative relationships with union representatives while safeguarding the organization’s operational and strategic interests.

Talent Management and Workforce Planning

• Oversee recruitment, selection, and onboarding processes to attract and retain high-performing, mission-aligned staff.
• Lead succession planning and leadership development efforts.
• Direct performance management systems to ensure timely feedback, goal alignment, and professional growth opportunities.

HR Operations and Compliance

• Supervises direct reports, ensuring efficient, compliant, and responsive HR service delivery.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws, regulations, and organizational policies.
• Oversee HR policies and procedures, updating as needed to reflect legal, contractual, and organizational changes.
• Partner with compliance and program leadership to prepare for and respond to audits, funder reviews, and reporting requirements.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Develop, enhance and utilize HR metrics, workforce analytics, and employee feedback to inform strategy and measure the impact of people and culture initiatives.
• Provide timely reports and insights to the CEO and executive team

Systems

• Provide strategic oversight of the Human Management Information System (HMIS) to ensure optimal functionality, data integrity, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Leverage HMIS to drive efficient, compliant, and confidential people operations, including reporting, analytics, and workforce planning.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance HMIS usage to support data-driven decision-making, streamline HR processes, and uphold best practices in privacy and security.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans.
• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Strong labor relations expertise in a unionized environment.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to influence and inspire at all levels.
• Commitment to DEIB principles with a track record of embedding them in organizational practices.
• Strong operational HR knowledge, including compliance, benefits, compensation, and HRIS systems.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, organizational development, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in labor relations within a unionized environment.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or similar certification, or a willingness to obtain within 1 year of hire
• Proven track record in leading both strategic culture initiatives and operational HR functions.

Work Environment:

• Full-time position, hybrid work schedule with 3 days in the office and occasional travel to various organizational locations as needed.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required, including overnight.
• Any offer of employment is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Some programs may require additional background checks or frequency.

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About Lifelong:

Lifelong is a community health organization committed to removing barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone can have the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

We are looking for passionate, dedicated people to join our talented team and make real, meaningful changes in the daily lives of those living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses in their community. Lifelong offers exceptional benefits, including paid time off, medical and dental coverage in addition to a balanced work-life integration.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Lifelong, we are dedicated to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

EEO Statement:

Lifelong is committed to creating an accessible, supportive environment and experience that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of what we do.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and as such, we do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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DISCLAIMER: INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Job descriptions assist organizations in ensuring that the hiring process is fairly administered and that qualified employees are selected. They are an integral part of a compensation system, effective performance review system, related promotion, transfer, layoff, etc. decisions.

All descriptions have been reviewed to illustrate the job functions and basic duties, in addition to peripheral tasks or that could generally be considered as other duties as assigned.

In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities and requirements be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. Requirements, skills and abilities included have been determined to illustrate the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions.