Chief People Officer (CPO) - Remote

About the Company

WHEN Justice is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the environment, strengthening food safety standards, and defending consumer rights through strategic litigation and policy reform. WHEN Justice exists to confront and hold accountable those who put power and profit before people, communities, and the planet we share.

About the Role

The Chief People Officer (CPO) will be the senior leader responsible for building and sustaining the structures, culture, and accountability systems that allow WHEN Justice to grow as a high-performing, mission-aligned organization. This role is ideal for an executive experienced in building philanthropic or advocacy organizations with clear organizational design, transparent decision-making, and strong accountability frameworks. The CPO will serve as a key strategic partner to the Executive Director and leadership team, leading people operations, culture, and organizational development across a fully remote workforce.

Responsibilities

Organizational Design and Structure – 30%

• Design and refine an organizational structure that supports clear roles, decision rights, and lines of accountability across legal, advocacy, development, and operations teams.
• Lead workforce planning and scenario modeling to ensure staffing and structure are aligned with strategic priorities and funding realities.
• Develop and maintain org charts, role descriptions, and competency frameworks that reflect WHEN Justice’s mission and growth trajectory.
• Partner with leadership to embed clear goals, workflows, and communication norms across the organization.

Culture, Values, and Talent Development – 25%

• Build and steward a values-driven culture rooted in justice, accountability, transparency, and care for people and communities.
• Design and implement systems for onboarding, professional development, coaching, and leadership pathways that strengthen internal capacity.
• Ensure that staff across all levels see how their work connects to the mission of confronting those who put power and profit before people, communities, and the planet.
• Lead organization-wide efforts to embed diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in policies, practices, and daily operations.

Accountability and Performance Systems – 25%

• Develop and manage organization-wide accountability frameworks, including goal-setting, performance management, and impact metrics at the individual, team, and organizational levels.
• Implement consistent and fair performance review processes with clear expectations, feedback mechanisms, and growth plans.
• Establish cross-functional dashboards and reporting practices so leadership and staff can see progress toward strategic and philanthropic commitments.
• Work with legal, finance, and development to ensure people systems support compliance with grant requirements, employment law, and nonprofit governance standards.

People Operations and HR Leadership – 15%

• Oversee all human resources functions, including recruitment, hiring, employee relations, compensation, benefits, and policy development.
• Ensure that employment practices comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws for a remote, multi-jurisdictional workforce.
• Select and manage HR systems, tools, and vendors that support efficient, secure, and user-friendly people operations.
• Partner with finance on staffing budgets, compensation philosophy, and total rewards strategies that are competitive and sustainable.

Executive Leadership and Organizational Development – 5%

• Serve as a member of the executive team, contributing to overall strategy, risk assessment, and long-range planning.
• Advise the Executive Director and board on organizational health, culture, leadership capacity, and change management.
• Support board committees related to people, culture, governance, or compensation as needed.
• Represent WHEN Justice’s internal culture and people strategy to key external partners, funders, and networks when appropriate.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, organizational development, management, public administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in people, culture, HR, or organizational development roles, including experience at the executive or senior leadership level.
• Demonstrated success building or transforming nonprofit, philanthropic, or advocacy organizations with clear structures and accountability systems.
• Experience designing and implementing performance management, goal-setting, and organizational metrics.
• Proven ability to lead in a remote, distributed environment and to build trust, clarity, and cohesion across virtual teams.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to influence and coach leaders and staff.
• Deep commitment to equity, justice, and WHEN Justice’s mission of holding those who put power and profit before people, communities, and the planet accountable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or advanced training in organizational leadership, HR, law, psychology, or public administration.
• Executive-level experience in a legal advocacy, environmental justice, civil rights, or consumer protection organization.
• Familiarity with grant-funded staffing models, philanthropic reporting requirements, and nonprofit governance.
• Experience designing or leading DEI initiatives and change management efforts in mission-driven organizations.
• Certification in HR or organizational development (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) is a plus but not required.

Pay range and compensation package

This position is fully remote within the United States, with a preference for candidates based in or able to travel periodically to the San Francisco Bay Area or Washington, D.C., for in-person leadership meetings and retreats. Occasional domestic travel may be required. WHEN Justice offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, a retirement plan, generous paid time off, parental leave, and professional development support.

Equal Opportunity Statement

WHEN Justice is committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.