Chief Talent Officer

HR&A is an industry-leading real estate and economic development consulting firm. We have offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C.

Position Description

We are seeking candidates for a Chief Talent Officer (CTO) to create the vision for and lead the execution of a comprehensive talent development strategy across HR&A’s four offices. The CTO will provide strategic direction and oversight for attracting, growing and retaining top talent, along with implementation of associated processes and tools. S/he will be a driving force in developing and nurturing HR&A’s firm wide culture, drawing on familiarity with the consulting work of HR&A or comparable professional service firms, as well as innovative best practices for talent development from outside the firm. Based in New York and reporting directly to HR&A’s President, the CTO will work with the firm’s senior leadership to identify and implement key initiatives that assist HR&A in realizing its commitment to development all of its team members and ensure the firm is an outstanding place to build a career.

Responsibilities:

Specific responsibilities will include but may not be limited to the following:

Set the vision for and ensure successful execution of a comprehensive, firm wide talent management strategy that defines and articulates HR&A’s value proposition to employees, reflects the firm’s core belief in developing its talent, and develops robust career pathways and professional development opportunities for all employees.

• Establish a system for individual employee goal setting aligned with career pathways and firm wide goals
• Strengthen the structure for supporting goal achievement, including clear advisory and mentorship responsibilities and accountability
• Refine ongoing and periodic mechanisms for providing feedback on goal achievement and performance
• Ensure clear links between performance and reward, including participation in salary review process

Manage implementation of staff development and recruitment initiatives.

• In consultation with HR&A Partners, manage staff project assignments to deliver quality analysis on consulting commitments, while aligning work with employee development goals and training opportunities
• Support onboarding of new staff, and serve as a resource during their initial training and orientation period
• Create and promote resources for professional development activities and career development for staff across the organization, including refinement of training curriculum and execution of in-house trainings for new hires and existing staff
• Oversee initiatives and activities to build organizational culture
• Advance development of and interaction with a new alumni association
• Develop strategies to ensure a robust pipeline of talent, and manage annual and interim recruitment processes

Serve on the HR&A Senior Leadership Team as a strategic advisor, functional expert and thought leader regarding key talent development, recruitment, and retention strategies, processes, and implementation.

• Monitor workplace trends and recommend new and improved programs, processes and policies
• Develop metrics to inform national and regional talent recruitment, development and retention
• Regularly assess and report on employee morale with a focus on continuous improvement
• Lead the annual employee engagement survey and drive and monitor resulting actions

Candidates should be either established professionals in the field of public/private development with deep familiarity with consulting services, significant management experience and demonstrated leadership abilities, or seasoned talent professionals with expertise in talent development and retention. Candidates should have a minimum of eight years of professional experience, with at least three in a senior leadership role. Candidates should also have a master’s degree, though considerable additional experience may be substituted for a graduate degree. Additional qualifications include:

• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to work well with people with diverse professional experience levels, build consensus around strategic direction, and influence and facilitate multi-party decision-making
• Strong strategic thinking skills with an ability to use data to make decisions and to translate strategy into a plan of action
• Superior written and verbal communication skills with an ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision and lead others to implement it
• Strong project management skills, with ability to multi-task, set and drive priorities, and monitor progress towards goals
• Ability to identify innovative talent management practices, and to coach and mentor staff and executives toward implementation