Chief People Officer

Full-time - Senior

Indianapolis, IN

About the position

Walker is a full-service Experience Management (XM) firm. We believe everyone deserves an amazing experience. This is our purpose, and we fulfill it by providing the world’s leading brands with the services, guidance, and best practices needed to get the most from their XM programs. Walker is located in Indianapolis, IN. Walker is intentional and mindful about creating a workforce of diverse people who are compensated fairly and are free to be their authentic selves. We know doing this will further enhance the experience our associates and customers have with our company. We seek a dynamic and strategic HR leader with a proven ability to align people strategies with business objectives to drive growth, operational efficiency, and cultural transformation. As a trusted business partner, this role provides clear, pragmatic, and empathetic leadership to ensure HR initiatives deliver measurable impact. With a focus on breaking down silos, empowering leaders, and fostering an inclusive, high-performing remote workforce, this individual approaches HR with a business-first mindset—prioritizing flexible, solutions-driven frameworks over rigid policies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a people strategy that aligns with business goals, positioning HR as a strategic partner in driving company growth and operational excellence.
• Cultivate and maintain a high-performing, purpose-driven culture in a primarily remote environment, ensuring alignment with core values and business objectives.
• Strengthen leadership capabilities at all levels by implementing targeted coaching, mentorship programs, and training initiatives to enhance managerial effectiveness.
• Lead innovative workforce planning, recruitment, and retention strategies to attract top talent and drive long-term employee engagement.
• Develop and execute initiatives that enhance the employee experience from onboarding through career development, fostering a culture of inclusion, recognition, and continuous learning.
• Implement performance frameworks that empower teams, enhance accountability, and drive productivity in a primarily remote environment.
• Lead strategic, people-first change initiatives to ensure smooth transitions during periods of growth, restructuring, or cultural transformation.
• Lead HR operations, ensuring policies are adaptable, business-friendly, and support a high-trust, high-performance culture.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team, delivering data-driven insights and people-focused solutions to drive business success.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in people strategy, business, human resources or related field.
• Ten (10) years of leadership experience in a senior or executive role, with responsibility for overseeing human resources functions is preferred.
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
• Experience working in professional services, preferably within the IT services industry.

Nice-to-haves

• Proven track record of designing and executing people strategies that drive high-performance cultures.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to craft and execute people strategies that align with business goals.
• Deep expertise in HR laws and compliance regulations.
• Ability to leverage HR technology to make data-driven decisions.
• Extensive experience in driving organizational change.
• Proven experience leading HR in a professional services company (preferably within the IT services industry) during periods of significant growth, supporting a high-growth model with multiple business units and professional practices.