Chief People Officer

About This Role

This senior enterprise leadership role focuses on the next phase of the company's organisational maturity, leading the People, Culture and Capability (PC&C) function. You will shape and deliver the People Strategy that underpins the organisational strategy, ensuring the company has the leadership, workforce capability, culture and operating model required to deliver its statutory responsibilities and strategic priorities. The role involves building a workplace where people have a great employee experience and are supported to do their best work, with a key focus on embedding a strong, values-based culture and leading people and capability dimensions of technological change, including the responsible use of AI.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the People Strategy, ensuring alignment with NHC's strategic priorities and measurable impact on capability, culture and employee experience
• Lead capability, leadership development and workforce planning, ensuring NHC can attract, retain and grow a diverse, high-performing workforce that can scale to different events and priorities
• Foster a positive, inclusive culture and lift cultural confidence and competence across the organisation, including te ao Māori capability
• Lead the health, safety, security and wellbeing strategy and management system, ensuring critical risks are well understood, managed and reported
• Provide trusted, no-surprises advice to the Board, PCGC, Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team on material people risks, trends, decisions and emerging issues
• Modernise HR systems, processes and reporting – including through HR analytics and responsible use of AI – to enable data-driven people decisions and improved productivity
• Lead a high-performing PC&C team, setting clear expectations and building depth, credibility and service across the function

Requirements

• Track record of operating at executive level, with senior People and Culture leadership experience in complex organisations and the credibility, integrity and judgement required for sensitive, high-stakes matters
• Deep expertise across the full breadth of the people portfolio – including strategy, organisational development, culture, leadership development, employment relations, remuneration, workforce planning and health, safety and wellbeing
• Proven experience leading strategic people and culture initiatives that deliver measurable business outcomes and shaping culture and leadership capability in support of long-term organisational ambitions
• Experience working with Boards and board committees, including facilitating charter and work programme discussions, and supporting Chief Executive recruitment, performance, remuneration and succession matters
• Strong knowledge of employment and public sector legislation, with the ability to translate requirements into practical policy, systems and advice