Vice President, Strategic Human Resources
Reports To: Executive Leadership Team
Location: DFW area
Industry: Construction
Company Size: $200M+ Revenue | Multi-State Operations | Growth-Oriented Organization
Compensation: $150K-$200K, potential bonus.
Position Summary
Building a transformational HR leader for a $200M construction company requires a rare combination of executive-level HR expertise, deep construction industry knowledge, and proven business leadership. Below is a comprehensive executive job description suitable for attracting highly qualified candidates.
The Vice President of Strategic Human Resources serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive people strategy that supports the company's growth, operational excellence, workforce development, and organizational transformation initiatives.
This executive will be a highly influential change agent who possesses both exceptional Human Resources credentials and significant business acumen within the construction industry. The successful candidate will build and lead a best-in-class HR function, establish scalable people systems, strengthen leadership capabilities, and drive organizational effectiveness across all levels of the company.
The VP of Strategic Human Resources will be expected to align human capital strategies with business objectives while fostering a high-performance culture that supports continued growth, profitability, safety, employee engagement, and operational success.
This role requires a strategic thinker who can also execute effectively, balancing long-term organizational development with day-to-day business realities in a dynamic construction environment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Organizational Transformation
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team on all people-related matters.
- Lead enterprise-wide change management initiatives associated with growth, restructuring, acquisitions, succession planning, workforce optimization, and organizational development.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive HR strategy aligned with corporate objectives.
- Evaluate organizational effectiveness and recommend improvements to structure, talent, processes, and leadership effectiveness.
- Champion a culture of accountability, performance, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
- Drive organizational change initiatives that improve business performance and employee experience.
HR Department Development & Infrastructure
- Build a modern, scalable Human Resources department from the ground up or significantly enhance existing HR capabilities.
- Design and implement HR policies, programs, systems, and procedures that support company growth and compliance requirements.
- Establish HR metrics, dashboards, workforce analytics, and reporting structures to support executive decision-making.
- Evaluate and implement Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), talent management systems, and workforce planning tools.
- Standardize HR processes across field operations, project locations, and corporate functions.
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Develop a proactive workforce planning strategy to support aggressive company growth objectives.
- Lead recruitment strategies for skilled trades, project management, field supervision, operations, and corporate leadership positions.
- Create a strong employment brand that positions the company as an employer of choice within the construction industry.
- Develop innovative sourcing strategies to address skilled labor shortages.
- Establish workforce forecasting models aligned with operational and project demands.
Leadership Development & Succession Planning
- Design and execute a formal succession planning strategy for critical positions throughout the organization.
- Identify high-potential talent and create leadership development pathways.
- Partner with executives to assess leadership capability and organizational readiness.
- Establish mentoring, coaching, and career development programs.
- Create leadership competency models aligned with company objectives.
Talent Management & Performance Excellence
- Develop and implement enterprise-wide talent management programs.
- Design performance management systems that drive accountability and measurable business outcomes.
- Facilitate organizational talent reviews and workforce capability assessments.
- Lead employee engagement initiatives that improve retention and workforce productivity.
- Identify talent gaps and create actionable development plans.
Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards
- Develop a competitive compensation philosophy aligned with company growth objectives.
- Design and administer salary structures, incentive plans, bonus programs, and executive compensation strategies.
- Oversee employee benefits programs, wellness initiatives, retirement plans, and leave programs.
- Conduct compensation benchmarking and market analysis to maintain competitiveness.
- Ensure equitable and legally compliant compensation practices.
Employee Relations & Culture
- Create an employee-centric culture that promotes trust, accountability, communication, and inclusion.
- Lead complex employee relations matters, investigations, conflict resolution, and risk mitigation efforts.
- Advise leadership on performance improvement, corrective action, and employee retention.
- Develop communication strategies that strengthen organizational alignment and transparency.
- Foster positive relationships between field employees, operational leaders, and executive management.
Training & Workforce Development
- Design and implement learning and development programs supporting all levels of the organization.
- Develop leadership training programs for supervisors, managers, and executives.
- Create structured onboarding and orientation programs.
- Ensure ongoing professional development opportunities for both field and office personnel.
- Partner with operations leaders to identify workforce capability needs and training priorities.
Business Partnership & Operational Excellence
- Operate as a strategic business partner with executive and operational leadership.
- Develop a thorough understanding of construction operations, project delivery, financial performance, labor markets, and workforce requirements.
- Participate in strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and business growth initiatives.
- Utilize workforce analytics and business metrics to improve organizational performance.
- Ensure human capital strategies directly support revenue growth, profitability, project execution, and client satisfaction.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
- Maintain expertise in wage and hour laws, labor compliance, OSHA considerations, FMLA, ADA, EEOC, and related employment requirements.
- Reduce organizational risk through proactive policy development and employee relations practices.
- Lead audits, investigations, and compliance initiatives as required.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field required.
- Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration (MBA), Organizational Leadership, or related discipline strongly preferred.
Professional Certifications
One or more of the following highly preferred:
- SHRM-SCP
- SPHR
- GPHR
- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
- Change Management Certification
Experience
- Minimum 15+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience.
- Minimum 7-10 years serving in a senior HR leadership role.
- Demonstrated success leading Human Resources within a construction, engineering, industrial services, infrastructure, or related project-based environment.
- Proven experience building or transforming an HR department and infrastructure.
- Experience supporting organizations with revenues exceeding $100M and preferably $200M+.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational change and growth initiatives.
- Experience developing succession planning and leadership development programs.
- Strong background in talent acquisition, retention, compensation, employee relations, and organizational development.
- Track record of supporting rapid company growth, acquisitions, or business transformation initiatives.
Critical Leadership Competencies
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
Change Leadership
- Proven ability to lead organizational transformation initiatives.
- Ability to gain executive buy-in and drive sustainable change.
Business Acumen
- Strong understanding of construction operations, project management, financial performance, and organizational growth strategies.
- Ability to connect people strategies directly to business outcomes.
Strategic Thinking
- Long-term perspective with the ability to translate strategy into execution.
Executive Presence
- Credibility and confidence when interacting with senior executives, project leaders, board members, and external stakeholders.
Relationship Building
- Capable of developing trust and influence across field operations, management teams, and executive leadership.
Results Orientation
- Demonstrated success delivering measurable organizational improvements and business performance.
Success Measures (First 24 Months)
The successful VP of Strategic Human Resources will:
- Build a scalable HR infrastructure capable of supporting future growth.
- Implement a formal succession planning process for key leadership positions.
- Improve employee retention and engagement metrics.
- Establish leadership development programs across all levels.
- Design competitive compensation and benefits strategies.
- Create workforce planning models aligned with business growth objectives.
- Strengthen talent acquisition effectiveness and reduce critical vacancies.
- Develop a culture of accountability, performance excellence, and continuous improvement.
- Position Human Resources as a strategic business function and trusted partner to operations and executive leadership.
Ideal Candidate Profile: A highly respected HR executive with deep construction industry expertise, exceptional business acumen, strong executive presence, and a proven history of transforming organizations through strategic human capital leadership. This individual must be equally comfortable in the boardroom, on construction sites, and working directly with leaders to drive sustainable business growth.
Pay: $150,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a SHRM or HRCI certification
Work Location: In person
