Vice President of People & Culture

Position Summary

The Vice President of People & Culture (VPPC) serves as a strategic executive leader responsible for shaping and advancing a high-performing, people-centered organizational culture across the Richland-Lexington Airport District. As a member of the executive leadership team, this role provides enterprise-wide leadership for human capital strategy, organizational development, workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee engagement, total rewards, leadership development, and culture transformation.

The VPPC will champion initiatives that foster innovation, accountability, inclusivity, and employee well-being while aligning workforce strategies with the District’s mission, values, and long-term strategic objectives. This role ensures the Airport District remains an employer of choice within the aviation, transportation, and public service sectors.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provides direct leadership and strategic oversight for Human Resources division staff.
• Maintains organization-wide accountability for workforce performance, employee engagement, and organizational culture initiatives.
• Leads enterprise-wide talent and leadership development strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Human Capital Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the President/CEO, executive leadership team, and Commission on workforce strategy, organizational culture, and talent-related risks and opportunities.
• Develop and execute enterprise-wide people strategies aligned with organizational goals and operational priorities.
• Lead strategic workforce planning, succession management, and organizational design initiatives.

Culture, Engagement & Organizational Development

• Champion a culture of inclusion, belonging, and employee well-being across all levels of the organization.
• Lead organizational development efforts that strengthen performance, accountability, collaboration, and leadership effectiveness.
• Drive change management initiatives supporting growth, transformation, and continuous improvement.

Talent Acquisition & Leadership Development

• Oversee talent acquisition strategies to attract, recruit, and retain diverse, high-performing talent.
• Build leadership pipelines and succession plans to support long-term organizational sustainability.
• Develop leadership training and professional development programs.

Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards

• Lead the design and administration of competitive compensation, benefits, recognition, and wellness programs.
• Ensure total rewards strategies support recruitment, retention, and employee satisfaction.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Oversee employee relations programs, fostering transparency, trust, and accountability.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Support labor relations strategies and workforce relations, as applicable.

Analytics & Performance

• Utilize workforce data, HR analytics, and performance metrics to inform strategy and improve organizational effectiveness.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) related to retention, engagement, diversity, and workforce development.

Risk Management Program

• Lead employee-related risk management programs.

DBE and Small Business Programs

• Coordinate outreach to increase engagement by historically underutilized groups in airport vendor opportunities.
• Manage the airports’ DBE and ACDBE programs, to include required reporting.