Vice President of People

Job Description:\n\nDescription: The Vice President of People is a senior leader responsible for designing and leading Wheeler Machinery’s organizational strategy, people systems, and leadership capability to enable business performance and long-term growth. This role ensures the organization is structured effectively, roles are clearly defined, and leaders are equipped to execute at a high level across a multi-location environment. The VP of People architects and governs the company’s HR operating model, ensuring that people processes, decision rights, and service delivery are aligned, scalable, and consistently executed across the enterprise. This role drives organizational design, workforce planning, and leadership development to ensure Wheeler has the right structure, talent, and accountability systems in place to support its strategic objectives. This role ensures that talent, culture, safety, and organizational effectiveness are aligned with Wheeler Machinery’s strategic objectives. The VP of People acts as a strategic integrator, elevating the sophistication, impact, and consistency of People systems across the organization. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the VP of People partners closely with business leaders to diagnose organizational needs, design solutions, and build a high-performing, disciplined organization where expectations are clear and performance is consistently delivered. Duties and Responsibilities Enterprise People Strategy & GovernanceDefine and lead a comprehensive, holistic People Strategy aligned with Wheeler's vision, values, and business objectives for sustained growth and operational excellenceServe as a key member of the senior leadership team, influencing enterprise-wide decisionsTranslate business strategy into actionable workforce, leadership, and organizational plansEstablish a clear philosophy on workforce segmentation and differentiated people strategiesEnsure alignment with core pillars of operational excellence, growth, and financial performanceArchitect, document, and continuously evolve the Wheeler People Playbook as the single source for how Wheeler attracts, develops, manages performance, compensates, and ensures complianceEstablish clear standards, frameworks, and repeatable processes — scalable across all locations and aligned with union agreementsDesign and govern Wheeler's HR Operating Model, defining roles, service delivery model, and ownership of people processesEstablish KPIs, service standards, and accountability structures across all HR functions Organizational Design & Organizational Development Own enterprise-wide organizational design strategy, ensuring structure supports scalability, efficiency, and operational performance as Wheeler growsDefine an enterprise methodology to identify critical roles across business units, focusing on roles with disproportionate impact on safety, operations, customer outcomes, and financial performanceLead design and redesign of business units, functions, and leadership structures based on growth, M&A integration, and operational needsEstablish enterprise principles for:Span of controlRole clarity and accountabilityLayering and decision rightsDrive enterprise organizational effectiveness initiatives, including role clarity models, team effectiveness reviews, and decision-making frameworksPartner with business leaders to proactively diagnose organizational gaps and design targeted solutionsEnsure alignment between strategic priorities, organizational design, and talent investment Workforce Planning & Future Capability MappingLead development of a forward-looking workforce planning approach tied to business strategy, ensuring Wheeler has the talent and capabilities needed to compete in the futurePartner with divisional and departmental leaders to identify future capability and skill requirements, capacity gaps, and workforce risks (retirement, attrition, skill obsolescence)Align workforce plans with growth initiatives, digital transformation, and operational excellence prioritiesEstablish a consistent framework to identify top talent, high-potential employees, and critical skill holders across all business unitsCreate enterprise-level visibility into talent pools, bench strength, and organizational risks, enabling leadership to understand where talent exists, where gaps are developing, and where mobility opportunities existEnable strategic movement of talent across business units to accelerate development, address critical capability gaps, and scale institutional knowledge Succession Planning for Critical Roles Design and implement an enterprise succession planning process focused on critical roles, reducing dependency on single individuals and building a deep leadership benchEnsure identified successors exist for key positions with structured development plansProvide enterprise-level visibility, rigor, and governance around succession readinessSupport divisional and departmental leaders in making high-impact talent decisions, particularly for critical roles Leadership Development & Training StrategyOversee development of a comprehensive leadership and technical training strategy that equips leaders at all levels to lead teams effectively, drive performance, and uphold safety and culture standardsPartner with the Training Director to implement structured development programs:Frontline leadership trainingMid-level leader capability buildingExecutive leadership developmentAlign development programs directly to organizational needs and succession planning requirementsMentor and lead direct reports - Safety Manager, Skills & Development Manager, HR Manager - to organizational and career path successUtilize coaching techniques and challenge traditional thinking to help company leaders grow and maximize their impact HR Operations & ComplianceEnsure all HR practices comply with relevant labor laws, regulations, and industry standards, mitigating risk and maintaining ethical, consistent practices across the enterpriseOversee HR systems and technology, ensuring they support efficient processes, data integrity, and a seamless employee experienceManage employee relations, providing guidance to HR and leadership on handling complex personnel issues fairly and consistentlyContinuously assess and improve HR policies, procedures, and programs to meet evolving business needsEnsure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and employment law across all locationsDefine enterprise HR systems strategy and data standards; drive adoption of tools that enable consistency, insight, and scalabilityPartner with IT / Digital to modernize and streamline People processes SafetyEstablish and champion Wheeler's enterprise-wide safety philosophy, cultivating a ground-up, total safety management culture rooted in zero-risk behaviors and continuous improvementDevelop and execute a strategic safety plan aligned with the company's overall objectivesDrive consistent safety outcomes across all locations, functions, and workforce segmentsAdapt a data-driven, continuous improvement approach to defining and measuring safety successCultivate a shared vision and inherent purpose for enhancing employee commitment to zero-risk behavior valuesPartner with Safety Manager and operational leaders to embed safety accountability at every level Performance Management & Accountability SystemsDesign and implement a consistent enterprise performance management philosophy and system, ensuring alignment between company strategy and individual performanceProvide core tools for goal-setting, coaching, and evaluation frameworksDrive accountability through clear expectations, measurable outcomes, and leadership ownershipOversee development of performance frameworks, coaching practices, and talent differentiation strategiesEnsure performance management is directly tied to business outcomes, compensation, and organizational design decisionsSupport divisional and departmental execution while maintaining enterprise consistency Culture, Engagement & Employee ExperienceDefine the enterprise culture framework aligned with Wheeler's values, safety standards, and performance expectations — ensuring a consistent, high-quality employee experience across the full lifecycleLead enterprise-wide employee engagement strategy, including surveys, listening sessions, and action frameworksEnable divisional leaders to drive engagement locally using shared tools, data, and best practicesDrive initiatives that increase engagement, reinforce accountability and pride, and strengthen retention of critical talentAlign culture initiatives with the operational realities of a CAT dealership environmentRecognize and reward high performance, promoting both individual and team achievements Total Rewards & Compensation StrategyEstablish enterprise-level compensation philosophy, structure, and guardrails ensuring external competitiveness and internal equity across all business unitsConduct regular market analysis to ensure pay equity and competitiveness, adapting to changes in industry standards and employee expectationsOversee the development and administration of competitive compensation structures, benefits, and incentive programsManage employee recognition programs aligned with company valuesProvide guidance and oversight to divisional execution of compensation and benefits programs Labor Relations & Risk Management Provide enterprise leadership on labor relations strategy - including union engagement, negotiation readiness, and compliance - mitigating risk through strong governance and consistent policy applicationEstablish and maintain relationships with bargaining unit representatives to foster continuous dialogue on people-based issuesPartner with executive leaders on negotiations and labor strategy alignmentEnsure consistency in risk management, compliance, and policy approach across all locationsMitigate risk through strong governance, audits, and compliance practices People Analytics & Digital EnablementEstablish a data-driven approach to people decisions, leveraging analytics and modern HR technology to inform strategy, drive continuous improvement, and increase enterprise efficiencyDefine and monitorkey metrics across talent acquisition, retention, leadership effectiveness, and organizational healthEstablish core talent analytics capabilities, including bench strength, succession coverage, and retention of top talentUse data to guide hiring priorities, development investments, and organizational design decisionsLeverage technology and HRIS capabilities to increase efficiency and insightDrive continuous improvement across all people systems, processes, and programsPerforms all other duties as assigned Qualifications Education:Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field requiredMaster’s degree (MBA, MA in Organizational Leadership, or related discipline) preferred Experience:12 to 15+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including executive-level rolesDemonstrated experience operating in a multi-entity, decentralized, or holding company environmentProven track record of designing and implementing enterprise-wide People strategies and systemsExperience partnering with executiveleadership teams to align people strategy with business objectivesExperience leading or influencing:Workforce planning and talent strategyOrganizational design and transformationLeadership development and succession planningExperience working in industrial, operational, or field-based environments (preferred)Experience in unionized / labor relations environments (strongly preferred based on your context) Skills and Competencies:Enterprise mindset with the ability to balance standardization and flexibility across business unitsSystems thinker capable of designing scalable, repeatable People processesAbility to lead and influence without direct authority across decentralized teamsExceptional executive communication and stakeholder management skillsProven ability to coach and develop senior leaders and HR professionalsProven ability to lead organizational change and transformationStrong execution capability able to translate strategy into practical application across business unitsExperience building and scaling People systems (performance management, engagement, development, etc.)Experience leveraging data and analytics to drive People decisionsFamiliarity with modern HR systems, workforce analytics, and digital enablement Certification (Preferred):SHRM-SCP (Society for Human Resource Management – Senior Certified Professional)SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources)Other relevant certifications in leadership, organizational development, or change management __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c). Requirements: