Vice President of People

Location: Carmel, Indiana (Headquarters)

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Walker Hughes Insurance is a founder-led independent insurance brokerage headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, serving individuals, families, farmers, and businesses across Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio. We believe insurance is about protecting what matters most, and we invest in exceptional people who are passionate about building relationships, serving clients, and driving growth.

We are changing the story of the traditional insurance experience, and it starts with our people. Walker Hughes exists to put people first in the insurance industry, and that applies to both our employees and our clients. By valuing our people, we instill the philosophy and expectation that our people will value others.

The Vice President of People is responsible for leading the people strategy for Walker Hughes Insurance as the organization continues to grow across the Midwest. This role is accountable for employee engagement, performance and development, total rewards, HR operations, and compliance, partners closely with Recruitment on hiring and workforce planning, and serves as a strategic partner to the CEO and leadership team.

• Develop and execute a people strategy that supports Walker Hughes’ growth goals, culture, and “Putting People First” philosophy.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and leadership team on organizational design, workforce planning, leadership capability, and people-related risks.
• Lead, coach, and develop the HR and Employee Engagement teams.
• Set clear people goals and KPIs, including retention, engagement, time-to-hire, and development, and report results, trends, and risks to the CEO.
• Partner with Finance on headcount planning, compensation budgets, and benefits costs.

• Partner with Recruitment to align hiring strategy for producers, advisors, account managers, service teams, and leadership roles with Walker Hughes’ growth plans across all locations.
• Partner with Recruitment to establish consistent job descriptions, interview processes, and hiring standards that reflect the Walker Hughes story and service culture.
• Partner with Recruitment and Marketing to strengthen the Walker Hughes employer brand across the website, job postings, social media, and local communities.
• Partner with leaders and Recruitment to forecast staffing and capacity needs and build talent pipelines ahead of growth.
• Oversee onboarding to ensure new team members feel welcomed, prepared, and connected from day one.

• Champion a culture employees are proud to be part of and a work environment they enjoy coming to each day.
• Lead employee engagement programs, including the “Putting People First” Employee Engagement Committee, “Cheers for Peers” recognition, and milestone celebrations.
• Support community involvement and volunteer programs in the communities where our employees and clients live, work, and play.
• Measure employee engagement through surveys and feedback, and lead action plans that respond to the results.
• Ensure consistent communication and connection across all offices and remote and hybrid team members.

• Set the framework for clear performance expectations and goals, regular one-on-ones and performance reviews, ongoing feedback and recognition, and prompt handling of performance concerns.
• Build training, mentorship, and career development programs that strengthen individual performance and build team capabilities.
• Develop current and emerging leaders, including managers, team leads, and office leaders, through leadership training…