Chief People Officer

Final date to receive applications:
Applications must be received by 11:59pm EDT, November 1, 2026..

Gainesville Regional Utilities, the most comprehensive utility service provider in Florida, is seeking a Chief People Officer to provide strategic vision and executive leadership in shaping the people strategies that support GRU’s mission, workforce, and long-term business objectives.

As a member of GRU’s Executive Team and a strategic partner to the CEO and organizational leadership, the Chief People Officer will lead the development and execution of workforce strategies focused on organizational effectiveness, talent, employee engagement, workforce planning, and building the capabilities needed for GRU’s future. This leader will oversee the Office of People Resources and provide strategic direction across the full spectrum of people resources, including talent acquisition and development, compensation, employee and labor relations, workforce analytics, organizational change, and people policies and practices.

We are looking for an experienced, forward-thinking people leader who can navigate complex organizational challenges, build strong partnerships across the utility, and translate business priorities into effective workforce strategies. The successful candidate will bring sound judgment, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to lead meaningful change while strengthening the employee experience and organizational performance.

Join GRU and help shape the workforce, culture, and people strategies that will support our organization as we continue providing essential services to our community every day.

Exempt

This is executive-level work providing strategic vision, leadership, and oversight for the development and implementation of workforce strategies, organizational initiatives, and people procedures and practices that align Gainesville Regional Utilities’ (GRU) workforce with its mission, vision, and strategic direction. The Chief People Officer provides leadership in developing and executing strategies that strengthen organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, talent, and workforce capabilities to support GRU’s long-term business objectives.

The Chief People Officer serves at the will of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and may be appointed or removed by the CEO. Work in this classification is distinguished from other classes by its executive-level responsibility for strategic workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, human resources strategy, and oversight of the GRU workforce.

Essential Functions:

• Serves as a member of the GRU Executive Team and establishes and maintains effective working relationships as a strategic partner to the CEO, GRU Executive Team, GRU Leadership Team, and GRU management.
• Provides executive leadership and serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to management on matters affecting the GRU workforce, organizational effectiveness, employee relations, talent, and human resources. Partners with department and division leaders to identify workforce needs and develop strategies to address current and future organizational requirements.
• Develops and implements workforce strategies, goals, and initiatives aligned with GRU’s mission, vision, strategic direction, and business objectives to maximize employee effectiveness and organizational performance.
• Leads strategic workforce planning efforts, including assessing current and future workforce needs, identifying organizational capabilities and gaps, and developing strategies to attract, develop, retain, and deploy talent in support of GRU’s short- and long-term goals.
• Provides leadership and oversight for the development, implementation, and…