Chief People & Culture Officer; CPCO​/Chief Human Resources Officer; CHRO

This is a remote position for candidates who ideally live in the Eastern or Central timezones. Travel for leadership meetings and site visits is required.

Foundation Partners Group is one of the most innovative providers of funeral services in the United States and the second-largest funeral home group in the country based on families served. With more than 250 funeral homes, cremation centers, and cemeteries across 21 states, the company serves over 125,000 families annually.

Under the leadership of CEO John

D. Smith, the organization is entering a pivotal phase focused on operational excellence, digital modernization, cultural alignment, and building a cohesive operating model.

We are seeking a Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO) to serve as the primary architect of the organization’s human capital strategy and a critical strategic partner to the CEO.

This role requires more than HR expertise. It demands a leader with the business acumen to understand our P&L as deeply as our people — and the influence to drive large‑scale transformation across the enterprise.

As CPCO, you will be a key member of the executive team, responsible for aligning people strategy with long-term business goals while fostering an environment where innovation and empathy coexist.

Foundation Partners operates a distributed workforce across 21 states. Our frontline team members — funeral directors, location leaders, and operational professionals — create value in local markets every day. Culture must travel across geography. Accountability must scale.

Leadership must resonate in the field, not just  CPCO will own the strategy and systems that make that possible.

The ideal candidate doesn’t just manage people — they inspire them. They balance a business‑first mindset with a servant leader’s heart.

• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership
• At least 3 years in a senior executive HR capacity or supporting distributed business units

• A strategist and builder, not a maintainer
• Energized by building systems from scratch

• A compelling storyteller who can clearly articulate the “why” behind culture, performance expectations, and organizational change

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in HR Management, Business, Organizational Development, or a related field — or equivalent experience.

• Translate enterprise business goals into people strategies that drive EBITDA and market share.
• Partner with the CEO and executive team to navigate complex leadership and operational decisions.
• Optimize workforce structure and talent deployment to ensure the right people are in the right roles to achieve 5‑year targets.

• Lead the development and delivery of HR strategies aligned to business plans, growth objectives, and long‑range transformation goals.
• Build a 3–5 year talent roadmap that anticipates industry shifts and technological advancement.

• Serve as a confidential advisor and sounding board to the CEO.
• Act as primary coach to the C‑suite.
• Identify leadership gaps and facilitate high‑performance executive team dynamics.
• Deliver direct, honest feedback to executives and team members alike with clarity and care.

• Build buy‑in across diverse stakeholder groups in a multi‑site, field‑based organization.
• Demonstrate executive presence when championing the company’s culture and human capital strategy.
• Partner with leadership to articulate our talent value proposition to external stakeholders and prospective team members.
• Define, evolve, and protect the organization’s culture.
• Ensure values are embedded in everyday decisions — not simply articulated.
• Drive engagement and discretionary effort across a distributed workforce.

• Lead the organization through rapid scaling, M&A integration, organizational redesign, and digital transformation without losing cultural integrity.
• Design and execute change roadmaps that minimize productivity disruption and maximize team member buy‑in.
• Translate enterprise vision into actionable, department‑level objectives and key…