Chief Human Resources Officer

Are you looking to make a meaningful impact on public health and the environment? Join the MWRA team! We deliver some of the nation's highest-quality drinking water to 3 million residents, restored Boston Harbor, and continue to invest in protecting vital public resources. Be part of a mission-driven organization where your work truly makes a difference in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.

Summary:

The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, shaping and executing a comprehensive human capital strategy that enables the Authority to achieve its mission of delivering reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality water and sewer services. This role leads the development of a modern, data-driven HR function that drives organizational performance, workforce sustainability, and a culture of inclusion, safety, and accountability.

This CHRO partners closely with senior leadership to align talent strategy with long-term business objectives, ensuring the Authority attracts, develops, and retains a diverse, high-performing workforce of over 1,000 employees. This leader champions organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and cultural transformation while ensuring compliance, equity, and operational excellence across all HR functions.

Posting Period: 6/4/2026 to 6/17/2026

Location:

Deer Island (Winthrop), MA
Salary: $ - $ Annually
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm

• Enterprise HR Strategy & Leadership
  • Develop and execute a forward-looking human capital strategy aligned with organizational priorities, operational demands, and regulatory requirements.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and senior leadership on organizational design, workforce risks, and talent optimization.
  • Lead HR as a strategic business partner model that proactively supports divisions in achieving performance goals.
• Organizational Effectiveness & Workforce Planning
  • Drive workforce and succession planning strategies to ensure leadership continuity and preservation of institutional knowledge.
  • Lead organizational design initiatives, change management efforts, and workforce transformation to improve efficiency and agility.
  • Establish and monitor key HR metrics and analytics to inform decision-making and measure organizational health.
• Talent Management & Culture
  • Build and sustain a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, inclusion, and continuous development.
  • Oversee integrated talent management strategies including recruitment, leadership development, performance management, and retention.
  • Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a core business priority, embedding it into all talent systems and practices.
• Labor Relations & Risk Management
  • Provide executive oversight of collective bargaining strategy, labor negotiations, and contract administration across multiple unions.
  • Mitigate organizational risk by ensuring consistent, fair, and legally compliant application of HR policies and practices.
  • Partner with legal and compliance functions to address complex employee relations matters and evolving regulatory requirements.
  • Oversees collective bargaining negotiation, contract administration and grievance proceedings for five bargaining units.
• Total Rewards & Employee Experience
  • Ensure compensation, benefits, and classification systems are competitive, equitable, and aligned with organizational goals.
  • Enhance employee engagement, well-being, and workplace safety through integrated HR and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Oversee modernization of HR systems (HRIS) and processes to improve service delivery and employee experience.
• Operational Excellence & Governance
  • Lead and develop a high-performing HR team across multiple functional areas, fostering innovation and accountability.
  • Manage HR operations through disciplined budgeting, resource allocation, and performance management.
  • Present strategic HR insights and recommendations to the Board of Directors to inform governance and decision-making.

• Proven executive-level leadership in human resources, with a track record of aligning HR strategy to organizational outcomes.
• Deep expertise in public sector HR, labor relations, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational transformation, workforce planning, and culture change initiatives.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders.
• Thorough understanding of human resources administration and management as acquired through at least ten (10) years' relevant work experience of which at least five (5) years are in a supervisory and/or managerial capacity and at least three (3) years are in the public sector; or any equivalent combination of education or experience.
• Valid Class D Driver's License
• Flexibility to respond to urgent business needs outside of standard working hours
• This position has been designated as essential in instances where the MWRA Executive Director requires…