Chief Human Resources Officer

Role overview

East 57th Street Partners is working with a private equity sponsor to hire a Chief Human Resources Officer for a platform company based in the Atlanta metro area, Georgia. The business has already completed two acquisitions and is now entering a new growth phase under fresh executive leadership. This role is being created as the company’s first senior People executive to establish the HR function, support acquisition-led expansion, and help prepare the platform for a future exit.

The company has roughly four years left in a five-year investment horizon, so the focus is on scaling the business quickly, strengthening the leadership team, and integrating people, culture, and HR practices across acquired businesses to create value.

This position is best suited to a hands-on operator who can build from scratch, work closely with the CEO and sponsor, and thrive in a fast-moving M&A environment.

What the role will own

• End-to-end ownership of the People function.
• Talent strategy, organizational design, culture, total rewards, and HR operations.
• Support for acquisition activity and workforce integration across acquired companies.

Why this opportunity stands out

• First true CHRO position with the chance to build the function from the ground up.
• Direct exposure to the executive team, board, and private equity sponsor.
• An already established platform with initial acquisitions completed.
• A defined investment timeline with about four years remaining.
• Ongoing acquisition plans with significant integration responsibility.
• Equity participation tied to the eventual exit.

Key responsibilities

• Build and lead the HR and People organization from the ground up.
• Drive executive and senior leadership hiring to strengthen the management team.
• Create workforce plans that align with the acquisition roadmap.
• Develop succession planning and leadership development programs across the platform.
• Shape employer branding and talent attraction efforts.
• Lead HR due diligence for acquisition targets.
• Plan and execute the post-close integration of people, culture, and benefits.
• Align compensation, policies, and HR systems across multiple businesses.
• Identify and reduce people-related risks during the transaction process.
• Design scalable organizational structures that support acquisition-led growth.
• Build a high-accountability, performance-oriented culture.
• Guide change management through integration and transformation.
• Improve alignment across functions and operating units.
• Design competitive pay, benefits, and incentive programs.
• Standardize HR operations, payroll, and HRIS across entities.
• Create people metrics and reporting to improve leadership visibility.
• Ensure compliance with multi-state and multi-entity employment requirements.
• Act as the primary People advisor to the CEO, board, and private equity sponsor.
• Provide clear, data-backed updates on talent, organizational health, and integration progress.
• Align the people strategy with investment goals and the exit timeline.

Qualifications

• Senior HR leadership experience such as CHRO, SVP, or VP of HR, preferably in a private equity-backed business.
• Proven success in M&A-led growth and integration environments.
• Experience handling HR due diligence and post-close workforce integration.
• Strong history of building and scaling HR functions across multi-entity organizations.
• Deep knowledge of total rewards, organizational design, and talent acquisition.
• Strong commercial and financial judgment focused on value creation.
• Experience working closely with boards and private equity sponsors.

Ideal profile

• Someone who wants to create a People function from the beginning.
• A leader who performs well in execution-heavy, acquisition-driven settings.
• A professional who can start quickly and operate without a long transition period.
• Experience integrating teams, workforces, and cultures through acquisitions.
• Motivated by equity participation and delivering results within a defined timeline.

Compensation

The base salary for this role is $275,000 to $325,000, with additional bonus and equity participation.

Location

This is an on-site role based in the Atlanta metropolitan area, Georgia.

Additional information

The company is supported by capital and sponsorship aligned to growth, and the role offers the opportunity to build and lead the People function at a pivotal point in the business lifecycle.