Chief Talent & Inclusion Officer

General Purpose:

The Chief Talent and Inclusion Officer (CTIO) is a member of the Firm's executive management team and serves as the Firm’s senior-most leader responsible for leading a unified talent strategy across Recruitment and Professional Development, Human Resources, and Diversity and Inclusion. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the CTIO sets the vision and strategic direction for an integrated talent function that supports the Firm's growth strategy, business objectives, and core values. This leader will align talent priorities across attorneys and business professionals, strengthen accountability and coordination among talent functions, and preserve the Firm’s collaborative, relationship-driven culture while leading organizational change.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Act as strategic advisor to Firm leadership on talent strategy, recruiting, development, inclusion, organizational effectiveness, and compensation and benefits matters.
• Oversee the strategic integration and direction of the Firm’s Human Resources, Recruiting, Professional Development, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion functions.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year talent strategy that advances the Firm’s strategic priorities, growth objectives, and culture.
• Elevate attorney and lateral recruiting as a strategic capability aligned with practice group and Firm growth priorities.
• Ensure compliance with employment law and promote a consistent approach to talent policies, practices, and processes across the Firm.
• Facilitate discussions regarding capabilities, talent needs, resource allocation, growth readiness, succession planning, risks, and opportunities related to the Firm’s talent.
• Establish clear governance, accountability, and measures across Human Resources, Recruiting and Professional Development, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Advance programs and initiatives that strengthen leadership development, career growth, retention, and business continuity across attorney and business professional populations.
• Embed diversity and inclusion throughout recruiting, development, advancement, retention, and employee experience initiatives.
• Leverage talent data, technology, analytics, and workforce trends to inform talent strategy and improve decision-making.
• Advance educational, training, and development programs that support the Firm’s core value of “Our Diverse Workforce”.
• Incorporate the Firm’s practice area growth, legal market trends, attorney and business professional capacity needs, effective and efficient delivery of services, and emerging workforce dynamics into talent strategy.
• Lead change initiatives that strengthen the employee experience while preserving the Firm’s collaborative, relationship driven culture across attorney and business professional services roles.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Business Development professionals on employer branding, talent market positioning, and client-facing diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Oversee departmental budgets and ensure resources are aligned with strategic priorities and Firm objectives.
• Perform additional duties and tasks assigned, demonstrating flexibility and a commitment to supporting the firm’s overall objectives.

Competencies:

• Communication & Diplomacy – Works well within the firm's power network and embraces continuous information exchange.
• Customer/Client Experience – Creates a consistent and exceptional experience for others, whether directly to external clients/customers or indirectly through internal support, that elevates the overall perception of the firm.
• Leading the Function & Team Management – Drives strategic leadership and strengthens teams to deliver results.
• Strategic Thinking – Plans and makes decisions within the framework of the firm's strategic intent.

Supervisory Duties (if applicable):

• The CTIO reports to the Chief Operating Officer and leads the Human Resources, Recruiting and Professional Development, and Diversity and Inclusion teams. The CTIO provides vision, direction, and leadership while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing culture.
• Develop and nurture a working environment that prioritizes inclusivity and a client-centric approach. Recognize and encourage strong performance, teamwork, professionalism, and responsiveness.  Instill confidence within the team and among the firm's professionals by celebrating hard work and success.  Set clear and achievable expectations for future success.
• Effectively organize and oversee the scheduling, workload distribution, and productivity of the team to ensure efficient operations.
• Deliver timely and constructive performance feedback. Complete performance evaluations to help team members grow and improve.
• Actively coach, develop, and train team members to ensure they meet and exceed departmental expectations and perform their duties effectively.
• Review and approve timecards and vacation requests for direct reports, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Efficiently manage daily responsibilities in alignment with departmental goals and objectives.
• Manage employee discipline and, when necessary, termination in accordance with company policy and legal guidelines.

Job Qualifications (Education, Experience and Certification):

• Bachelor’s degree required. MBA, J.D. or advanced degree in human resources, organizational development, or related field strongly preferred.
• Twelve (12)+ years of progressive leadership experience in human resources, talent management, legal talent, recruiting, professional development, organizational effectiveness, or a management leadership experience, including at least five years in a leading multiple functions at a senior or executive level.
• Experience within an Am Law firm is strongly preferred; significant law firm experience combined with leadership experience in a similarly structured professional services or partnership environment is also highly relevant.
• Deep understanding of large law firm business models, including partnership structures, associate development tracks, compensation models, and lateral attorney markets.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, compensation strategy, and workforce compliance across multi-state operations.
• Expertise in the full talent lifecycle for timekeepers and business professionals: recruitment, development, engagement, retention, and succession.
• Expertise in designing and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives focused on developing and maintaining an inclusive work environment.
• Ability to articulate and connect talent strategies with Firm-wide business goals and market challenges.
• Ability to understand and use data to drive insights and influence decisions.
• Strong coaching skills and ability to build teams and collaborate with others to achieve the Firm’s goals.
• Knowledge of high-performing cultures, leadership pipelines, and workforce planning.
• Expertise in organizational design and change management skills for professional service environments.
• Executive leadership presence and demonstrated ability to advise top-level executives and firm management, professionals and business leaders, including the ability to navigate complex, sensitive, high-stakes decisions.
• Experience responding to client diversity questionnaires, RFP scorecards, or law firm talent surveys preferred.
• SHRM or HRCI or equivalent professional certification preferred.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee must have the ability to sit, stand and/or walk for extended periods of time; manipulate (lift, carry, move) weights of at least ten (10) pounds; have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on a computer and/or related office equipment; speak clearly and concisely so listeners can understand; and regularly understand the speech of another person.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by this position to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment:

Professional office atmosphere. Sedentary work primarily involving sitting or standing for prolonged periods. The position may require occasional off-hour work, meetings, and events, as well as periodic travel to Firm offices and industry events.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those this position may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  However, this job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Compensation:

Holland & Hart offers of employment take into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees.  The Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming salary range is $310,124 to $516,874 per year.  The Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico salary range is $294,618 - $491,030 per year. The Alaska and Washington DC salary range is $341,137 - $568,561 per year. A discretionary bonus may be available based upon performance.  

Application Window:

The application window is anticipated to close on or after Friday, November 6, 2026. Holland & Hart reserves the right to close the position prior to or after this date.

Benefits:

Holland & Hart works hard to promote work/life balance with a 37.5-hour scheduled work week for most staff employees, a robust wellness program, and generous PTO and holiday pay for eligible employees.  Full-time employees become eligible for benefits on the date hire, with a benefits offering that includes medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, EAP, STD, and LTD.  Also available are voluntary income protection benefits such as supplemental life, accident, critical illness, and long-term care insurances, as well as a 401(k)-retirement plan with a company match.  In addition, the firm has programs that may provide for educational assistance, free or discounted legal services, and opportunities through the Holland & Hart Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating volunteer opportunities for lawyers, staff, families, and friends of Holland & Hart LLP.  Part-time employees may have access to some of these benefits, which may be on a pro-rated basis.