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 Philadelphia metro area. The business is a founder-led legacy company that has recently been acquired, and the next stage of growth will be driven by a mix of acquisitions and organic expansion.

This is the company’s first true executive-level People leadership position. The CHRO will be expected to build the HR function from the ground up, create scalable systems and practices, and act as a strategic partner to the CEO and sponsor throughout the value-creation period and eventual exit.

The role is on-site and based in the Philadelphia metro area, Pennsylvania. Compensation is a base salary of $275,000 to $325,000, with bonus and equity participation.

What the role is designed to do

The person in this position will own the full People agenda, including talent strategy, organizational structure, culture, compensation, and HR operations. A major part of the mandate is to support acquisition activity by leading people due diligence and post-close integration across newly acquired businesses.

Why this opportunity stands out

• It is the first executive People role for the platform, so the function will be built from the ground up.
• The CHRO will have direct exposure to the board and private equity sponsor.
• The company already has a founder-built foundation and is now entering a new growth phase.
• The investment horizon is still open, giving room to create measurable value.
• Growth is expected through both acquisitions and organic expansion.
• The role includes substantial responsibility for integrating people, culture, and HR processes across acquired entities.
• Equity is part of the package, aligning the role with long-term outcomes and exit value.

Core responsibilities

The CHRO will lead executive hiring, succession planning, and leadership development, while also helping shape employer branding and broader talent attraction efforts. The role requires close coordination with leadership to ensure workforce planning matches the acquisition roadmap.

In addition, the CHRO will oversee HR due diligence for acquisitions, guide post-close integration of teams and benefits, and bring consistency to compensation, policy, and HR systems across multiple entities. The role also includes building a performance-focused culture, designing scalable organizational structures, supporting transformation and change management, and standardizing HR operations, payroll, HRIS, and reporting. Compliance with multi-state and multi-entity employment requirements is also part of the mandate.

At the executive level, the CHRO will serve as a senior advisor to the CEO, board, and private equity sponsor, providing clear, data-backed updates on organizational health, integration progress, and people strategy.

Candidate profile

The preferred candidate has served as a CHRO, SVP of HR, VP of HR, or in another senior People leadership role within a private equity-backed business. The background should include experience in acquisition-led growth, HR due diligence, and integration of teams and cultures after close.

Success in this role also depends on the ability to build and scale HR capabilities across multi-entity organizations, along with strong knowledge of total rewards, organizational design, and talent acquisition. Commercial judgment, financial awareness, and comfort working closely with boards and private equity sponsors are important.

Ideal fit

This position is best suited to someone who enjoys building a People function from scratch, works well in fast-moving execution-heavy environments, can take ownership immediately, and is motivated by equity participation and delivering results within a defined timeline.

Compensation

Base pay for the role is between $275,000 and $325,000, plus bonus and an equity stake.

Work location

Philadelphia metro area, Pennsylvania. The role requires on-site presence.