Chief of Staff to Chief People Officer

As Chief of Staff to the Chief People Officer (CPO), you will be the CPO's right hand-serving as a strategic thought partner, trusted advisor, and operational lead who amplifies their impact across the business. You'll drive clarity and execution by orchestrating the people strategy, leading HR's annual planning process, and guiding high-priority, cross-functional initiatives. This role serves as a force multiplier, translating vision into action and ensuring the CPO's agenda is seamlessly integrated across People leadership, executive stakeholders, and key delivery teams. You'll connect the dots between strategy and execution-bringing rigor, foresight, and alignment to every layer of the HR function and beyond. This is a people manager role, overseeing a high-performing team of Program Managers and providing strategic direction, coaching, and operational oversight. The person will report to the Vice President of HR for HR Strategy and Transformation and will sit on the Lumen HR leadership team.

A passion for innovation is essential, along with a commitment to excellence grounded in Lumen's 8 cultural beliefs of Teamwork, Trust, Transparency, Clarity, Courage, Customer Obsession, Growth Mindset, and Respect.

This is a remote position open to candidates based anywhere in the U.S., with a preference for those located in or near Seattle, WA. Occasional travel may be expected based on business needs.

Chief of Staff Support

• Manage the rhythm of the business for the Office of the CPO, including leadership meetings, governance cadences, and internal and external executive communications.
• Serve as a proxy and trusted advisor to the CPO in decision-making forums, aligning priorities across teams.
• Coordinate leadership off-sites and internal communications to drive clarity, alignment, and cultural impact.
• Partner closely with Corporate Communications to shape messaging and storytelling that reflects the voice of the CPO and reinforces Lumen's HR strategy.

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Partner with the VP of HR Strategy and Transformation to lead the end-to-end HR strategy development process.
• Drive HR's annual and quarterly planning, including annual planning, goal setting, and governance model.
• Translate strategic vision into operational plans, tracking progress, and identifying gaps.
• Act as a change agent for the organization and aid in the development of solutions.
• Serve as executive sponsor for our Early-in-Career development program, championing the next generation of HR talent and fostering a culture of growth and mentorship.

Operational Leadership and Cross-Functional Program Delivery

• Establish and evolve the HR rhythm of business, including meeting cadences, operating mechanisms, and cross-functional ways of working that enable agility and accountability.
• Plan and execute meetings and events including HR Leadership Team strategy sessions, quarterly townhalls, weekly HR staff meetings, and weekly key process reviews.
• Provide oversight and guidance to projects of high importance.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and champion process improvements across the HR organization.
• Leverage data and analytics to drive initiatives and ensure accuracy.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in HR or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 12-15+ years of progressive experience with 5+ years of HR, strategy, consulting, or business operations, with at least 3 years of supporting senior executives.
• Agile and flexible, with extraordinary collaboration skills and ability to influence business-unit or functional leaders.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to lead multiple high-priority projects simultaneously.
• Proven ability to lead strategic planning, influence senior leaders, and manage complex projects.
• High emotional intelligence, exceptional communication skills, and executive presence.
• Proficiency with data-driven storytelling, dashboarding, and strategic planning tools.

Preferred:

• Prior experience in a Chief of Staff role or within a People function at a Fortune 500 or high-growth tech company.
• Proven track record of leading HR transformation and strategic alignment across large, matrixed organizations.