Kahana Feld
Chief People Officer / Director of People Operations
Kahana Feld, Irvine, California, United States, 92713
Overview
Chief People Officer / Director of People Operations (depending on experience) is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and executing the firm’s people strategy. This role oversees all aspects of human resources, including strategic HR initiatives, talent acquisition, employee engagement, compensation, performance management, professional development, benefits, inclusion, and compliance with labor and other relevant laws, ensuring alignment with the firm’s goals and values. The CPO partners with firm leadership to align HR initiatives with business objectives and fosters a high-performance, inclusive culture to attract and retain high-caliber talent.
Responsibilities
Collaborates closely with partners, senior management, the firm’s General Counsel, and the People Operations staff to execute strategic initiatives.
Develops and leads a comprehensive people strategy that supports the firm’s long-term business goals and growth trajectory.
Serves as a trusted advisor to the executive team, providing guidance on workforce planning, succession, and organizational design.
Leads firmwide change management initiatives, including restructuring, expansion, and cultural transformation.
Oversees onboarding and integration for equity partners, including developing policies and procedures to support a seamless transition.
Oversees the implementation, integration, and optimization of HR systems and platforms, including process automation to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
Oversees all aspects of talent acquisition for attorneys, legal professionals, and administrative staff, ensuring alignment with the firm’s values and goals.
Designs and implements leadership development programs to cultivate future firm leaders.
Drives employee engagement and retention strategies tailored to the legal industry’s unique demands.
Develops and manages onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring consistency, compliance, and alignment with firm culture and expectations.
Develops and mediates employee disputes to ensure all applicable laws and regulations are followed.
Leads investigations into employee relations issues, ensuring compliance with policy and legal standards.
Oversees core HR functions, including performance management, benefits, payroll, onboarding, offboarding, leave administration, and compliance with labor regulations.
Supervises and approves engagement of independent contractors, including contract terms and payments.
Administers employee benefit programs including health, dental, vision, life insurance, and retirement plans; oversees open enrollment and vendor relationships; ensures regulatory compliance (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA); analyzes utilization and trends.
Maintains accurate benefits records for audits and reporting; oversees executive life insurance policies as needed.
Ensures firmwide compliance with labor laws, conducts internal audits and investigations, and mitigates risk in coordination with legal counsel.
Maintains and updates firm policies; manages the insurance portfolio (EPLI, malpractice, general liability, cyber, crime) and vendor relationships.
Oversees ethics and compliance training, tracking, and reporting in coordination with General Counsel.
Champions inclusion and leads initiatives to promote a respectful, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture.
Develops and presents HR metrics and strategic insights to firm leadership; collaborates with accounting and legal to ensure initiatives are financially sound and compliant.
Leads, mentors, and develops the People Operations team; promotes a positive, inclusive environment and a people-first leadership approach.
Qualifications
Master’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field.
10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with several years in a leadership or director role, preferably in a professional services or legal environment.
Proven success in strategic HR planning, organizational development, and executive-level advising.
Deep knowledge of employment law, HR best practices, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and HR platforms.
Exceptional communication, negotiation, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking abilities.
Compensation & Location Location: Irvine, CA (Hybrid). Salary: $125,000–$250,000; Schedule: 8:30am–5:30pm, Monday–Friday; occasional weekends and holidays.
Equal Opportunity Kahana Feld provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to protected characteristics or status, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.
Other Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt. Supervisory Responsibilities: All People Operations staff. Travel: 10–20% domestic travel.
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Chief People Officer / Director of People Operations (depending on experience) is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and executing the firm’s people strategy. This role oversees all aspects of human resources, including strategic HR initiatives, talent acquisition, employee engagement, compensation, performance management, professional development, benefits, inclusion, and compliance with labor and other relevant laws, ensuring alignment with the firm’s goals and values. The CPO partners with firm leadership to align HR initiatives with business objectives and fosters a high-performance, inclusive culture to attract and retain high-caliber talent.
Responsibilities
Collaborates closely with partners, senior management, the firm’s General Counsel, and the People Operations staff to execute strategic initiatives.
Develops and leads a comprehensive people strategy that supports the firm’s long-term business goals and growth trajectory.
Serves as a trusted advisor to the executive team, providing guidance on workforce planning, succession, and organizational design.
Leads firmwide change management initiatives, including restructuring, expansion, and cultural transformation.
Oversees onboarding and integration for equity partners, including developing policies and procedures to support a seamless transition.
Oversees the implementation, integration, and optimization of HR systems and platforms, including process automation to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
Oversees all aspects of talent acquisition for attorneys, legal professionals, and administrative staff, ensuring alignment with the firm’s values and goals.
Designs and implements leadership development programs to cultivate future firm leaders.
Drives employee engagement and retention strategies tailored to the legal industry’s unique demands.
Develops and manages onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring consistency, compliance, and alignment with firm culture and expectations.
Develops and mediates employee disputes to ensure all applicable laws and regulations are followed.
Leads investigations into employee relations issues, ensuring compliance with policy and legal standards.
Oversees core HR functions, including performance management, benefits, payroll, onboarding, offboarding, leave administration, and compliance with labor regulations.
Supervises and approves engagement of independent contractors, including contract terms and payments.
Administers employee benefit programs including health, dental, vision, life insurance, and retirement plans; oversees open enrollment and vendor relationships; ensures regulatory compliance (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA); analyzes utilization and trends.
Maintains accurate benefits records for audits and reporting; oversees executive life insurance policies as needed.
Ensures firmwide compliance with labor laws, conducts internal audits and investigations, and mitigates risk in coordination with legal counsel.
Maintains and updates firm policies; manages the insurance portfolio (EPLI, malpractice, general liability, cyber, crime) and vendor relationships.
Oversees ethics and compliance training, tracking, and reporting in coordination with General Counsel.
Champions inclusion and leads initiatives to promote a respectful, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture.
Develops and presents HR metrics and strategic insights to firm leadership; collaborates with accounting and legal to ensure initiatives are financially sound and compliant.
Leads, mentors, and develops the People Operations team; promotes a positive, inclusive environment and a people-first leadership approach.
Qualifications
Master’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field.
10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with several years in a leadership or director role, preferably in a professional services or legal environment.
Proven success in strategic HR planning, organizational development, and executive-level advising.
Deep knowledge of employment law, HR best practices, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and HR platforms.
Exceptional communication, negotiation, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking abilities.
Compensation & Location Location: Irvine, CA (Hybrid). Salary: $125,000–$250,000; Schedule: 8:30am–5:30pm, Monday–Friday; occasional weekends and holidays.
Equal Opportunity Kahana Feld provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to protected characteristics or status, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.
Other Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt. Supervisory Responsibilities: All People Operations staff. Travel: 10–20% domestic travel.
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