DHR Global Leading Chief People Officer Search for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

June 4, 2024 – Talent acquisition strategies at many large companies have become as complex as their balance sheets. And while chief human resource officers play a vital role in overseeing an organization’s broad-based workforce, the chief people officer typically goes beyond overseeing its people policies. The focus instead is on building talent as a key competitive advantage, with more emphasis on culture, which includes values, ethics, and mission. They are responsible for championing an organization’s talent through the development and execution of a comprehensive people strategy and employee experience. 

As companies look to build internal brand awareness and set their sights more on establishing and driving their own unique cultures, CPOs are coming more into vogue. And executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist companies across the nation to find new chief people officers.

Kim Taylor and Carolyn Lecocq of talent advisory firm DHR Global have been recently selected by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to lead in its search for a new chief people officer. The firm is looking for an innovative and mission driven leader to join this dynamic leadership team. This position will serve as a key leader for one of the global leaders in the fight against cancer.

With over 1,100 employees, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the largest non-profit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has invested over $1.7 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches.

Since 1989, DHR Global has been a leading, privately held provider of executive search solutions with more than 50 wholly owned offices spanning the globe. The firm’s consultants specialize in all industries and functions, providing senior-level executive search, management assessment, and succession planning services.

Related: The Futurist Role That Chief Talent Officers Are Suddenly Taking On

Ms. Taylor is senior search associate at DHR Global, healthcare division, which specializes in retained executive search for healthcare executive searches. She has extensive recruiting experience spanning more than 15 years in managed care, hospital systems, and large physician practices. Ms. Taylor has led searches for medical directors, nurse leaders, executive finance, marketing, and network contracting executives. She has recruited and placed mid-level and senior-level leaders at managed care plans and hospital systems nationwide.


How the Chief People Officer is Reinventing HR

The human resource function has changed dramatically over the past 25 or so years. This change is reflected in the creation of new titles for the head of that area. Chief human resources officer, chief people officer, chief human capital officer, and others have replaced longstanding titles such as human resources director, lead, or manager or even VP of human resources.


Ms. Lecocq, senior associate, specializes in full life cycle recruiting for highly experienced executive-level talent and focuses on provider and payer leadership positions, public affairs and marketing, provider network management, pharmacy and government affairs. She also manages candidate pipelines and research development and works with clients and candidates on a variety of projects.

What to Ask Chief People Officer Candidates

A proficient CPO is attuned to employee needs, sentiments, and feedback and is responsible for upholding the company’s commitments to its workforce, according to a recent report from Pete Petrella, practice leader, executive search at TalentRise. When interviewing a CPO candidate, Mr. Petrella notes that it is crucial to ask questions that help assess their fit for the role and ability to drive the organization’s human resources and people strategies. With multiple organizations vying for top executive talent, he says it’s essential to target your interview questions to the CPO position to find a candidate who aligns with your business’s vision and goals. Mr. Petrella offers some key questions to consider:

  1. How do you align HR strategies with business goals and objectives?
  2. What approaches do you use to attract and retain top talent?
  3. Can you share an example of a successful change management initiative you led? What were the challenges, and how did you address them?
  4. How have you championed and cultivated a high-performing, results-oriented culture in your previous roles?
  5. How do you ensure diversity and inclusion in recruitment and the organization?

“CPOs are pivotal in creating a workplace where employees feel a sense of belonging and ease,” Mr. Petrella said. “This becomes more complex due to each employee’s diverse needs and expectations, necessitating the CPO to ensure equitable growth opportunities. They are tasked with cultivating a strong corporate culture emphasizing clear communication and well-defined performance objectives. Maintaining seamless collaboration with departments such as HR and legal teams is crucial for navigating changes in personnel and policies.”

Additionally, Mr. Petrella points to the current landscape of remote and hybrid work, CPOs must adeptly manage physical and virtual interactions among employees. “By addressing these considerations during the interview process, you can confidently select a candidate equipped to navigate the challenges inherent in guiding your people strategies,” he said.

Related: Why Chief People Officers Can be Great CEOs

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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