Chief People Officer

Chief People Officer

Team: Human Resources
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: On-site, Corporate Office (Delray Beach, FL)

About us

Stanton Optical is among the nation’s fastest growing, full-service retail optical centers. We are dedicated to offering customer service and quality eyewear at affordable prices to our patients and customers. As a leading optical retailer, we offer some of the nation’s most desirable optical brands.

Now Optics, the parent company of Stanton Optical, was founded in 2006 to make eye care easy and accessible for everyone. Today we operate approximately 350 corporate and franchise locations in more than 35 states, supported by a technology-enabled eye care model, an in-house lab and distribution center, and dedicated support centers. With the backing of a healthcare-focused investment partner, we are investing in new stores, expanded clinical services, and the people who deliver them.

At Now Optics, our team members share and support our Vision, Mission and Values:

• Vision: Modernizing the eye care experience for all people
• Mission: Making eye care easy
• Values: iCARE – Integrity, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Empowerment

Overview

The Chief People Officer is a newly created executive role reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and serving on the executive leadership team. The CPO leads the full people function for a growing, multi-site healthcare retailer: talent acquisition and workforce planning, field and corporate human resources, total rewards, talent development and succession, culture and engagement, and HR operations and compliance.

Talent acquisition is the cornerstone of this role. The CPO owns the strategy, team, partners and tools that keep our stores, support centers, lab and clinical teams fully staffed with people who live our iCARE values, and partners closely with the Chief Clinical Officer on recruiting the doctors and clinical professionals who care for our patients. This is a hands-on leadership role for an executive.

Key responsibilities

Talent acquisition and workforce planning

• Lead enterprise talent acquisition for every role: store leadership and associates, doctor’s technicians and licensed opticians, clinical professionals in partnership with the Chief Clinical Officer, lab and distribution, support center and corporate positions.
• Set the recruiting strategy and operating model, including team structure, recruiting partners, vendors, job boards and technology, and manage the recruiting budget.
• Build annual workforce and hiring plans aligned with the new store calendar, seasonal demand and growth plans, and convert approved headcount into a requisition plan with clear ownership and timelines.
• Lead seasonal and new-store hiring campaigns so every location opens and operates fully staffed and trained.
• Establish structured, consistent hiring practices: role profiles, interview guides, scorecards and interviewer training, with hiring managers accountable for quality of hire.
• Strengthen the employer brand and candidate experience across career sites, job boards and social channels, and grow the referral and internal mobility programs.
• Build recruiting analytics and report hiring performance (time-to-fill, cost per hire, source effectiveness, offer acceptance and new-hire retention) to the executive team.

Clinical talent partnership

• Partner with the Chief Clinical Officer to recruit optometrists, nurse practitioners and clinical staff, including coverage models for hard-to-fill markets, school and professional partnerships, and onboarding aligned with credentialing and licensing timelines.

Retention, onboarding and engagement

• Drive retention through onboarding, first-90-day programs, recognition, engagement surveys and action planning, in partnership with Operations and the training team on store onboarding and certification.

Leadership development and organization

• Build succession plans and leadership development programs for store, field and corporate leaders, and advise the CEO on organization design as the company grows.

Total rewards

• Lead compensation and benefits strategy, including incentive plans for store and field roles, merit and headcount budgeting with Finance, benefits design and open enrollment, and serve as management’s partner to the Board on compensation matters.

HR operations and compliance

• Oversee HR policy, employee relations, HR and payroll systems, and multi-state employment compliance in partnership with Legal.

Culture and communication

• Champion our iCARE values and lead internal communication, Town Halls and change management across the organization.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; a master’s degree or SHRM-SCP / SPHR certification is preferred.
• Fifteen or more years of progressive human resources leadership, including senior or top-seat experience (Chief People Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer or Senior Vice President) in a multi-site healthcare or retail healthcare organization such as a clinic network, health system, physician or dental practice platform, senior living or behavioral health provider. Multi-unit retail experience is a strong plus.
• A proven track record building and leading high-volume talent acquisition, including recruiting licensed clinicians.
• Experience in a private equity-backed or board-governed company is preferred.
• Experience designing variable compensation for frontline roles and managing multi-state employment compliance.
• Proficiency with HRIS, payroll and applicant tracking systems, and strong analytical skills.

Skills and requirements

• A hands-on, player-coach leader who is comfortable operating at both strategic and tactical levels.
• Strong business acumen and a data-driven approach; brings evidence to decisions.
• Superior communication, influence and relationship-building skills across field, clinical and corporate teams.
• Ability to build credibility quickly with a founder-led executive team and a large field organization.
• Based in or willing to relocate to South Florida; on-site at our Delray Beach headquarters with regular travel to stores and markets.

What we offer

• A competitive executive compensation package including base salary, annual incentive and long-term equity participation; comprehensive health, dental, vision and retirement benefits; and relocation assistance for candidates outside South Florida.
• Eligible employees enjoy great benefits such as medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage, company paid life and short-term disability coverage. We also offer identity theft protection, pet insurance, and much more.
• Paid time off that increases with seniority
• Professional development and promotion opportunities
• Employee recognition programs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employees get 2 free eyeglasses every year, and Friends and Family discounts on our products!

Now Optics is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Now Optics are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or certain classifications based on genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinance.