Chief People Officer

Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you. 

The Chief People Officer (CPO) leads the people strategy for Alaska Airlines and is responsible for shaping and executing a forward-thinking human capital strategy that supports Alaska’s mission and values. Reporting directly to the CEO and a member of the executive committee, the CPO oversees all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition, organizational development, total rewards, and employee experience, ensuring alignment with Alaska’s values and business objectives.

• Set and steward the enterprise-wide people strategy, ensuring alignment with Alaska’s global business objectives, cultural aspirations, and operational excellence.
• Serve as key advisor to executive leadership and the Board on talent strategy, organizational health, and culture, serving as a visible champion of Alaska’s values.
• Lead the design of global HR strategies that enable international operations, talent mobility, cultural integration, and compliance across jurisdictions.
• Enable strategic partnership with labor relations and legal, shaping union engagement and collective bargaining agreements across Alaska Air Group.
• Set the vision for leadership development and organizational capability, ensuring the workforce is future-ready through robust performance management, learning, and succession planning frameworks.
• Champion a culture of belonging and care, embedding Alaska’s values throughout the employee lifecycle and organizational behavior.
• Shape employee engagement strategies that drive satisfaction, productivity, and retention, positioning Alaska Airlines as an employer of choice.
• Oversee the enterprise talent acquisition strategy, ensuring the attraction of high-performing talent across all geographies and functions.
• Oversee the evolution of total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, and executive pay, ensuring competitiveness, equity, and alignment with performance and industry trends.
• Ensure the HR function is continuously evolving to meet the demands of a growing global workforce and shifting business needs.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies that can transform HR processes, including AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics for talent management, performance optimization, and employee experience.
• Establish and maintain clear, measurable KPIs to assess the effectiveness of people strategies, including talent acquisition, retention, leadership development, and employee satisfaction metrics.

Required

• 15 years progressive leadership experience, including:
  • Min of 10 yrs in executive or senior leadership roles with enterprise-wide impact.
  • Proven experience leading large, complex organizations with union and non-union workforces.
• Bachelor’s degree. 
• Proven success in leading HR strategy in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated success in leading cultural transformation and organizational change.
• Exceptional communication, influence, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred

• Strong understanding of aviation industry dynamics and regulatory environment.
• Experience with global HR operations.

• Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be caring and kind, and deliver performance.
• Success leading cohesive, results-oriented teams and efficiently navigating people and processes through ambiguity, managing and coordinating demands in a fast-paced environment, and accepting ownership and accountability to consistently deliver on commitments.

The pay range and total target compensation package listed above is the expected pay offered for this position at the start of employment. Your pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, your relevant experience/level, experience level, and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon employees. Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

Note: We don't typically hire at the top of the range. 

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

• Unlimited confirmed travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air (flight processing fee may apply depending on the company being hired into and the airline being booked) 
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Quarterly and annual bonus plans
• Equity grants
• Generous holiday and paid time off
• Lounge membership

For more information about Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement  

It is the policy of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and to ensure equal opportunity in all terms, conditions, and benefits of employment or potential employment.   

We also prohibit discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories.  

We have established an EEO Compliance Program under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 503”) and the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (“VEVRAA”).  All applicants and employees are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. In addition, we have established an audit and reporting system to allow for effective measurement of its equal employment opportunity activities.   

To implement this policy, we will: 

(1) Recruit, hire, train and promote qualified persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and any other legally protected categories; 
(2) Ensure that employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements; and 
(3) Ensure that all personnel actions and employment activities such as compensation, benefits, promotions, layoffs, return from layoff, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air sponsored programs, and tuition assistance will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories. 

Employees and applicants for employment will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged or may engage in (1) filing a complaint, (2) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by, or exercising any other right protected by, any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA, or (3) assisting or participating in any investigation, compliance evaluation, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions  of VEVRAA. 

Government Contractor & Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations 
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT – regulations, 49 CFR part 40) and all applicants are advised that post-offer and/or pre-employment drug testing will be conducted to determine the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opioids, phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamines or a metabolite of these drugs prior to any offer or employment or transfer into a safety-sensitive position. Failure to submit to testing or positive indications of drug use will render the applicant ineligible for employment with Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines/Horizon Air and any employment offer will be withdrawn.