Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

About Guardian Fire Services

Guardian Fire Services is a rapidly growing company dedicated to safeguarding lives and property. As we continue to expand, we’re committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and innovative workplace where talent thrives. Guardian Fire Services is seeking an experienced Regional Sales Manager (East Coast) with extensive expertise in fire sprinkler and fire alarm service and inspections. This role combines coaching and training junior reps, managing regional sales performance, and leading national account execution for clients with multi-location footprints.

As we continue to scale, we are investing in building a disciplined, high-performing sales organization across all Guardian Family Companies.

Position Overview

The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is responsible for leading the people strategy for a growing Private Equity backed Fire & Life Safety company. This role partners with executive leadership to build a high-performance culture that supports project delivery, operational excellence, and scalable company growth.

The CHRO will oversee all HR functions including talent acquisition, workforce planning, leadership development, compensation, benefits, compliance, employee relations, and organizational design. This leader must understand the unique workforce dynamics of the construction/fire protection industry, including field labor, project-based teams, union workforce, and multi-state compliance requirements.

This role is ideal for a hands-on HR executive who can both build strategic people programs and execute operational HR initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic HR Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and executive leadership to develop and execute the company’s people strategy aligned with business growth goals
• Lead workforce planning initiatives to support project pipeline and geographic expansion
• Serve as a strategic advisor on organizational design, succession planning, and leadership development
• Build scalable HR infrastructure as the company grows

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Oversee recruitment strategies for project managers, estimators, superintendents, and corporate staff
• Develop workforce pipelines for skilled trades, field personnel, and construction management roles
• Implement employer branding initiatives to attract top talent in a competitive labor market
• Lead national recruiting efforts if operating across multiple states

Compensation & Benefits

• Design competitive compensation programs for both field and corporate employees
• Conduct market benchmarking for construction roles
• Oversee annual salary planning, bonus programs, and incentive structures tied to project performance
• Manage benefits strategy including healthcare, retirement, and wellness programs

HR Operations & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and multi-state employment laws
• Oversee HR policies, employee handbooks, and HRIS systems
• Manage risk related to worker classification, wage laws, and construction labor regulations
• Lead investigations and resolution of employee relations matters

Culture & Leadership Development

• Build leadership capability across project and operations teams
• Develop performance management systems aligned with company values
• Implement training programs for project leadership, safety culture, and management skills

Employee Engagement & Retention

• Develop retention programs for high-value roles
• Lead employee engagement initiatives across both field and office teams
• Support a culture of accountability, safety, and collaboration

Qualifications:

Required

• 5–10 years of progressive HR leadership experience
• Experience supporting a B2B commercial services, construction, engineering, or skilled-trade workforce
• Strong knowledge of multi-state employment law
• Experience building HR systems and processes in a growing organization
• Demonstrated success in recruiting construction profe