Chief People Officer and Co-Chief Executive Officer

About the Organization

Overture Center for the Arts has exclusively retained The QTI Group to lead the search for a Chief People Officer (CPO) and Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 

Overture Center for the Arts celebrates over 20 years as a cultural and community landmark located in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Overture strives to be a welcoming, inclusive and diverse organization. Overture Center features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where Broadway tours, national and international artists, nine resident companies, and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 500,000 education and artistic experiences a year. About 40 percent of these experiences are through free or low-cost community and education programs, including Kids in the Rotunda, OnStage Student Field Trips, Overture Galleries, and the Jerry Awards. In addition, Overture hosts other performances, corporate meetings, conventions, trade shows, weddings, banquets, and receptions. 

Vision: Creating extraordinary experiences through the arts.

Mission: To support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy, and quality of life through the arts. 

Organizational Pillars: Our Pillars of “Arts”, “People”, and “Place” reflect why we are here, who we serve and where we do it. Organizational values and strategic priorities may change over time; however, these pillars will remain steadfast, and we will take a disciplined approach to keep them strong

Cultural Beliefs:

WELCOMING 
We invite all to experience wonderment.  
We roll out the red carpet for all. We authentically connect and engage. We create a safe and supportive space.  We live our equity and innovation principles. 

ENSEMBLING 
We work in harmony. 
We take responsibility for our individual roles while making sure to align and balance our work with organizational goals. We develop and use our abilities to provide continuity, consistency and flexibility when opportunities and challenges arise.  We support each other. We create an environment that achieves extraordinary experiences in the arts through collaboration, active communication and listening.  

LEARNING & DEVELOPING 
We foster growth and transformation through and in service to the arts. 
We are dedicated to lifelong learning, and invest time, human and financial resources to enhance the skills, knowledge and expertise of our employees. We create an environment that supports and encourages everyone to reach their full potential. We offer education in the arts for our employees and community. 

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY 
We take individual responsibility for the success and care of Overture Center. 
We share responsibility to serve our patrons, colleagues and Overture Center and are accountable for our individual contributions. We take initiative, innovate and solve problems. We act as stewards of our resources. We care about Creating Extraordinary Experiences through the Arts and make every effort to be exceptional at everything we do. 

In addition to great benefits like health insurance and a generously matched 401(k), Overture employees enjoy a positive, casual work environment; tickets to select performances; and competitive compensation. To learn more about Overture Center for the Arts, visit their website: https://www.overture.org/ 

About the Opportunity

The Chief People Officer (CPO) and Co-Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO) serves as both a strategic leader of the People & Culture function and as a member of Overture Center’s shared executive leadership team in our unique shared leadership model. In partnership with the five Co-CEOs and the Board of Directors, this role is jointly responsible for guiding the organization’s strategic direction, leadership culture, and operational success. In addition, the CPO will help guide and drive community relationship-building and external engagement.

As CPO, the role leads the People & Culture strategies with a strong commitment to advancing Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (IAB) across all aspects of the organization. It ensures that the overall human resource functions, internal people initiatives, and external community partnerships reflect Overture’s IAB values and support a strong workplace culture. 

As a Co-CEO, the position provides collaborative executive leadership to ensure unified strategic direction, operational excellence, and cultural alignment across the organization. It shares responsibility for setting and executing Overture’s strategic plan, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and representing Overture in the Madison community and beyond. The role champions and provides expertise regarding Human Resources and IAB at Overture and serves as a backup to the other Co-CEOs to ensure continuity, stability, and shared accountability. 

Leadership & Strategy 

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), partnering with fellow Co-CEOs to shape organizational strategy, champion an inclusive culture, and align human resource practices with organizational goals. 
• Model shared leadership and co-accountability in decision-making, organizational risk management, and mission delivery. 
• Ensure alignment between strategic plan initiatives and operational execution across departments through collaborative leadership. 
• Lead the development and stewardship of Overture’s People & Culture strategy, ensuring alignment with human resource best practices and policies, IAB priorities and the broader organizational vision. 
• Foster a high-performing People & Culture team through effective coaching, clear performance expectations, and ongoing development aligned with Overture’s strategic direction. 
• Provide strategic oversight of the People & Culture departmental budget to ensure resources are allocated in support of strategic priorities; partner with directors and Finance to support effective fiscal management and measurable outcomes. 

Human Resources 

• Ensure the continuous evaluation and refinement of human resource policies and systems to advance equity, eliminate systemic barriers, and promote a respectful, accessible work environment. 
• Provide executive leadership on compliance-related matters tied to employment law, organizational policy, and cultural risks, ensuring Overture remains aligned with best practices and legal obligations. 
• Set strategy for professional development throughout employee tenure at Overture, including but not limited to onboarding, leadership and managerial training, performance evaluation and improvement, succession planning, and exit. 
• Set strategy for employee experience, including talent acquisition, onboarding, pay, benefits, employee relations, union relations, and employee, volunteer and contractor engagement, training, and development. 

Internal Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (IAB)

• Advise on internal programs—such as onboarding, employee development, and policy updates—to reflect best practices in IAB. 
• Ensure training and development strategies are embedded with IAB principles and inclusive leadership practices across all levels of the organization. 
• Represent HR and IAB functions at Board meetings, including the E&I Committee of the Board and the Community Advisory Council, to stay connected to community perspectives and report organizational updates. 
• Build and foster meaningful external relationships that reflect and celebrate diverse communities.

External Community Engagement & Partnerships 

• Engage regularly with community stakeholders to identify evolving needs and opportunities for Overture to serve the community through arts engagement and to be a leading organization in terms of employee satisfaction and our commitment to IAB. 
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with diverse community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, nonprofits, and civic leaders. 
• Partner with the Chief Artistic Experiences Officer (CAEO) to align externally focused community access programs that reflect Overture’s commitment to inclusion and community engagement. 
• Partner with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMCO) and the Chief Development Officer (CDO) to align messaging, visibility, and fundraising efforts that reinforce Overture’s cultural values and commitment to IAB. 
• Collaborate with the Programming and Engagement teams, and Marketing teams to ensure community access ticketing programs and partnerships are implemented effectively, equitably, and in alignment with Overture’s IAB values. 

Policy and Systems Review 

• Ensure the continuous evaluation and refinement of human resource policies and systems to advance equity, eliminate systemic barriers, and promote a respectful, accessible work environment. 
• Provide executive leadership on compliance-related matters tied to employment law, organizational policy, and cultural risks, ensuring Overture remains aligned with best practices and legal obligations. 

Board and Committee Collaboration 

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Equity and Innovation Committee of the Board of Directors. 
• Prepare and deliver regular reports to the Board of Directors on human resource strategies, internal culture initiatives, community engagement activities, and progress on IAB strategies. 
• Participate in Community Advisory Council meetings and engagement activities. 
• Advise and collaborate with Board leadership on long-term people strategies, risk mitigation related to culture and compliance, and measurable progress on IAB goals. 

Data and Impact Analysis 

• Collaborate with the Director of Data and Analytics to define meaningful workforce and IAB metrics.
• Evaluate trends and translate data into strategic recommendations that inform organizational decisions and continuous improvement. 

Organizational Culture Development 

• Champion a workplace culture grounded in trust, transparency, collaboration, and innovation. Promote behaviors that foster belonging, respect, and shared accountability. 
• Align culture-building efforts with business outcomes by integrating employee experience, inclusion, and engagement metrics into operational planning and leadership evaluation. 
• Serve as a culture carrier and thought leader across the organization, modeling inclusive leadership and aligning culture with Overture’s mission. 

Qualifications: 

Education & Experience 

• Demonstrated success in executive or senior-level leadership roles with a focus on organizational culture, human resource strategy, and IAB. 
• Proven track record of building inclusive, value-driven workplace cultures and advancing systemic change in organizations. 
• Experience leading teams, managing cross-functional initiatives, and fostering community and stakeholder partnerships that reflect equity-centered leadership. 
• Bachelor’s degree in organizational development, business administration, human resources, social justice, or a related field. A master’s degree is preferred. 
• Relevant backgrounds may include—but are not limited to—organizational development, arts and cultural leadership, nonprofit management, human resources, or any field where individuals have led efforts to advance IAB and drive organizational change. 
• We value the many ways leadership and cultural insight are developed, and we strongly encourage applications from individuals with professional and lived experiences that have comparably prepared them to lead. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Deep expertise in IAB best practices, as well as federal and state employment law, HR policy and compliance requirements. 
• Proven ability to build trust, influence change, and maintain strong, authentic relationships across diverse internal teams and external community partners. 
• Demonstrated excellence in executive leadership, strategic thinking, organizational development, coaching, and change management. 
• Strong project management skills with the ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from concept to execution. 
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to facilitate board-level discussions and represent the organization externally. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), CRM systems, scheduling and project management tools (e.g., Monday.com), and collaboration platforms (e.g., SharePoint); strong overall digital literacy and adaptability in learning new systems and technologies common to executive operations. 

Application & Selection Process

Overture Center for the Arts has exclusively retained The QTI Group to lead the search for a Chief People Officer (CPO) and Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The QTI group is a comprehensive human resources advisory services firm founded in 1957. QTI Is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Target Start Date: November 3, 2025

Working Conditions: This is an in-office position, supporting a hybrid, flexible work environment that includes both remote and on-site responsibilities. The role requires regular use of standard office equipment and frequent interaction via digital platforms. Evening or weekend hours will be required to attend events, meetings, or represent the organization in the community. 

Application Deadline: August 6, 2025