Framing The Search Assignment
Position: Chief People Officer
Client: a family-owned food manufacturer in California
The Challenge
A 5th-generation family-owned and operated food manufacturer in California required a Chief People Officer to build the HR function as it plans to double in size in the next 5 years.
The Chief People Officer search was challenging because the role required balancing a strong existing company culture with the need to implement more structure as the business prepared for rapid growth, without disrupting what was already working. The ideal candidate needed to develop a bottom-up strategy for HR initiatives — ranging from gap analysis to compensation planning and employee engagement — while aligning with leadership’s vision and maintaining a community-focused, family-driven approach.
The Solution
3P Partners head hunted and placed a local Chief People Officer with 25+ years of experience in strategic HR leadership across diverse industries, including agriculture and food manufacturing. She was an excellent fit for the Chief People Officer role due to her extensive experience leading HR transformations, implementing structured HR strategies in growing companies, and her hands-on approach to talent management, compensation strategy, and career pathing.
In her previous position, she spent seven years supporting the CEO and senior leadership team at a large commodity-based food manufacturer where she successfully navigated similar growth challenges. This coupled with her passion for family-owned businesses, made her well-equipped to drive the necessary HR evolution while respecting the company’s established culture.
The 3P Difference
We are the industry-leading food and agribusiness executive search firm. We approach experienced candidates who are not actively looking for a new position to give you access to a broader, more qualified talent pool. Our reputation relies on our ability to deliver high-quality service and timely results.
The Results
The client was extremely pleased with our collaborative hiring process and ability to identify a candidate who not only had extensive industry experience but was a great cultural fit. In addition to this search, our team placed their Chief Revenue Officer.