Vice President, People and Culture

Russell is a professional services firm providing construction and development services across the Midwest. Since its inception in 1983, Russell’s culture promotes a collaborative work environment that strives to exceed our clients’ expectations and provide life-time career opportunities for our professionals.

Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, with offices in St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas, Russell has delivered more than $7 billion in projects across 34 states. We remain a market leader in our core markets, including new construction and complex additions and renovations.

At Russell, we are creating more than a project - we are building great people, relationships, and communities.

Life at Russell

The number one response we receive when we ask our team members what they like about Russell is the culture. Russell team members describe working here as being more flexible than any place they’ve ever worked. They feel supported and support each other. They have fun. They are empowered to get their work done how they see fit. And most of all, they know they can continue their careers here because of the rich development tools available to them. Life at Russell is full of opportunities.

How You’ll Contribute

As Vice President, People and Culture, you will help us reach our strategic growth goals by acting as a strategic advisor on all matters related to organizational design, leadership capability, team member experience and culture across all locations.

This position is a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for building and scaling the company’s people strategy to support sustainable growth, operational excellence, and a high-performance culture. This leader will drive initiatives that attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent, while aligning people systems with company strategy, values, and long-term vision.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with the leadership team to define and execute the company’s long-term people and culture strategy.
• Drive organizational design, workforce planning, and leadership development to support continued growth and scalability.
• Lead HR modernization—introducing systems, tools, and analytics that enhance decision-making and operational transparency.

Culture & Engagement

• Strengthen and scale the company’s culture, ensuring consistency across offices and alignment with core values.
• Build programs that reinforce engagement, accountability, and recognition.
• Lead efforts around communication, feedback loops, and leadership alignment to ensure all employees feel connected to the company mission.

Talent Strategy

• Oversee full-cycle talent management—from recruitment to succession planning.
• Build a compelling employer brand that positions the company as the top destination for industry talent.
• Partner with leadership to establish career pathways, mentorship, and training programs to grow internal talent pipelines.

Performance & Development

• Implement robust performance management systems that drive clarity, accountability, and growth.
• Build leadership development frameworks that elevate management capability and strengthen cross-functional collaboration.
• Champion a culture of feedback, coaching, and continuous improvement.

People Operations & Compliance

• Ensure HR operations, policies, and procedures are compliant, scalable, and business-aligned.
• Oversee total rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, and incentive programs that drive retention and performance.
• Leverage HR analytics to measure engagement, turnover, and productivity—and use insights to guide strategic decisions.

• 10 years of progressive leadership experience in HR, culture, or people strategy—preferably in construction, real estate, or another multi-location business.
• Proven success leading organizational transformation and scaling culture through growth.
• Deep expertise in leadership development, talent strategy, and employee engagement.
• Strong business acumen; capable of linking people strategies directly to organizational performance and ROI.
• Excellent communication, influence, and change management skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred).

Success Metrics

• Increased employee engagement and retention rates.
• Reduced turnover and improved recruitment velocity.
• Consistency of culture and leadership behavior across locations.
• Strength of leadership pipeline and internal promotions.
• Adoption and performance impact of new people systems and processes.