Application Guide

How to Apply for Chief People Officer

at Thetrevorproject

🏢 About Thetrevorproject

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people. Working here means you're directly contributing to saving young lives and advancing mental health equity for a marginalized community. The organization is deeply mission-driven, with a culture of empathy, inclusion, and innovation.

About This Role

As Chief People Officer, you will lead the human capital strategy for a fully remote, national nonprofit, ensuring the team is culturally unified and structurally positioned to scale impact. This role is critical for building a high-accountability people infrastructure that supports employees in delivering life-saving services.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a check-in with the CEO on strategic priorities, followed by a meeting with the DEI team to review inclusion metrics. You might then review a new remote onboarding flow, host a virtual all-hands town hall, and end the day with a one-on-one with a direct report discussing employee engagement survey results.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Thetrevorproject Is Looking For

  • Executive-level HR leader with 10+ years in people operations, ideally in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization, with experience scaling teams in a remote or distributed environment.
  • Proven track record of designing and implementing HR strategies that foster inclusion, equity, and belonging, with a deep understanding of LGBTQ+ issues and trauma-informed practices.
  • Strategic thought partner to the CEO and executive team, able to bridge silos and drive organizational change with empathy and accountability.
  • Passionate about the mission, with personal or professional commitment to LGBTQ+ youth mental health and DEI.

📝 Tips for Applying to Thetrevorproject

1

Highlight specific examples of scaling HR infrastructure in a remote environment, such as implementing performance management systems or remote onboarding programs.

2

Demonstrate your understanding of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth and how your people strategies can support a workforce that is often personally connected to the mission.

3

Showcase your experience working with or within nonprofit boards, as CPO often partners with the board on compensation and culture.

4

Quantify your impact: e.g., 'Reduced turnover by 20% through employee engagement initiatives' or 'Scaled HR processes from 50 to 200 employees.'

5

Mention any certifications or training in DEI, trauma-informed HR, or mental health first aid to align with the organization's focus.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your personal connection to the mission and understanding of the urgency of LGBTQ+ youth mental health.', 'Your experience building people systems in remote, distributed teams, with concrete outcomes.', 'Your ability to serve as a culture steward and strategic partner to executive leadership.', 'Your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially as it relates to LGBTQ+ communities.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read The Trevor Project’s annual report and understand their strategic priorities for the next 3-5 years.
  • → Review their remote work policies and culture statements on their careers page or blog.
  • → Research recent news about the organization, including any challenges or expansions in services.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the LGBTQ+ mental health landscape and key issues affecting youth today.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design a performance management system for a fully remote nonprofit that balances accountability with empathy?
2 Describe a time you led organizational change that involved bridging silos. What was your approach?
3 What metrics do you use to measure employee engagement and culture in a remote environment?
4 How would you ensure that DEI is embedded in every stage of the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to offboarding?
5 Given the mission, how do you support employees who may experience secondary trauma or burnout?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid generic HR buzzwords without tying them to the nonprofit or remote context—be specific to this role.
  • Don’t overlook the mission; candidates who treat this as just another CPO role will seem out of touch.
  • Avoid suggesting changes that undermine the culture of empathy—e.g., proposing aggressive performance metrics without considering trauma-informed approaches.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Thetrevorproject!

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