Capstone Human Capital Center Principal

ROLE SUMMARY

We are seeking a Principal to join KKR's Human Capital Center (HCC), based in New York. This individual will play a key role in leading strategic human capital initiatives across KKR's portfolio, partnering with investment teams and portfolio company executives to strengthen employee engagement, ownership culture, and business performance.

KKR CAPSTONE OVERVIEW

KKR Capstone is KKR’s value creation team, partnering with portfolio company management teams to drive value and deliver exceptional returns on KKR’s investments. At portfolio companies, KKR Capstone works on the most important operational priorities on the CEO and Board of Directors’ agendas, including growth, operational efficiency, organizational effectiveness, strategic M&A, and AI enablement. During due diligence, KKR Capstone works alongside investment teams to evaluate potential acquisitions and identify value creation opportunities. Post investment, KKR Capstone works directly with senior management operational teams and the Board to develop and execute initiatives that drive measurable business results.

KKR'S HUMAN CAPITAL CENTER AND BROAD-BASED OWNERSHIP 

At KKR, we believe people are a business's most critical asset, from senior leaders to frontline employees. This belief is central to our approach to broad-based employee ownership, through which we give employees the opportunity to share in the value they help create.  To date, we have implemented more than 90 broad-based ownership programs across KKR's investment strategies globally.

These programs have helped strengthen employee engagement, alignment, and a shared sense of ownership to drive business performance. Examples of our work can be found in our our YouTube channel, including:

• The Impact of Employee Ownership
• C.H.I Overhead Doors Celebrate the Power of Employee Ownership
• CoolIT Employees Celebrate Ownership Milestone
• Ingersoll Rand Employee Stories

At KKR, shared ownership is a holistic approach. We work with portfolio companies to help employees understand how the business creates value, give them a stronger voice in driving improvements, and support their financial wellbeing. This includes initiatives focused on employee engagement, leadership and manager effectiveness, financial resilience, and workplace safety. See our thought leadership piece for more on this approach.

To lead and scale these efforts, KKR established the Human Capital Center (HCC) within KKR Capstone. The HCC partners with investment teams and portfolio company leaders globally to design and implement broad-based ownership programs, support portfolio companies in ongoing efforts, and share best practices across the portfolio.

We also partner with Ownership Works, a nonprofit organization KKR helped establish, to advance shared ownership and its potential to strengthen businesses, employees, and communities.

THE ROLE

The Principal will combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution, independently lead complex engagements, develop scalable programs, and help shape the HCC's evolving agenda. The role will also support the continued global expansion of the HCC, including working closely with and developing team members across regions.

OBJECTIVES:

• Lead the successful design, launch, and activation of broad-based ownership programs, ensuring strong executive sponsorship, effective employee communications, and sustained engagement throughout KKR's ownership period and beyond.
• Drive measurable improvements in human capital outcomes across portfolio companies, including employee engagement, retention, ownership culture, leadership effectiveness, safety, and financial wellbeing, contributing to stronger business performance and investment outcomes.
• Develop and scale strategic human capital initiatives that address emerging portfolio needs, strengthen organizational capabilities, and support the continued growth of the HCC globally.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Broad-based ownership and employee engagement: Partner with portfolio company executives to design, launch, and activate broad-based ownership programs. Develop and implement strategies to build ownership cultures, strengthen employee engagement, and improve retention and workforce performance.
• People analytics and operational improvement: Lead the analysis of employee engagement surveys, ownership programs, and broader human capital metrics to identify opportunities for improvement. Work with investment teams and portfolio company executives to translate insights into actionable initiatives, drive implementation, and measure impact.
• Leadership and management development: Develop and lead initiatives to strengthen leadership and management capabilities across portfolio companies, including leadership development, manager effectiveness, and programs to promote empathetic leadership (read more about our approach to empathy trainings here).
• Human capital initiatives: Develop and scale initiatives across the HCC's broader agenda, including AI enablement, financial resilience, employee wellbeing, safety, upskilling/reskilling, and other emerging human capital priorities. Translate best practices into scalable programs with measurable outcomes.
• Stakeholder management: Build trusted relationships with KKR investment executives, portfolio company executives, Ownership Works, and external partners. Independently lead complex engagements and drive cross-portfolio collaboration through webinars, conferences, peer forums, and the sharing of best practices in the community.
• Global HCC development: Support the HCC's global growth by collaborating with colleagues in Europe and Asia, coaching and developing team members, strengthening operating processes, and driving consistency and collaboration across regions.

PRIMARY QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• 5-10 years of experience in management consulting, portfolio operations, or a similar strategic role, with a proven track record of leading complex engagements and delivering measurable business results.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with strong executive presence and the ability to influence C-suite executives, investment professionals, and other senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex business challenges into practical solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take ownership of strategic initiatives, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results with limited oversight.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing teams, including working effectively across functions and geographies.
• Entrepreneurial, innovative, and collaborative, with an ability to drive solutions at scale.
• Strong commercial mindset, combined with a genuine interest in people, organizational performance, and KKR's approach to broad-based ownership.
• Experience in human capital strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, or HR operations is a plus, but is not required.

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