Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program
Invalid liquid data
Invalid liquid data
CHRO Program: Reimagine the CHRO Role with Strategic Vision, Influence, and Impact
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education empowers senior HR leaders and aspiring CHROs to build advanced strategic, analytical, and leadership capabilities. Through live online faculty sessions, an engaging on-campus immersion, practical projects, and personalized coaching, you will gain real world insights from practicing CHROs and board members, develop AI and people analytics skills to drive talent strategy, and apply learning for measurable organizational impact.
Led by distinguished UCLA Anderson faculty, this 4-month program integrates strategic HR leadership, AI and people analytics, along with workforce transformation frameworks with immersive learning and coaching. You will emerge as a strategically precise and insight-driven leader with the frameworks and confidence to influence business direction and shape the future of work.
#1
85%
70%
What You Will Learn in the Chief Human Resources Officer Program
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program will enable you to:
Lead as a transformative CHRO by aligning personal leadership strengths and strategic intent to drive measurable enterprise impact
Strengthen strategic and financial acumen to navigate trade-offs, influence C-suite decisions, and link human capital investments to business value
Design future-ready workforce strategies that respond to demographic shifts, digital disruption, and evolving employee expectations
Leverage data, analytics, and AI to inform talent, culture, and organizational decisions, positioning HR as a strategic driver of business performance
Navigate governance and board dynamics with insights into enterprise risk, succession, and ethics to enhance credibility and influence in the boardroom
Integrate learning through a personalized capstone and coaching journey, articulating a clear leadership narrative, creating an actionable growth plan, and building an enduring peer network for sustained impact
UCLA Anderson's Transformative Leader Model
UCLA Anderson’s Transformative Leader Model offers a bold new framework for CHROs and human resources leadership, focused on driving enterprise transformation through people, culture, and strategy. The six-capability model develops leaders who solve challenges with creativity, build engagement and inclusion with empathy, act with purpose and integrity, apply rigorous data insight, leverage technology for value creation, and anticipate disruption with strong industry acumen. The Chief Human Resources Officer Program strengthens these capabilities through immersive curriculum and applied learning to enhance C-suite influence and deliver sustained business impact.
Program Highlights
Learn from UCLA Anderson faculty and senior CHROs, CFOs, and board members, gaining deep insights into the evolving expectations and strategic impact of the CHRO role.
Experience a transformative, five-day, in-person immersion at the UCLA Anderson campus in Los Angeles.
Gain a distinctive West Coast perspective on innovation, AI, workforce transformation, and the evolving dynamics of people and performance.
Apply your insights through a personalized capstone that connects your leadership narrative to an initiative with real organizational impact.
Work one-on-one with UCLA Executive Education coaches to strengthen your leadership narrative and clarify strategic priorities as a future CHRO.
Gain access to select UCLA alumni benefits upon program completion, from networking events to industry-specific community engagement.
Assess how people analytics and AI shape talent acquisition, retention, and workforce strategy for measurable business impact.
Participate in peer consulting labs, live case simulations, and applied projects that turn learning into measurable organizational outcomes.
Program Curriculum
With a distinct West Coast lens, this three-phase learning journey combines live online modules, a five-day, immersive, on-campus experience in Los Angeles, and a live online project phase.
Module 1: The Transformative Leader: The Evolving CHRO Role
Examine external forces redefining the CHRO role, including CEO expectations, stakeholder complexity, technological disruption, and workforce transformation. Learn how UCLA’s Transformative Leader Model guides strategic leadership, and hear insights from practicing and experienced CHROs.
Module 2: Data, Analytics, and Strategic Decision Making
Explore how CHROs leverage analytics, AI, and workforce planning to shape enterprise strategy and influence executive decisions. Gain real-world perspectives on data-driven HR leadership.
Module 3: Strategic Foresight — The Future of Work and Talent Implications
Identify technological, demographic, and societal trends transforming work. Connect future-of-work insights to talent strategy, and prepare for deeper application during on-campus sessions.
Module 4: Stakeholder Strategy and Influence
Map CHRO’s internal and external stakeholder ecosystem, and learn influence frameworks. Practice navigating high-stakes C-suite and boardroom conversations while aligning diverse interests.
Setting the Strategic Leadership Agenda
Module 5: Program Kickoff and Strategic Context
Set shared goals and establish a strategic context for the CHRO journey. Explore forces shaping the CHRO role, and link learning to UCLA’s Transformative Leader Model.
Module 6: CHRO Perspectives Panel
Engage with practicing CHROs across industries by hearing about evolving roles, enterprise challenges, and personal leadership insights. Expand networks with senior HR leaders.
Module 7: Strategic HR in Action
Analyze a real-world case linking HR strategy to organizational performance. Apply frameworks to drive enterprise value and strengthen strategic acumen.
Talent, AI, Analytics and Finance
Module 8: The New Talent Strategy for CHROs
Examine emerging trends in talent acquisition, retention, and development, including AI, skills marketplaces, and flexible employee value propositions (EVPs). Identify strategic levers for building agile, competitive talent systems.
Module 9: Data-Informed Decision Making
Deepen applied people analytics skills to influence C-suite decisions. Practice linking insights to organizational priorities and communicating data effectively.
Module 10: Financial Acumen for CHROs
Build financial fluency to strengthen credibility with CFOs and boards. Interpret key metrics, navigate trade-offs, and participate confidently in resource allocation decisions.
Module 11: CHRO Panel Dinner — Finance and Talent Trade-offs
Discuss real-world talent–finance dilemmas with CHROs and CFOs. Gain actionable insights, and expand cross-functional networks.
Governance, Stakeholders and Polarities
Module 12: Stakeholder and Board Navigation
Examine governance dynamics and CHRO influence with CEOs, board members, and investors. Develop strategies to strengthen boardroom presence and strategic framing.
Module 13: Board and Governance Panel (HARRT)
Engage with CHROs on boards to understand governance challenges, enterprise risk, and board–CHRO dynamics. Gain actionable perspectives for executive influence.
Module 14: Managing Tensions and Polarities
Explore organizational polarities, including global vs. local and short-term vs. long-term. Apply polarity thinking to real challenges, and integrate insights into leadership projects.
Module 15: Peer Consulting Labs
Refine individual leadership projects through peer and faculty feedback. Apply stakeholder, analytics, and polarity frameworks while building cross-industry perspectives.
Culture, Transformation and Change
Module 16: Shaping Culture for Strategic Impact
Examine how CHROs intentionally shape culture to align with strategy. Apply frameworks for cultural diagnosis, alignment, and transformational leadership.
Module 17: Leading Transformation in the Future of Work Era
Translate foresight into action, leading change amid AI adoption, demographic shifts, and evolving workforce expectations. Develop scenario-based transformation strategies.
Module 18: Leading Change Across the Organization — A CHRO Change Lab
Apply advanced change leadership frameworks to complex organizational challenges. Work in groups to diagnose dynamics, experiment with approaches, and generate actionable insights.
Module 19: CHRO Dinner Keynote
Gain leadership insights from a prominent CHRO on driving transformation. Reflect on personal leadership takeaways, and expand professional networks.
Leadership Integration and Commitments
Module 20: Reflected Best Self and Leadership Narrative
Integrate program insights to craft a personal leadership narrative. Reflect on strengths and future aspirations to prepare for enterprise-level CHRO leadership.
Module 21: Capstone Integration and Commitments
Synthesize learnings, define strategic priorities, and articulate leadership commitments. Strengthen accountability and peer support for ongoing organizational impact.
Storytelling for Strategic Influence
Craft compelling narratives that translate vision into action, engage boards and executives, and drive organizational alignment. Apply storytelling frameworks to leadership projects and transformation initiatives.
Capstone Project Presentations and Program Integration
Present individual leadership capstone projects integrating insights from across the program. Receive feedback from faculty and peers, and solidify connections for ongoing leadership growth.
Who Is The Chief Human Resources Officer Program For?
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program equips accomplished HR leaders across industries who are preparing for or stepping into enterprise-wide CHRO roles.
The program is ideal for:
Current CHROs aiming to drive organizational change through talent, culture, and leadership while expanding their strategic influence across the C-suite and board
Aspiring CHROs and senior HR leaders looking to transition into the CHRO role by applying innovation and industry best practices to create organizational impact
Participants are required to have:
A minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience
Fluency in written and spoken English
On-Campus Immersion at UCLA
The myriad cultural, sporting, and academic opportunities at UCLA Anderson make the campus an inspiring setting for learning and growth. The five-day, in-person immersion included in the Chief Human Resources Officer Program takes place at the Los Angeles campus, in the city’s vibrant heart. During this experience, participants engage with faculty and practicing CHROs through panels, case discussions, and applied workshops, exploring strategic HR, talent innovation, AI-enabled decision making, and finance in action. This immersive experience offers valuable networking opportunities to connect with peers, faculty, and industry leaders, building relationships and professional networks that extend well beyond the program.
Leadership Coaching Sessions
In the culminating session, complete two personalized coaching sessions with UCLA Anderson Executive Education coaches to refine your leadership narrative, clarify strategic priorities, and translate feedback into actionable growth goals. The program concludes with integration and a formal welcome into the UCLA alumni network, fostering accountability and lasting professional connections.
Throughout these sessions, you will:
Synthesize program insights into a coherent, high-impact leadership project
Communicate strategic priorities and leadership commitments through compelling storytelling
Receive structured feedback to strengthen your execution and implementation plans
Establish accountability and a lasting professional network to support continued growth
Program Timeline
Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Welcome Session | April 15, 2026 | Live Online | One 60-Minute Session |
Phase 1: Building the CHRO Mindset | April 22 – June 3, 2026
| Live Online | Four 120-Minute Sessions |
Phase 2: CHRO Leadership in Action | June 15 – 19, 2026
| In Person | Five Days at the UCLA Anderson Campus in Los Angeles |
Phase 3: CHRO Readiness in Practice | July 1 – 15, 2026 | Live Online | Two 120-Minute Sessions |
Group Project
Collaborate with cross-industry peers in groups to address a real-world HR leadership challenge. Drawing on program frameworks, stakeholder strategy, analytics, foresight, culture, and change leadership, develop actionable solutions and a strategic action plan. This hands-on project fosters peer learning, encourages diverse perspectives, and enables you to apply insights directly to your organization.
Faculty
Faculty Director, Chief Human Resources Officer Program; Professor of Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Contributing Faculty
Professor of Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Faculty Director, Easton Technology Management Center; Adjunct Professor, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Continuing Lecturer in Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Associate Professor of Strategy and Behavioral Decision Making, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Susan Wojcicki Chair in Data Science and Innovation; Professor of Decisions, Operations and Technology Management, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Co-Faculty Director, Fink Center for Finance and Investments; Adjunct Professor, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Ernst and Young Chair in Accounting; Professor of Accounting; Accounting Area Chair, UCLA Anderson School
Adjunct Professor of Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Ho-Su Wu Chair in Management; Department Chair, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Joseph Jacobs Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies; Professor of Strategy; Faculty Director, Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; Strategy Area Chair...
Alumni Benefits
Upon completion of the program, you will receive global alumni status in addition to alumni benefits*:
Gain access to a vast community of over 700,000 UCLA alumni worldwide, providing extensive networking opportunities
Receive a personalized, lifelong forwarding email address
Gain access to lifelong learning initiatives, including workshops, webinars, and executive education programs
Attend alumni-specific events, including the annual alumni conference, regional gatherings, and global networking sessions
Join regional alumni chapters and industry-specific interest groups to deepen your connections and collaborate on shared interests
*Benefits are subject to change at the discretion of UCLA Anderson.
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a verified digital certificate from UCLA Anderson Executive Education.
The certificate is a recognition of the participant’s achievement and the investment they and their organization have made in their education and development.
Why UCLA Anderson Executive Education?
UCLA Anderson Executive Education prepares forward-thinking leaders to excel in complex, high-growth environments. Rooted in cutting-edge research and delivered by distinguished faculty, programs combine analytical rigor with applied learning to strengthen strategic capability and organizational influence. Situated in Los Angeles, a global center of innovation, UCLA Anderson equips executives with future-ready leadership perspectives, access to expansive professional networks, and the confidence to drive lasting enterprise impact.
FAQs
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education is an immersive, live online and in-person program that is aimed at helping current and aspiring CHROs scale new heights in their careers. Participants receive select UCLA alumni benefits upon completion of the program.
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education is aimed at refining CHROs’ strategic decision-making, analytical, and leadership capabilities. Participants come from diverse backgrounds and countries, with a minimum of 10 years of work experience.
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program is a three-phase learning journey that is delivered through a combination of live online modules, a five-day immersive, on-campus experience in Los Angeles, and a live online project phase.
The Chief Human Resources Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education spans three key phases: Building the CHRO Mindset, CHRO Leadership in Action, and CHRO Readiness in Practice. Participants will learn to lead as a transformative CHRO, strengthen strategic and financial acumen, design future-ready workforce strategies, leverage data, analytics, and AI, and navigate governance and board dynamics. They will also combine theory with practice by working on a group project that is tailored to align with their leadership roles.
Whether choosing and investing in a Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program is worth it depends on where you are in your HR leadership journey. For some, it’s about preparing for the next phase of their career, moving from managing operations to shaping enterprise decisions. For others, it’s about strengthening their financial acumen or refining talent strategy in an increasingly data-driven world.
However, in today’s environment, HR leaders are expected to act as strategic partners to the C-suite, guiding business through disruption and supporting organizational performance. The Chief HR Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education helps senior HR leaders build these capabilities through a learning journey that combines strategic frameworks, analytics, and leadership coaching, all culminating in real-world application and measurable impact. Explore the program page for more details.
There is no fixed academic route to becoming a Chief Human Resources Officer. Many professionals enter the field from diverse disciplines, such as business, psychology, sociology, economics, law, or even engineering, often complementing their foundation with human resources or leadership programs to develop people and organizational expertise. The right background is less about a specific degree and more about building an understanding of how people drive performance within complex systems.
As the CHRO role continues to evolve, today’s HR leaders are expected to connect human capital, culture, and talent strategy with enterprise priorities and financial outcomes. They work across functions, interpreting data, shaping governance, and aligning workforce transformation with business growth. The Chief HR Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education helps experienced HR executives integrate these dimensions, bridging strategic, analytical, and leadership capabilities to strengthen enterprise thinking and influence at the board level.
Yes. The ability to work with data, analytics, and AI has become central to modern HR leadership. CHROs are expected to make evidence-based decisions about talent, performance, and workforce design while understanding how technology shapes organizational behavior.
Even if you are not an analytics or technology expert, developing data and AI fluency helps you collaborate effectively with different stakeholders. The UCLA Anderson Chief HR Officer Program is designed to empower HR leaders with practical ways to apply people analytics and AI within HR contexts, equipping you to drive real-world HR strategy and use data to influence business outcomes.
Choosing the right Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) course depends on your professional goals, leadership aspirations, and the kind of learning experience you value most. Consider what you want to strengthen, strategic HR leadership, financial acumen, or the ability to collaborate at the C-suite level. Exploring programs that combine academic rigor with practical application, access to experienced faculty, and opportunities for peer learning can help ensure meaningful growth.
The Chief HR Officer Program from UCLA Anderson Executive Education offers a thoughtfully designed learning journey that blends live online modules, a five-day on-campus immersion in Los Angeles, and a personalized leadership capstone. This structure enables senior HR leaders to apply insights directly to real business challenges while expanding the strategic, analytical, and leadership capabilities essential for enterprise influence.
Networking is one of the most valuable aspects of any executive program, and what you take away beyond the program often depends on how you engage with peers and faculty. A well-designed CHRO program connects you with senior HR leaders, CHROs, and cross-industry executives who share similar challenges and ambitions. The UCLA Anderson Chief HR Officer Program creates these connections through networking events, CHRO and CFO panels, on-campus sessions, and peer consulting labs. Beyond the classroom, participants join the broader UCLA alumni community, expanding their global network of leaders shaping the future of work and redefining human capital strategy.
Applicants to the Chief Human Resources Officer Program must submit an online application that includes essays based on their professional journey. The application fees vary by rounds, and applying earlier helps your chances of being accepted into the program.
Emeritus collects all program payments, provides participant enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.
For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Program fees for Emeritus programs with UCLA Anderson School of Management may not be paid for with (a) funds from the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or similar types of military education funding benefits or (b) Title IV financial aid funds.
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Our program advisors have helped senior executives across the world choose the right program for their career goals. Schedule a 1:1 to get a deeper understanding of why the Chief Human Resources Officer Program is the right fit for you.
Email: uclaa_chro@emeritus.org
Phone: +13157573910 (U.S.) / +442038933525 (U.K.) / +971800035703577 (UAE) / +525596523248 (LATAM)
We encourage early application due to limited cohort capacity.
Flexible payment options available.
Starts On