Director Employee Experience

Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) – the leading destination for innovative management thinking. We reach lifelong learners to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This mission inspires each of us to unlock the leader in everyone – including you!

The opportunity:

We are seeking a strategic, innovative, and people-centered leader to shape and elevate the employee experience across the organization. Reporting to the CHRO, the Director, Employee Experience will lead the HR Center of Excellence (COE) focused on 1) internal communications, 2) culture, community and inclusion initiatives, and 3) talent strategies and organization development. This role shapes the experiences that define what it feels like to work at HBP globally. By integrating employee experience, culture, communications, and talent strategies, this leader will strengthen employee engagement, organizational capability, and business performance while helping employees feel informed, connected, valued, and empowered to do their best work. As a member of the HR Leadership Team, this role will partner closely with the other HR COE leads (i.e., Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, HR Business Partners, and Facilities), along with other senior leaders, to translate business priorities into people strategies that build organizational health, leadership effectiveness, and a thriving workplace culture.

What You'll Do:

Internal Communications

• Oversee HR’s communications strategy and execution to strengthen transparency, alignment, trust, and employee engagement.

• Strengthen HBP's employee value proposition and employer brand through authentic and impactful employee-facing communications.

• Partner with leaders to integrate and reinforce organizational priorities, business strategies, and change initiatives withing HR communications to ensure clear, compelling employee communications and engagement plans.

• Develop and execute an enterprise-wide internal communications strategy and approach to strengthen transparency, alignment, trust, and employee engagement.

Employee Experience, Community & Culture

• Lead HBP's employee experience strategy across key employee lifecycle moments, including onboarding, development, recognition, engagement, community participation, and career growth.

• Provide strategic leadership for employee community programs, events, and experiences that foster connection, belonging, collaboration, and inclusion across the organization.

• Partner with leaders to define, evolve, and activate cultural attributes that support HBP's mission, values, and strategic priorities.

• Lead HBP’s employee engagement efforts, including tracking key indicators and translate insights into action plans that improve the employee experience.

Learning, Growth, & Talent Development

• Lead the design and execution of HBP's talent philosophy and talent management strategy that fosters continuous learning, growth, and development.

• Partner with leaders to identify capability gaps and develop scalable learning solutions that address organizational needs and strengthen employee, manager, and leadership capabilities.

• Oversee enterprise talent review processes, succession planning, and development planning.

• Collaborate with HR COEs to develop and maintain enterprise competency frameworks that support employee growth, performance, and leadership expectations.

Performance Management & Goal Setting

• Partner with senior leaders on developing and tracking group/department goals to align with business needs and corporate goals each fiscal year.

• Establish and maintain goal-setting frameworks that align individual goals with group/department and organizational priorities.

• Provide strategic leadership for HBP's performance management processes; leading the evolution of practices, tools, and manager capability-building efforts.

• Ensure performance and development processes are fair, consistent, and aligned with organizational values and business objectives.

What You'll Bring:

• 10+ years of broad, progressive Human Resources experience, with demonstrated success in overseeing internal communications, employee engagement, culture-building initiatives, talent development, learning, and performance management.

• 5+ years of people leadership experience, including responsibility for developing and leading high-performing teams.

• Experience developing enterprise internal communications strategies and employee engagement programs.

• Demonstrated success strengthening organizational culture, leadership capability, and employee engagement during periods of change and transformation.

• Experience modernizing performance management, learning, and employee experience practices.

• Proven ability to advise and influence senior executives on people, organizational, communication, and culture-related matters.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect people strategies to organizational outcomes and business performance.

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional enterprise initiatives and drive organizational adoption and influence others.

• Experience leveraging workforce data, employee feedback, and organizational metrics to inform decisions and measure impact.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex organizational topics with clarity, authenticity, and influence.

What we offer:

As a mission-driven global company, Harvard Business Publishing is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, trust, and engagement where everyone is welcome, valued, respected, and feels they belong. In addition to a competitive compensation and benefits package, we offer meaningful programs focused on career development and employee wellness, such as education reimbursement and early-release Summer Fridays!

HBP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

$150,000-170,000

Above is the annualized pay range for this position. In addition, this position includes the opportunity to earn our annual Performance Based Variable Pay Program. Actual salary will be set based upon a range of factors, including external benchmark market data, individual knowledge, skills, experience, location and internal equity.