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Panera Bread

Fast-casual bakery, catering, delivery

Director – HR Technology & Operations

HR Operations & CoordinationConfirmed live in the last 24 hours
Full-timeSt. Louis, MO, USA$165.6k - $198.8k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business Administration, Technology, or a related field is required.
  • At least 10 years of progressive experience in HR Technology, HR Operations, Shared Services, HRIS, or related functions is required.
  • At least 5 years of people leadership experience managing teams and leaders is required.
  • Deep experience with enterprise HRIS platforms, preferably Workday, is required.
  • Demonstrated experience leading HR digital transformation and process optimization initiatives is required.
  • A strong understanding of HR operations, service delivery models, and shared services environments is required.
  • Experience managing complex cross-functional projects and enterprise-level implementations is required.
  • The ability to translate business requirements into scalable technology and operational solutions is required.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including experience leveraging workforce data and reporting to drive decisions, are required.
  • Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills are required.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute a multi-year HR Technology strategy and roadmap aligned with business and people priorities.
  • Serve as the senior business owner for Workday and the broader HR technology ecosystem.
  • Partner with HR, IT, Security, Payroll, Benefits, Compensation, Talent, and external vendors to deliver technology solutions that improve efficiency, compliance, and employee experience.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies, automation tools, AI-enabled solutions, and workforce technologies to improve HR effectiveness and scalability.
  • Establish governance processes for technology investments, prioritization, release management, testing, and user adoption.
  • Lead vendor selection, contract management, and ongoing vendor performance reviews.
  • Lead the HR Service Center organization responsible for employee, manager, and HR support.
  • Design and implement a scalable operating model that delivers consistent, high-quality service while reducing complexity for employees and HR Business Partners.
  • Establish service delivery standards, metrics, service-level agreements, escalation processes, and continuous improvement practices.
  • Evaluate opportunities to centralize and streamline Tier 1 support activities while expanding self-service capabilities for employees and managers.
  • Drive operational excellence through process redesign, automation, knowledge management, and service optimization initiatives.
  • Lead enterprise HR process improvement initiatives across the employee lifecycle.
  • Identify and eliminate manual, redundant, and inefficient processes through workflow redesign and technology enablement.
  • Develop standardized, scalable processes that improve accuracy, compliance, and employee experience.
  • Implement continuous improvement methodologies to increase efficiency and organizational agility.
  • Establish operational controls and governance frameworks to support sustainable growth and operational excellence.
  • Lead HR data governance efforts to improve data quality, integrity, security, and compliance.
  • Partner with HR and business leaders to support development of people analytics, dashboards, and actionable workforce insights.
  • Advance HR reporting capabilities through Workday, Power BI, and related technologies.
  • Establish metrics and reporting frameworks that support workforce planning, operational performance, and strategic decision-making.
  • Ensure compliance with data privacy requirements and maintain appropriate system security controls.
  • Champion a seamless digital employee experience across HR systems, processes, and service delivery channels.
  • Expand employee and manager self-service capabilities to increase accessibility and reduce administrative burden.
  • Drive adoption of HR technology solutions through effective communication, change management, and training strategies.
  • Measure and continuously improve employee satisfaction with HR services and technology platforms.
  • Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing HR Technology and HR Service Center teams.
  • Build organizational capabilities in HR systems, process design, service delivery, automation, analytics, and continuous improvement.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, customer service, and operational excellence.

Desired Qualifications

  • A master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field is preferred.
  • Workday certifications or advanced Workday experience are preferred.
  • Experience implementing HR automation, AI-enabled technologies, and self-service solutions is preferred.
  • Experience building HR analytics and reporting capabilities using platforms such as Power BI is preferred.
  • Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, PMP, or similar process improvement or project management certifications are preferred.

About the Company

Panera Bread

Fast-casual bakery, catering, delivery

Panera Bread operates as a fast-casual bakery-café brand that serves freshly prepared, clean-food meals. Its offering spans a diverse, chef-crafted menu with baked goods and café-style dishes, available through in-store dining and multiple digital channels. The product works via a combination of made-to-order menu items and a broad omni-channel system—including mobile ordering, catering, Rapid Pick-Up, curbside pickup, and delivery—to enhance convenience for customers. Panera differentiates itself through its emphasis on high-quality, clean ingredients, bakery heritage, and a tech-enabled customer experience, backed by a multi-brand portfolio under Panera Brands and ownership by JAB Holding Company. The company aims to make good, nutritious food accessible and easy to obtain across North America by continuously improving the dining and ordering experience through technology and operations.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
IPO
Headquarters
St. Louis, MO
Founded
1981

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