Director, Employee Experience

Aretum•McLean, VA

About The Position

The Director, Employee Experience is responsible for leading key people programs and strategies that shape the overall employee experience at Aretum. This role oversees major areas within the Employee Experience pillar, including Total Rewards, employee engagement, culture, development, performance management, and People & Culture communications. This leader partners closely with People & Culture leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to design, implement, and continuously improve employee-facing programs that support retention, growth, engagement, and organizational effectiveness. The role requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with a strong focus on building scalable programs that align with business needs and strengthen Aretum’s employee experience.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive Human Resources and People & Culture experience, including significant leadership in Employee Experience, Total Rewards, talent management, organizational development, or related functions
Experience leading or managing programs across compensation, benefits, employee engagement, culture, development, or performance management
Experience partnering with leadership to develop and improve employee-facing programs and people strategies
Strong understanding of compensation analysis, market benchmarking, and employee benefits administration
Strong communication, organizational, and project management skills
Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
Experience in government contracting, professional services, or a similarly fast-paced environment
Experience supporting organizational change, manager enablement, or employee communications
Experience working with employee survey tools, performance processes, and people metrics
Familiarity with cross-functional program leadership and implementing company-wide people initiatives
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategy, development and execution of employee experience strategies and programs that support engagement, retention, culture, and organizational effectiveness
Set priorities for employee-focused programs in partnership with People & Culture leadership, ensuring alignment with business goals and evolving workforce needs
Drive a consistent and scalable approach to employee experience across the organization
Lead key areas of Aretum’s Total Rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, and employee reward programs
Partner with leadership on compensation philosophy, pay structures, job leveling, and reward approaches
Oversee benefits strategy and administration in partnership with internal stakeholders and external vendors as needed
Assess Total Rewards programs and recommend enhancements based on market data, employee feedback, and business needs
Lead programs and initiatives that strengthen culture, connection, and employee engagement across the organization
Oversee engagement survey strategy, results analysis, trend identification, and action planning support
Serve as a liaison to culture-building initiatives, employee committees, recognition efforts, and engagement programs
Help foster an employee-centered culture that supports inclusion, connection, and organizational effectiveness
Oversee programs related to employee development, leadership development, career pathing, and performance management
Partner with leaders and managers to strengthen growth opportunities and performance practices
Design and improve development programs that support retention and long-term employee success
Lead and coordinate People & Culture communications related to employee programs, initiatives, and key updates
Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure communications are clear, consistent, and aligned with company messaging
Support communication planning for major initiatives, including benefits updates, performance cycles, engagement efforts, and policy rollouts
Partner closely with People Operations, Talent Acquisition, Finance, leadership, and other internal teams to align employee-facing programs and priorities
Support enterprise-wide initiatives that impact employees, managers, and the overall employee experience
Guide rollout efforts tied to People & Culture programs and organizational change
Establish and monitor key metrics related to compensation, benefits, employee engagement, retention, development participation, and program effectiveness
Use employee feedback, internal data, and market insights to identify improvement opportunities
Provide reporting, recommendations, and strategic insights to People & Culture and executive leadership