Director, Talent - Talent Management

Merge•Chicago, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Talent – Talent Management owns the execution and continuous improvement of MERGE’s core Talent Management programs and oversees operating discipline across the broader Talent roadmap. This hands-on role creates structure, anticipates risks, establishes accountability, and drives work through completion. The Director leads day-to-day delivery of performance management, talent reviews, employee relations, and employee programs, while ensuring broader Talent initiatives have clear owners, milestones, and visibility. The role also provides continuity support for payroll during planned leaves, unexpected absences, and other coverage periods. The Director owns performance management cycles and the Talent roadmap, advises managers and employees on employee relations matters, and supports workforce changes and compliance requirements. The role develops and maintains project plans, reporting, process documentation, SOPs, controls, and cross-training plans; mentors junior Talent team members; and collaborates with Talent, Finance, Legal, Operations, and agency leadership. The position is hybrid by default, with priority for candidates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Raleigh, and St. Louis. U.S.-based remote candidates may also be considered if fully remote is listed as an option. Travel to a MERGE hub may be required for business needs.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive HR experience.
Significant hands-on experience executing and operationalizing performance management, talent reviews, and employee programs.
Demonstrated experience managing complex cross-functional projects and organizational roadmaps.
Strong employee relations judgment and working knowledge of employment law and regulatory requirements.
Proven success building scalable processes, SOPs, controls, and operating rhythms.
Experience supporting payroll processes and working knowledge of payroll controls.
Strong leadership, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and stakeholder-management skills.
Ability to work independently, make sound decisions, and distinguish matters to resolve directly from those requiring escalation.
Exceptional attention to detail, follow-through, and written and verbal communication skills.
Advanced proficiency with HRIS and performance-management systems, Google Workspace, and people reporting and analytics.
U.S. work authorization that does not now or in the future require visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience within an agency, technology company, or fast-paced professional services environment.
ADP experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end execution of performance management cycles, including planning, goal setting, talent reviews, assessments, systems, communications, training, and follow-through.
Develop project plans; define ownership; and proactively manage timelines, dependencies, and risks for Talent programs.
Ensure leaders and employees understand Talent processes, expectations, and required actions.
Maintain and improve Talent Management toolkits, workflows, templates, and process documentation.
Monitor completion, exceptions, and recurring challenges, and provide Talent leadership with concise reporting and recommendations.
Own offboarding processes, including exit interviews, documentation, reporting, and identification of recurring themes.
Partner with Talent leadership to operationalize new or updated programs across the agency.
Serve as a primary resource to managers and employees on employee relations and performance matters.
Independently manage routine and moderately complex employee relations matters, escalating sensitive or high-risk issues appropriately.
Guide managers on employee concerns, documentation, coaching, and performance development plans.
Address employee relations matters promptly and consistently in accordance with company practices and applicable employment requirements.
Coordinate processes, documentation, communications, and follow-through for workforce changes, restructurings, and other employee actions.
Maintain complete, accurate, and appropriately confidential employee relations records.
Identify recurring themes, organizational risks, and gaps in manager practice, and recommend appropriate action.
Own the integrated Talent roadmap, operating calendar, and portfolio-management cadence across Talent functions.
Translate priorities into project plans with defined owners, milestones, dependencies, decisions, and deadlines.
Hold initiative owners accountable for timely execution while functional leaders retain ownership of their deliverables and outcomes.
Identify risks, resource constraints, and competing priorities, escalating issues requiring leadership decisions.
Project-manage priority cross-functional initiatives as assigned and provide Talent leadership with regular reporting on progress, risks, decisions, and next steps.
Document completed initiatives and transition them effectively into ongoing operations.
Cross-train on payroll processes and provide designated continuity support during planned or unexpected gaps in primary payroll coverage.
Maintain working knowledge of payroll timelines, controls, and ADP processes to provide hands-on support when needed.
Partner with the primary payroll owner and internal stakeholders to keep payroll accurate and on schedule during coverage periods.
Create and maintain SOPs, controls, and cross-training plans to reduce key-person dependency across critical Talent processes.
Mentor junior Talent team members and reinforce accountability, accuracy, responsiveness, and open communication.
Support compliance requirements, audits, and reporting by maintaining documentation, tracking deadlines, and driving follow-through.
Collaborate with Talent, Finance, Legal, Operations, and agency leadership to resolve issues and move work forward.