Manager, Early Career Programs

Hancock Whitney Bank•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

The Manager, Early Career Programs designs, implements, and manages comprehensive early talent programs to attract, develop, and retain emerging professionals. The role oversees internship programs, post-graduate rotational programs, and entry-level talent pipelines, aligning them with organizational workforce-planning needs and long-term talent-development goals. The manager partners with business leaders, HR, universities, and community partners to build a sustainable, diverse, high-performing early talent pipeline.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Six years of experience in human resources, talent development, or diversity and inclusion.
Experience designing, implementing, and managing inclusion, leadership, or talent-development initiatives that produce measurable impact.
Experience leading programs that drive employee growth, retention, and engagement.
Ability to lead enterprise-wide initiatives and build strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen diverse talent pipelines.
Experience establishing KPIs, analyzing data, and reporting results to executives.
Strong communication, facilitation, and influencing skills to engage leaders and teams across the enterprise.
Ability to travel if required to perform essential job functions.
Ability to work under stress and meet deadlines.
Ability to operate related equipment, read and interpret documents, and lift, move, or carry approximately 10 pounds if required to perform essential job functions.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.
Experience supporting or partnering with campus recruitment strategies and university relations.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute enterprise-wide early career talent programs, including internships and rotational programs, aligned with organizational goals.
Manage program cycles from recruitment and onboarding through development, performance evaluation, and offboarding.
Create and deliver program curriculum, including workshops, cohort experiences, leadership exposure, and developmental coaching.
Establish success metrics and accountability frameworks to support continuous improvement.
Monitor and report on program effectiveness using metrics, participant feedback, and business outcomes, and implement enhancements as needed.
Collaborate with Talent Acquisition on early talent pipelines and campus recruitment strategies.
Develop and maintain partnerships with universities, technical schools, community organizations, and professional development programs.
Represent the organization at campus events, career fairs, and external early-career networks.
Train and support managers hosting early-career talent, clarifying expectations and coaching best practices.
Integrate inclusion and belonging principles into early career programming and outreach.