Principal, Talent & Performance Management

Stanford Health Care • Palo Alto, CA

4d • $79 - $105 • Hybrid

About The Position

As the Principal, Talent and Performance Management, you will lead the design, implementation, and continuous evolution of the integrated Performance Management, Talent Review, and Succession Planning strategies and processes. You will play a significant role in enabling our more than 20,000 employees to collectively serve our more than one million patients each year. Your role is critical to maximizing employee and organizational development and performance by driving the multi-year vision and roadmap for these systems. You will partner across the organization, acting as a senior advisor and coach to leaders, ensuring accountability and championing a feedback-rich culture where performance thrives. You will utilize a data-driven mindset and Digital & AI Fluency to implement technology solutions, ensuring high quality, measurable objectives and continuous improvement across all talent processes.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in talent and performance management and/or related fields.
• Extensive experience: Proven track record of designing, launching, and scaling high-impact performance management, talent reviews, succession planning, and promotions processes.
• Product/Systems Mindset: Demonstrated success in building, owning, or significantly overhauling an enterprise talent/performance system with a strong product approach (i.e., successfully shipped measurable releases).
• Behavioral Expertise: Expertise in behavior change, adult learning, and systems design, with a demonstrated ability to embed these principles into organizational culture.
• Digital & AI Fluency: Strong knowledge of emerging AI technologies in talent and performance management, with the ability to evaluate design tools that enhance process efficiency and program scalability.
• Enterprise Leadership: Strong enterprise leadership skills, including the ability to influence senior executives, guide large-scale change, and build momentum around bold ideas.
• Strategic Communication: Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation) with the ability to translate strategy into enterprise-wide practices and consistent rituals.
• Partnership & Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to establish strong, collaborative partnerships with HR partners and leaders across the organization.
• Flexibility & Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to navigate organizational ambiguity and pivot strategic priorities in response to evolving business needs and/or internal data insights.
• Data-Driven Innovation: Ability to use data, employee voice, and design feedback loops to drive ongoing innovation and continuous improvement.
• Process Orientation: Highly organized and process-oriented, with the ability to manage complexity, adhere to strict timelines, and maintain the highest quality standards.
• Autonomy: Ability to drive work independently, take initiative, and operate effectively within a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• AI/Agentic Fluency: Experience defining business requirements for deploying LLM-powered workflows, agents/copilots, or decision support in HR/talent contexts.
• Prior experience within the healthcare industry
• Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach preferred

Responsibilities

• Strategy and System Architecture: Own the multi-year vision, strategy, and roadmap for the integrated performance management, talent review, and succession planning systems. Lead the continuous evolution of these processes to maximize employee and business performance.
• Performance Management Leadership: Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive Performance Management system, balancing clarity, development, and accountability.
• Goal Setting & Standardization: Create and implement an organization-wide approach to goal setting (including training and resources) to ensure employees have clear, high-quality, measurable goals.
• Talent Review & Succession: Drive the redesign, co-facilitation, and continuous improvement of the Talent Review and Succession Planning processes, partnering with HRBPs and senior leaders to identify, assess, and develop successors for critical roles.
• Talent Acceleration & Retention: Design and implement programs to retain and accelerate top talent and ensure development plans for executive successors are fully operationalized.
• Senior Advisor: Advise and coach leaders on implementing the tools and frameworks needed to champion a feedback-rich culture where performance and growth thrive
• Data-Driven Innovation: Utilize data, employee voice, and design feedback loops to drive ongoing innovation and continuous improvement across all talent processes.
• AI Integration: Define business requirements for and facilitate the integration of AI/LLM-powered workflows, agents, or decision support tools into talent systems to enhance process efficiency and decision-making.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees