Director, Talent - Talent Management

As our Director, Talent- Talent Management, you will…

Own the execution and continuous improvement of MERGE’s core Talent Management programs while overseeing the operating discipline behind the broader Talent roadmap. This is a hands-on role for an experienced operator who creates structure, anticipates risks, establishes accountability and drives work through completion. You will lead the 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. You will also develop sufficient familiarity with payroll to provide continuity support during planned leaves, unexpected absences and other coverage periods.

What You’ll Do

Talent Management & Employee Experience

• Own the end-to-end execution of performance management cycles, including planning, goal setting, talent reviews, assessments, systems, communications, training and follow-through.
• Develop clear project plans, establish ownership and proactively manage timelines, dependencies and risks.
• Ensure leaders and employees understand Talent processes, expectations and required actions.
• Maintain and continuously improve Talent Management toolkits, workflows, templates and process documentation.
• Monitor completion, exceptions and recurring challenges, providing 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.

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Serve as a primary resource to managers and employees on employee relations and performance matters.
• Independently manage routine and moderately complex matters, escalating sensitive or high-risk issues appropriately.
• Guide managers through employee concerns, documentation, coaching and performance development plans.
• Ensure matters are addressed promptly, consistently and in accordance with company practices and applicable employment requirements.
• Support workforce changes, organizational restructurings and other employee actions by coordinating required processes, documentation, communications and follow-through.
• Maintain complete, accurate and appropriately confidential employee relations records.
• Identify recurring themes, organizational risks and gaps in manager practice, and recommend appropriate action.

Talent Roadmap & Program Management

• Own the integrated Talent roadmap, operating calendar and portfolio-management cadence across Talent functions.
• Translate priorities into clear project plans with defined owners, milestones, dependencies, decisions and deadlines.
• Hold initiative owners accountable for timely execution while ensuring functional leaders retain ownership of their deliverables and outcomes.
• Proactively identify risks, resource constraints and competing priorities, escalating issues that require leadership decisions.
• Directly project-manage priority cross-functional initiatives as assigned.
• Provide Talent leadership with concise, regular reporting on progress, risks, decisions and next steps.
• Ensure completed initiatives are documented and effectively transitioned into ongoing operations.

Operational Continuity & Team Leadership

• Cross-train on payroll processes and serve as designated continuity support during planned or unexpected gaps in primary payroll coverage.
• Maintain sufficient working knowledge of payroll timelines, controls and ADP processes to provide hands-on support when needed.
• Partner with the primary payroll owner and other internal stakeholders to ensure payroll remains accurate and on schedule during coverage periods.
• Create and maintain SOPs, controls and cross-training plans that reduce key-person dependency across critical Talent processes.
• Mentor junior Talent team members and reinforce a culture of accountability, accuracy, responsiveness and open communication.
• Support recurring compliance requirements, audits and reporting by maintaining documentation, tracking deadlines and driving follow-through.
• Partner effectively across Talent, Finance, Legal, Operations and agency leadership to resolve issues and move work forward.

• Talent programs are completed accurately, consistently and on schedule, with minimal last-minute escalation.
• The Talent roadmap has clear priorities, owners, milestones and visibility.
• Initiative owners are held accountable, and risks or stalled decisions are surfaced early.
• Leaders receive timely, practical guidance and understand their responsibilities.
• Employee relations and performance matters are addressed early, documented appropriately and brought to resolution.
• Critical processes have current documentation, cross-training and dependable continuity coverage.
• Payroll continues accurately and on schedule during planned or unexpected coverage gaps.
• Talent leadership has reliable visibility into progress, trends and decisions requiring attention.

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally within an agency, technology company or fast-paced professional services environment.
• 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; ADP experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership, critical-thinking, problem-solving and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work independently, make sound decisions and distinguish between matters to resolve directly and 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.

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Hybrid Philosophy

For this role, we prioritize hybrid candidates in Chicago, IL, but may consider candidates near other MERGE hubs based on the role and team’s needs. If fully remote is listed as an option, we are also open to U.S.-based candidates who would work remotely. 

Hybrid work is our default approach. We value time together for collaboration, relationship building, and key moments. Managers and team leaders determine in-person expectations based on what best supports their team, clients, and business needs. Some teams and roles require more regular in-person presence than others.

MERGE has hubs in Chicago, New York City, Boston, Kansas City, Raleigh, Denver, Atlanta, and St. Louis. Regardless of work arrangement, team members may be required to travel to a MERGE hub for meetings, team gatherings, events, or other business needs.

Total Rewards

At MERGE, we’re committed to fostering an environment where our team members can thrive in both their careers and personal lives, ensuring they feel supported and empowered to succeed. MERGE believes in transparency and equity. In accordance with state regulations, we’re proud to include salary ranges in our job postings to ensure fair compensation practices.

The salary range for this role is $110,000-$120,000, based on the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.  

MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off & Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.

Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.