Sr. HR Program Manager - Employee Experience & Engagement

Sr. HR Program Manager, Employee Experience & EngagementLocation: Reston, VA 20190 (Reston Town Center) Hybrid (On Site Monday, Tuesday & Thursday)Clearance Requirement: Must be a U.S. CitizenCompensation: $140K $160K Base + Annual Bonus + RSUsBenefitsUnlimited PTOAnnual Bonus ProgramEmployee Equity / RSU Program401(k) with Company MatchMedical, Dental & Vision InsuranceLife & Disability Insurance14 Paid HolidaysEmployee Assistance ProgramCompany investment in training, certifications, and professional developmentCollaborative, mission-driven AI technology environmentPosition OverviewWe are seeking a highly organized and employee-focused HR Manager, Employee Experience & Engagement to own and elevate the end-to-end employee experience across the organization. This role is responsible for designing and scaling high-quality employee programs, communications, and lifecycle initiatives that support engagement, retention, productivity, and company culture in a fast-paced, high-growth technology environment.The ideal candidate combines strong operational execution with empathy, communication skills, technical aptitude, and a service-oriented mindset. This individual will lead key employee experience initiatives including onboarding, engagement programs, recognition, internal communications, and employee lifecycle processes while leveraging modern tools, automation, and AI to create scalable and consistent experiences for onsite, hybrid, and remote employees.This is a highly collaborative role partnering closely with Talent Acquisition, IT, People Operations, leadership, and cross-functional teams to ensure employees feel informed, supported, and connected throughout their journey with the company.Ideal Candidate ProfileThe ideal candidate thrives in fast-moving environments and genuinely cares about how employees experience work day to day. They are proactive, highly organized, emotionally intelligent, and capable of balancing strategy with execution. They naturally build systems and programs that make employees' lives easier while maintaining a high level of personalization, communication, and service. Candidates that have built and implemented these programs and automation from scratch in a small mid size, fast growing company are highly desired!Key ResponsibilitiesEmployee Experience & Lifecycle ManagementOwn and continuously improve the employee lifecycle experience including onboarding, promotions, role transitions, leaves, relocations, recognition, and offboardingEnsure employee touchpoints are intentional, scalable, inclusive, and aligned with company culture and valuesServe as the primary owner of key employee "moments that matter across the organizationOnboarding & Employee IntegrationLead onboarding programs for onsite, hybrid, and remote employeesDesign structured onboarding experiences that accelerate employee productivity, engagement, and belongingPartner with Talent Acquisition, IT, and People Operations to ensure seamless employee transitions from offer acceptance through the first 90 daysEmployee Engagement & ProgramsDevelop and manage employee engagement initiatives, recognition programs, and culture-building activitiesSupport equitable employee experiences across distributed and in-office teamsCreate scalable programs that maintain a high-touch employee experience while supporting company growthInternal CommunicationsOwn internal employee communications strategy and execution across the organizationEnsure messaging is clear, consistent, timely, and accessible across multiple communication channelsManage and optimize communication frameworks using tools such as Slack, Confluence, SharePoint, and AI-enabled solutionsDevelop communication plans for onboarding, organizational updates, promotions, performance cycles, and company-wide initiativesFeedback, Analytics & Continuous ImprovementLead employee listening initiatives including surveys, pulse checks, and feedback programsAnalyze employee feedback and engagement data to identify trends, friction points, and improvement opportunitiesPartner with People Leadership to translate insights into actionable employee experience improvementsProcess Improvement & AutomationLeverage automation, AI, and digital tools to improve scalability, consistency, and efficiency of employee programsBuild playbooks, workflows, and standards that streamline execution across teams and locationsRequired Skills & Qualifications5+ years of experience in Employee Experience, HR, People Operations, Workplace Experience, Internal Communications, Program Management, or related fieldsExperience owning and improving the employee lifecycle in high-growth or fast-paced organizationsStrong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and stakeholders simultaneouslyExperience developing scalable employee programs and engagement initiativesStrong written and verbal communication skills with exceptional attention to detailExperience leveraging collaboration and communication tools such as Slack, Confluence, SharePoint, and HR technology platformsDemonstrated ability to use automation, systems, and AI tools to improve operational efficiency and employee experienceStrong interpersonal skills with high empathy, sound judgment, and professionalism handling sensitive employee mattersAbility to influence and collaborate effectively across departments and leadership levelsDesired Skills & ExperienceExperience working in a technology, SaaS, AI, or high-growth startup environmentExperience supporting hybrid and distributed workforce modelsBackground in internal communications, employee engagement strategy, or organizational developmentFamiliarity with employee survey tools, engagement metrics, and people analyticsExperience building employee experience programs from the ground up or scaling existing programsPassion for creating thoughtful, people-centered workplace experiences that improve employee connection and retention