Director, Talent - Talent Management at MERGE

<div class="content-intro"><p>At MERGE, we are <strong>Built Different</strong>. We are a marketing and technology agency purpose-built for the intersection of health and wellness—where human impact matters most. By weaving storytelling through technology, we move beyond traditional engagement to Whole Human Marketing. This approach recognizes that humans are multidimensional and complex, and uses AI to ensure every brand interaction feels natural, contextual, and relevant.</p> <p>This commitment to human-first innovation is what brings us together and propels us forward. We are united by our North Star: to unite people and brands to empower healthier, happier lives.</p> <p><strong>Emerge to the Top of Your Career</strong></p> <p>At MERGE, we strive to create a superior work experience where talented and ambitious people grow. An experience that encourages people to think higher and feel deeper. An experience where people engage their minds and hearts to do the best work of their careers.</p></div><p style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>As our Director, Talent- Talent Management, you will…</strong></span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>What You’ll Do</strong></span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Talent Management &amp; Employee Experience</span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own the end-to-end execution of performance management cycles, including planning, goal setting, talent reviews, assessments, systems, communications, training and follow-through.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Develop clear project plans, establish ownership and proactively manage timelines, dependencies and risks.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure leaders and employees understand Talent processes, expectations and required actions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Maintain and continuously improve Talent Management toolkits, workflows, templates and process documentation.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Monitor completion, exceptions and recurring challenges, providing Talent leadership with concise reporting and recommendations.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own offboarding processes, including exit interviews, documentation, reporting and identification of recurring themes.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partner with Talent leadership to operationalize new or updated programs across the agency.</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Employee Relations &amp; Risk Management</span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Serve as a primary resource to managers and employees on employee relations and performance matters.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Independently manage routine and moderately complex matters, escalating sensitive or high-risk issues appropriately.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Guide managers through employee concerns, documentation, coaching and performance development plans.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure matters are addressed promptly, consistently and in accordance with company practices and applicable employment requirements.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Support workforce changes, organizational restructurings and other employee actions by coordinating required processes, documentation, communications and follow-through.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Maintain complete, accurate and appropriately confidential employee relations records.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Identify recurring themes, organizational risks and gaps in manager practice, and recommend appropriate action.</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Talent Roadmap &amp; Program Management</span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own the integrated Talent roadmap, operating calendar and portfolio-management cadence across Talent functions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Translate priorities into clear project plans with defined owners, milestones, dependencies, decisions and deadlines.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hold initiative owners accountable for timely execution while ensuring functional leaders retain ownership of their deliverables and outcomes.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Proactively identify risks, resource constraints and competing priorities, escalating issues that require leadership decisions.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Directly project-manage priority cross-functional initiatives as assigned.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Provide Talent leadership with concise, regular reporting on progress, risks, decisions and next steps.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure completed initiatives are documented and effectively transitioned into ongoing operations.</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Operational Continuity &amp; Team Leadership</span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Cross-train on payroll processes and serve as designated continuity support during planned or unexpected gaps in primary payroll coverage.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Maintain sufficient working knowledge of payroll timelines, controls and ADP processes to provide hands-on support when needed.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partner with the primary payroll owner and other internal stakeholders to ensure payroll remains accurate and on schedule during coverage periods.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Create and maintain SOPs, controls and cross-training plans that reduce key-person dependency across critical Talent processes.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mentor junior Talent team members and reinforce a culture of accountability, accuracy, responsiveness and open communication.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Support recurring compliance requirements, audits and reporting by maintaining documentation, tracking deadlines and driving follow-through.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partner effectively across Talent, Finance, Legal, Operations and agency leadership to resolve issues and move work forward.</span></li> </ul> <h2 style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What Success Looks Like</span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Talent programs are completed accurately, consistently and on schedule, with minimal last-minute escalation.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Talent roadmap has clear priorities, owners, milestones and visibility.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Initiative owners are held accountable, and risks or stalled decisions are surfaced early.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Leaders receive timely, practical guidance and understand their responsibilities.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Employee relations and performance matters are addressed early, documented appropriately and brought to resolution.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Critical processes have current documentation, cross-training and dependable continuity coverage.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Payroll continues accurately and on schedule during planned or unexpected coverage gaps.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Talent leadership has reliable visibility into progress, trends and decisions requiring attention.</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>What You’ll Bring</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">10+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally within an agency, technology company or fast-paced professional services environment.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Significant hands-on experience executing and operationalizing performance management, talent reviews and employee programs.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional projects and organizational roadmaps.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Strong employee relations judgment and working knowledge of employment law and regulatory requirements.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Proven success building scalable processes, SOPs, controls and operating rhythms.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience supporting payroll processes and working knowledge of payroll controls; ADP experience is strongly preferred.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Strong leadership, critical-thinking, problem-solving and stakeholder-management skills.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ability to work independently, make sound decisions and distinguish between matters to resolve directly and those requiring escalation.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Exceptional attention to detail, follow-through and written and verbal communication skills.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Advanced proficiency with HRIS and performance-management systems, Google Workspace, and people reporting and analytics.</span></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>#LI-</p> <p>#LI-HYBRID</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. &nbsp;</p> <p>MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life &amp; Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off &amp; Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.</p> <p>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.</p><div class="content-conclusion"><p><strong>And here’s how we live our values at MERGE</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Ability. </strong>Mastering our craft</li> <li><strong>Agility.</strong> Delivering with a growth mindset</li> <li><strong>Humility. </strong>Collaborating for shared success</li> </ul> <p><strong>MERGE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer</strong></p> <p>MERGE welcomes and celebrates diversity regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or people with abilities. We believe that the more diverse we are, the more creative our work will be!</p></div>