Senior People Manager

Who we are:

At Wunderman Thompson we exist to inspire growth for ambitious brands.

Part creative agency, part consultancy and part technology company, our experts provide end-to-end capabilities at a global scale to deliver inspiration across the entire brand and customer experience.

We are 20,000 strong in 90 markets around the world; our people bring together creative storytelling, diverse perspectives, inclusive thinking, and highly specialized vertical capabilities to drive growth for our clients.

We offer deep expertise across the entire customer journey, including communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology.

Who we are looking for:

We are seeking a Sr.

People Manager for Wunderman Thompson’s Washington, DC office.

This strategic partner will lead, collaborate, and strategize with leadership to realize business outcomes through high-value, data driven initiatives.

Their responsibility lies in all facets of the employee lifecycle, with a specific emphasis on workforce planning, operational diligence and policies, leadership consultation, performance management, and building an impactful culture of belonging.

We have a lot of work to do, and we are looking for someone to bring new and fresh ideas, with a genuine passion for people and culture!

What you’ll do:

Strategic Business Partner
Partner across the leadership team in solving complex business challenges utilizing various data inputs (i.e., people report, surveys, local market trends).
Lead the deployment of the performance review and feedback cycles, while partnering with executive leaders on compensation and rewards planning.
Partner closely with senior leaders on promotional and succession planning; ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion is imbedded into our way of thinking, not just our process.
Mentor, lead, and guide the development of Talent Managers and Generalist on best practices and effectiveness.
In partnership with the VP, People, provide guidance and input on business unit restructures, workforce planning and succession planning.
Operational Effectiveness
Ensure effective new hire onboarding and engagement at the onset.

Facilitate new hire orientation and lead exit discussions, identifying feedback trends and market data to consistently drive operational improvement.
Diligently ensure compliance and accuracy of employee data.

Key partner to local Finance and centralized North America Payroll, Benefits, and People Operation teams.
Reinforce the rollout of new initiatives, programs, resources, and policies across one or more office.
Culture & Belonging
In partnership with the People Lead, nurture, and design an employee experience that creates meaningful growth, development, and belonging throughout the employee lifecycle.
Partner with Talent Acquisition and hiring managers to ensure that our people reflect the surrounding community, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to enhance business outcomes.
Provide day-to-day performance management guidance to managers, such as coaching, counseling, career development, and action plans.
Help to build community and engagement through impactful employee resource groups
Who you are:
A learner | A desire to investigate and be curious to understand the needs and desires of the people you serve.

You must be willing to apply that knowledge to strengthen the team.
An explorer | Be willing to get creative and find resources to work through issues.

Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks with the premise of making improvements.
Open and collaborative | Our team is close-knit and supportive and we’re working with a lot of unknowns – you must be a champion of team environments that are comfortable and encouraging, but focused on a high-level of performance.
Optimistic and resilient | Dig in and figure out how to work around problems.

Innate ability to inspire and marshal people to clear solutions quickly.

“Yes”, and “why not” posture.

Takes care of self and team.

Balance needed to maintain stamina and positivity.
Partnership | Partner with your People Director, local leadership, and regional & national People teams to help drive positive change.

Become an expert on support systems that facilitate employee engagement and performance optimization.
What you’ll need:
A minimum of 7 years of senior HR Generalist and HR partnership experience strongly desired.
Experience working in a digital or advertising agency preferred.
Must be fluent in MS Office Suite and be familiar with HRMS and Payroll platforms and be able to navigate multiple workstreams.
Must have strong working knowledge of state and federal employment laws and regulations.
Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.

 Well-developed presentation skills.
Thrives in a fast-paced and changing environment.

 Requires minimal supervision.
Experience navigating efficiently through a matrixed organization.
Informal and people-centric approach to work and getting things done.
Able to quickly establish credibility with organizational stakeholders.
Able to influence, inspire, and lead others through demonstrating the utmost professionalism.

At Wunderman Thompson, we are committed to actively building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued and heard, and is treated with dignity and respect.

As leaders and creative partners across industries, it is our responsibility to cultivate an environment reflective of our greatest asset; our people.

We believe that this commitment inspires growth and delivers equitable outcomes for everyone as well as the clients and communities we serve.

Wunderman Thompson is a WPP agency.  For more information, please visit our website and follow Wunderman Thompson on our social channels via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. 

We rely on legitimate interest as a legal basis for processing personal information under the GDPR for purposes of recruitment and applications for employment.