Associate Director, Employee Experience & Development

Blavity, Inc. is a venture-funded media and technology company, founded in 2014 around a simple idea: enable Black millennials to tell their own stories. Today, we are home to the largest network of platforms and lifestyle brands serving the multifaceted lives of Black millennials & Gen Z through original content, video, unique experiences, and product solutions. Blavity Inc. has evolved into a market leader for Black media, reaching 250 million users per month through our growing brand portfolio, including Blavity, Blavity360º, AfroTech, Talent Infusion, 21Ninety, Travel Noire, Home & Texture, and Blavity House Party. Our Blavity, Inc. employee community is composed of passionate, energetic, and culturally conscious individuals working together to deliver value to each other, the company, and our clients. We are always searching for new additions to our community that will help us continue to scale, contribute meaningfully to our culture, and advance our strategic direction.

Job Summary: Blavity Inc. is looking for an Associate Director, Employee Experience & Development. This position serves as a strategic partner to leaders and employees across the company, supporting the business's goals through its people's success. This role provides subject matter expertise to our executives, people leaders, and employees in areas including but not limited to employee relations, employee engagement, branding and communication, performance management, and learning and development. The Associate Director, Employee Experience & Development also owns strategic planning and execution of Blavity’s dynamic Employee Engagement and Learning & Development (L&D) programs. The ideal candidate is passionate about Blavity’s vision that “All Black people are happy” and can effectively convey that through innovative programs and written and verbal communications. The Associate Director is expected to operate with a high degree of independence, organizational accountability, excellent judgment, and proactive engagement in all aspects of their role.

This role will report directly to the Head of People Operations & HR. 

Responsibilities:

Employee Experience: 

• Create and lead the execution of a cohesive employee engagement strategy that leverages a combination of experiences, activities, opportunities, and storytelling to build organizational culture and increase employee engagement.
• Design, plan, and execute engaging activities for employees, both virtual and in-person, including team-building events, challenges, and other interactive experiences.
• Edit and produce content to support internal communications, employee engagement initiatives, and company events.
• Collaborate with department leaders to design and plan team-specific engagement activities.
• Design and administer employee experience surveys, analyze feedback, and provide actionable insights to improve engagement and satisfaction.
• Develop and manage employee recognition campaigns to celebrate milestones, achievements, and contributions across the company.
• Oversee the management of the employee engagement and learning & development budget, ensuring resources are effectively allocated to support initiatives and events.
• Partner with the executive team to design and manage quarterly all-hands meetings, including agenda development, coordination with speakers, and project management of presentation decks.
• Manage the design, content creation, and distribution of the monthly staff newsletter via Iterable, keeping employees informed and engaged.
• Draft company-wide communications on PO new policies, organizational changes, key events, milestones, and other important updates.
• Maintain an organized and proactive communications calendar, ensuring timely delivery of key announcements, updates, and engagement activities.
• Assess employee engagement and experience continuously and provide proactive recommendations for new initiatives, activities, or processes to enhance engagement and retention.

Employee Development: 

• Own and drive Blavity’s training program, aligning it with organizational goals and evolving strategic priorities.  
• Design and lead learning opportunities, including company-wide templates and standard operating procedures aligned with the company culture. 
• Source and create e-learning courses, workshops, live training, and leadership development programs, tailored to address skill gaps across varying levels of organization.
• Oversee the design, content management, and user experience of Blavity’s employee portal, ensuring it serves as a central hub for company resources, communications, and engagement tools.
• Create and facilitate company-wide policy training sessions.
• Research and implement emerging L&D tools and platforms, identifying opportunities to enhance employee growth, performance, and organizational efficiency.
• Collaborate with department heads to assess and address evolving training and development needs across the organization.
• Evaluate the impact of L&D initiatives continuously, using metrics and feedback to refine programs and ensure they meet employee and business needs.

Employee Relations - In collaboration with the Head of People Operations: 

• Partner with various team managers to resolve confidential and sensitive employee relations issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Coach leaders and employees in conflict resolution, offering guidance on effective communication and behavior management.
• Lead internal investigations related to employee conduct, complaints, and policy violations, ensuring thorough documentation and adherence to company protocols.
• Participate in Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with department leadership and provide an executive summary to the Head of People Operations & HR and the Executive Team. 
• Research and integrate best practices in the field of employee relations, integrating new approaches that align with the organization's values and objectives.

Performance Management: 

• Oversee the administrative and strategic use of the Lattice platform to ensure it aligns with organizational goals, employee engagement, and performance management needs.
• Utilize Lattice to monitor and improve employee engagement, drive feedback cycles, and identify trends, ensuring the platform is optimized to support ongoing performance and career development initiatives.
• Partner with leaders to develop and refine performance review frameworks, ensuring they are aligned with company values, objectives, and development goals.
• Provide training to managers and employees on how to effectively use Lattice for feedback, performance reviews, and goal setting, ensuring maximum engagement and adoption.

Qualifications: 

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Behavior/Development, or a related field.
• Required Experience: 
  • A minimum of 4 years of experience managing Employee Experience and/or Employee Engagement programs.
  • 4+ years of experience handling employee relations. 
  • 2+ years of people management experience
• Preferred Experience:
  • Experience with managing company intranet and performance management tools.
  • Experience in the design, facilitation, and project management of L&D content and programs
  • Previous experience working in a high-growth start-up
• Technologies: Fluent in Google Suite, Notion, Lattice, LMS, Asana, and/or comparable project management suite
• Additional Qualifications:
  • Excellent written, verbal, and presentation-based communication skills
  • Superior attention to detail
  • Independent, self-starter who is comfortable taking on a high level of responsibility
  • Comfort with ambiguity and a proven love for transforming unorganized/complex data into rigorously structured, insight-oriented solutions
  • High-energy, company-first, positive attitude; must be motivated to work hard in a fast-paced environment
  • A healthy appreciation of GIFs and Black culture

Details: 

• This is a fully remote, U.S.- based role. Occasional travel may be required. 
• This is an individual contributor role and will not have any direct reports. 
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Candidates must be available to work in 25% alignment with the Pacific Time Zone. 
• The annual salary range for this role is $105,000 - $125,000.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter online at BlavityInc.com/Careers.

Blavity is committed to creating a diverse environment free of discrimination and harassment, and building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.  

Blavity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, HIV Status, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.