Director of Employee Experience

University of Notre Dame; United States; On-site; USD 72,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Notre Dame is seeking a Director of Employee Experience to shape how employees feel valued, connected, and supported. You will provide strategic direction for the Employee Experience function and lead a team of specialists partnering with faculty and staff across the University.

This role blends people leadership, culture, and data—driving initiatives that improve engagement, retention, and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5–6 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience consulting with and coaching employees and leaders.
• Experience navigating sensitive employee matters and facilitating difficult conversations with sound judgment and discretion.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills with the ability to translate ideas into action.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills with the ability to establish trust and work effectively across teams and functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Shape the Employee Experience Strategy: establish and evolve the strategy, priorities, and approach in alignment with NDHR and University goals.
• Guide & Develop a Team: lead, coach, support a team of Employee Experience Specialists and define roles.
• Partner Across Notre Dame: build relationships with leaders and NDHR; advise on culture, engagement, retention, and workplace practices.
• Strengthen Employee & Leader Support: ensure thoughtful, consistent support during difficult conversations and performance concerns.
• Turn Employee Insights Into Action: collect and translate feedback and data into meaningful recommendations and actions.
• Drive Innovation & Continuous Improvement: design initiatives to strengthen engagement, culture, recognition, and the employee experience.

Skills

Coaching

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Company Description

The University of Notre Dame is more than a workplace! We are a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence and inspired by our Catholic character, Notre Dame is committed to fostering an environment of care that nurtures the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Here, you will find a deep sense of belonging, a culture that prioritizes well-being, and the opportunity to grow your career while being a force for good in the world. Whether contributing to world-class research, shaping the student experience, or supporting the University’s mission in other ways, you will be part of a dedicated team working to make a meaningful impact on campus and beyond. At Notre Dame, your work matters, and so do you!

Job Description

Empower People. Strengthen Connections. Shape the Experience.

An exciting chapter is unfolding within Notre Dame Human Resources , and we’re looking for a leader who wants to help shape how employees experience working at Notre Dame.

As the Director of Employee Experience, you’ll lead work focused on creating an environment where employees feel valued, connected, supported, and inspired by Notre Dame’s mission. You’ll provide strategic direction for the Employee Experience function while leading a talented team of Employee Experience Specialists who partner directly with employees and leaders across the University.

This role brings together people leadership, employee relations, engagement, culture, strategy, and data. You’ll work closely with leaders and partners across Notre Dame to understand what employees and teams need, navigate complex people matters, identify opportunities for improvement, and turn employee feedback into meaningful action.

We’re looking for someone who can see the bigger picture while never losing sight of the individuals at the center of the work. Someone who builds trust, develops others, brings clarity to complex situations, and is excited about helping shape an Employee Experience function that continues to evolve alongside the University.

What You’ll Do

• Shape the Employee Experience Strategy: Establish and continuously evolve the Employee Experience strategy, priorities, and approach in alignment with NDHR and University goals and values. Create clarity around how the team supports employees and leaders while identifying opportunities to strengthen the overall employee experience.
• Guide & Develop a Team: Lead, coach, and support a team of Employee Experience Specialists. Establish clear roles and expectations, balance resources and priorities, encourage professional growth, and create an environment where the team can collaborate and do its best work.
• Partner Across Notre Dame: Build trusted relationships with leaders and partners across the University and in NDHR. Consult on organizational needs and provide guidance around culture, engagement, retention, employee relations, performance, recognition, and workplace practices. Bring the right partners together when situations require coordinated solutions.
• Strengthen Employee & Leader Support: Guide the team’s approach to employee relations, performance management, engagement, and related employee matters. Help ensure employees and leaders receive thoughtful, consistent support when navigating difficult conversations, performance concerns, workplace challenges, and other complex situations.
• Turn Employee Insights Into Action: Strengthen how NDHR collects, understands, and uses employee feedback and workforce data. Identify themes across engagement, retention, employee relations, performance, stay and exit interviews, and other employee feedback, then translate those insights into meaningful recommendations and action plans.
• Drive Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Design and advance initiatives that strengthen engagement, culture, recognition, retention, and the overall employee experience. Stay connected to emerging practices and look for opportunities to simplify processes, improve the employee and leader experience, and strengthen how NDHR serves the University.

Ready to Shape the Employee Experience?

If you’re energized by developing people, building trusted relationships, navigating complex challenges, and finding new ways to create an exceptional employee experience, we’d love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to lead a talented team, influence how we support employees and leaders, and help shape what the employee experience looks like across Notre Dame.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5–6 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience consulting with and coaching employees and leaders.
• Experience navigating sensitive employee matters and facilitating difficult conversations with sound judgment and discretion.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills with the ability to translate ideas into action.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills with the ability to establish trust and work effectively across teams and functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading, coaching, or developing a team and creating a collaborative, effective work environment.
• Experience using employee feedback, workforce data, or organizational trends to identify opportunities and inform recommendations.
• Experience supporting or leading work related to employee experience, employee relations, engagement, retention, performance management, organizational culture, or similar areas.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and bring multiple partners together around shared goals.
• Experience developing or implementing strategies, programs, or initiatives designed to improve the employee or leader experience.

Additional Information

Application Deadline : November 8, 2026

Hiring Pay Range : Up to $120,000 | Commensurate with experience

The University ofNotreDameseeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover,NotreDameprohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).Westronglyencourageapplicationsfrom candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.