Lead Talent Management Partner

Rivian VW Group; Palo Alto, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity RSUs

Health benefits

Annual bonus program

Job summary

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies seeks a Talent Management Lead to shape goals, assess performance, and plan for succession, then integrate programs in HR systems and with HRBPs and managers. This role blends strategy with hands-on delivery and will impact performance, talent development, and scaling the business.

The role is onsite in Palo Alto, California, three days a week, with responsibilities spanning performance management, calibration, succession planning, goal setting, and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in HR, Talent Management, People Analytics, or a related field.
• Proven experience managing company-wide performance management cycles.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to turn data into compelling narratives and actionable recommendations.
• A process-engineer mindset, with a strong focus on documentation and continuous improvement.
• Excellent change management, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• A proactive, analytical approach to diagnosing problems and implementing practical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, communication, and execution of quarterly performance and feedback cycles.
• Design and facilitate semi‑annual calibration sessions across business units, ensuring consistency, fairness, and transparency in talent assessments.
• Research and recommend modern performance management practices that support high performance and continuous growth.

Skills

HR experience

People analytics

Change management

Communication

Presentation skills

Data-driven

Tools

Workday Talent modules

Job description

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

As Talent Management Lead, you will shape how we set goals, assess performance, and plan for succession,then make those programs work in our systems and in the hands of HR Business Partners (HRBPs) and managers.

This is a role that blends strategy and hands‑on execution. You will help set direction across the talent lifecycle, own the build and delivery of key programs, and act as the go‑to expert who educates and enables the HR community and business leaders. Your work will directly influence how we drive performance, develop talent, and scale the business. This role will be onsite in our Palo Alto, California Office 3 days a week.

Responsibilities

Performance Management & Calibration

• Lead the planning, communication, and execution of quarterly performance and feedback cycles.

• Design and facilitate semi‑annual calibration sessions across business units, ensuring consistency, fairness, and transparency in talent assessments.

• Research and recommend modern performance management practices that support high performance and continuous growth.

Succession & Development Planning

• Partner with HRBPs and business leaders to support talent review and succession planning, including process design, facilitation, and follow‑through.

• Help leaders identify critical roles, high‑potential talent, and development needs, and connect those insights to action.

Goal Setting

• Design and launch our goal‑setting framework. This is a new program, so you will help build it from the ground up.

• Coach teams and managers on setting effective goals and tracking progress.

Systems & Process Excellence

• Configure, optimize, and maintain talent processes in our people systems, working closely with the systems team and HRBPs.

• Document, maintain, and continuously improve processes for performance, feedback, talent review, and internal mobility.

Enablement & Education

• Train and advise HRBPs and business leaders on talent programs, tools, and best practices.

• Build clear guides, playbooks, and communications that make programs easy to adopt and consistent across the company.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in HR, Talent Management, People Analytics, or a related field.

• Proven experience managing company‑wide performance management cycles.

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to turn data into compelling narratives and actionable recommendations.

• A process‑engineer mindset, with a strong focus on documentation and continuous improvement.

• Excellent change management, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

• A proactive, analytical approach to diagnosing problems and implementing practical solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building new programs and re‑engineering existing ones.

• Working knowledge of OKR methodology and how to apply it.

• Experience facilitating performance calibration discussions.

• Experience with Workday Talent modules or a comparable HRIS.

• Experience with succession planning or talent review processes.

• Curiosity and a genuine passion for creating an exceptional employee experience.

Total Rewards

We build the exceptional ‑ and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full‑time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full‑time employees ‑ including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at [e-mail].

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes ("Candidate Personal Data"). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) record keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment‑related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.