Manager - Talent Management

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. seeks a Manager of Talent Management to design and run core talent tools and processes that support the associate lifecycle.

This hands-on role turns strategy into practical programs, toolkits, and daily operations that enable growth across the organization. You will own onboarding, performance management, succession planning, and culture initiatives, partnering with HRBPs and leaders to drive adoption, measure impact, and continuously improve programs in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field.
• At least 5+ years of HR experience with 3+ years in corporate talent programs.
• Experience in retail or consumer-facing industries preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end lifecycle of talent programs from design to daily administration.
• Lead onboarding improvements to ensure new hires are engaged and productive from day one.
• Manage performance management cycle including goals, mid-year, and year-end reviews.
• Steer succession planning, talent calibration, and HiPo development.
• Develop culture and engagement surveys and translate results into action.

Skills

Operational Project Management

Data Fluency & Synthesis

Facilitation & Influence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Manager of Talent Management is responsible for the design, execution, and on-going management of the core talent tools and processes that support the associate lifecycle. This role is accountable for the "how"- translating organizational objectives into functional programs, toolkits, and daily operations that enable associate growth. The Manager of Talent Management will own the end-to-end delivery and maintenance of these initiatives, ensuring they are practical, scalable, and effective across the organization. Reporting to the Director of Talent Management, this role is dedicated to the hands‑on management of talent programs, from initial design through to daily administration.

Associate Experience & Onboarding

• Develop and manage the end-to-end lifecycle of corporate recognition programs—from informal peer-to-peer initiatives and milestone celebrations to performance-based awards—partnering with Corporate Communications to ensure impactful internal visibility and engagement.
• Design, manage, and continuously evolve the corporate orientation and onboarding roadmap, developing inclusive programming that ensures every new hire feels culturally welcomed, operationally aligned, and fully equipped to contribute from day one.

Performance Management & Goal Setting

• Orchestrate the end-to-end execution of the performance management cycle for corporate groups—covering annual goal setting, mid-year check-ins, and year-end reviews—to ensure timely completion and consistent process adherence.
• Develop and maintain practical manager toolkits and performance resources that empower leaders to drive accountability and facilitate meaningful, continuous feedback conversations throughout the year.
• Standardize and promote the use of Individual Development Plans (IDPs) as actionable tools, empowering associates to proactively take ownership of their career growth and skill acquisition.

Talent Planning

• Evolve and administer the corporate succession planning framework, managing the end-to-end logistics for talent reviews across corporate and field divisions to identify bench strength and mitigate organizational risk.
• Facilitate rigorous, cross-functional talent calibration sessions, guiding leaders through the assessment process to ensure objective, data-backed evaluations of performance and potential.
• Execute follow-up action plans post-calibration by partnering with HR Business Partners to track high-potential (HiPo) development planning and ensure consistent progress on succession commitments.

Culture

• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of the corporate engagement and pulse survey strategy—from survey administration and data synthesis to the development of actionable reports that pinpoint cultural trends for leadership.
• Collaborate with HR business partners and business unit leaders to turn survey insights into meaningful culture and retention strategies.
• Monitor and report on key culture and retention metrics to identify emerging opportunities, proactively adjusting our engagement approach to support real-time associate needs.
• Manage a comprehensive workload calendar, ensuring all talent initiatives are planned, sequenced, and rolled out on schedule across the organization.
• Analyze data, metrics, and associate feedback to measure program impact, proving the value of talent initiatives and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Partner cross-functionally (with HRBPs, legal, and leadership) to translate complex processes into simple, scalable toolkits that drive adoption and consistency across the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years specifically dedicated to managing corporate talent programs (performance management, succession planning, or engagement).
• Industry Context: Previous experience within retail, consumer-facing, or fast-paced, high-volume environments is highly preferred.

Core Competencies

• Operational Project Management: Proven track record of managing competing priorities, maintaining detailed project calendars, and ensuring the timely, end-to-end execution of cyclical HR processes.
• Data Fluency & Synthesis: Ability to analyze raw talent data (survey results, performance metrics, participation rates) and synthesize it into actionable reports that drive decision-making and leadership action.
• Facilitation & Influence: Demonstrated ability to lead complex group discussions