Senior Human Resources Business Partner - Sales

Appian Corporation; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Job summary

Appian Corporation in McLean, VA seeks a Senior HR Business Partner for Sales to architect workforce and leadership strategies in a fast-growing sales organization. You’ll partner with executives to shape org design, succession plans, and performance cultures that drive revenue growth.

You will lead data-driven talent initiatives, coach senior leaders, and influence Go-to-Market outcomes while managing change during growth, restructures, and integrations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience supporting complex organizations.
• Expertise in organizational design, workforce planning, and change management.
• Ability to leverage data analysis and workforce analytics to inform decisions.
• Experience in talent strategies including succession planning and leadership development.
• Strong executive coaching and consulting skills to influence senior leaders.
• Experience supporting Sales or Go-to-Market in tech or high-growth companies.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Sales executives to design org structures and workforce plans for growth.
• Lead talent strategy initiatives including executive coaching and succession planning.
• Architect and execute change management during restructures and integrations.
• Drive data-driven insights on workforce trends and talent gaps for exec decisions.
• Execute employee relations strategies maintaining high-performance culture.
• Advise Sales on compensation philosophy, incentives, and talent investments.
• Build scalable HR frameworks and playbooks across global sales teams.

Skills

Executive coaching

Organizational design

Workforce planning

Change management

Leadership development

Talent strategy

Data analytics

Sales/Go-to-Market support

Employee relations

Education

MBA or advanced degree

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

ServiceNow

Job description

Senior Human Resources Business Partner - Sales

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

Scale Appian's global Sales organization by architecting talent strategies, driving leadership effectiveness, and building high-performance cultures that accelerate revenue growth and enterprise market expansion.

About the team

The People Team designs strategic frameworks and supportive ecosystems that enable Appian's global workforce to thrive in the AI-Powered Process Automation market. HR Business Partners act as trusted advisors to executive leadership, ensuring talent strategies seamlessly enable Go-to-Market goals and organizational agility. This team owns the intersection of people strategy and business performance, directly influencing how Appian scales enterprise capabilities and competes in digital transformation.

The opportunity

Appian is scaling its enterprise sales motion globally, requiring a strategic HRBP who can architect workforce planning, organizational design, and leadership development frameworks that fuel revenue generation. This role offers the rare opportunity to shape talent strategy at the executive table, partnering directly with Sales leadership to build scalable team structures, succession pipelines, and performance cultures that differentiate Appian in competitive markets. You will drive measurable impact on business outcomes while defining the future of our Go-to-Market organization.

What you'll do

Partner with Sales executives to design organizational structures and workforce plans that support aggressive growth targets and market expansion strategies

Lead talent strategy initiatives including executive coaching, succession planning, leadership assessments, and capability-building programs that elevate sales performance

Architect and execute change management programs during restructures, integrations, and strategic pivots to ensure business continuity and employee engagement

Drive data-driven insights on workforce trends, retention risks, and talent gaps to inform executive decision-making and resource allocation

Execute employee relations strategies that foster trust, resolve complex situations, and maintain a high-performance culture aligned to Appian values

Advise Sales leadership on compensation philosophy, incentive design, and talent investments that attract and retain top enterprise sellers

Build scalable HR frameworks and playbooks that enable consistent talent practices across global sales teams and geographies

Required qualifications

Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related field

7+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience supporting complex organizations

Demonstrated expertise in organizational design, workforce planning, and change management within fast-paced environments

Proven ability to leverage data analysis and workforce analytics to inform talent decisions and business strategy

Deep experience developing and executing talent strategies including succession planning, leadership development, and performance management

Strong executive coaching and consulting skills with ability to influence senior leaders and drive organizational outcomes

Extensive background in employee relations, conflict resolution, and navigating sensitive workplace matters

Direct experience supporting Sales or Go-to-Market functions in a technology or high-growth company

Preferred qualifications

MBA or advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or Business Administration

Proven track record supporting Sales organizations in high-growth SaaS or enterprise technology companies

We value experience with enterprise platforms such as Salesforce or ServiceNow, as these skills translate well into our Enterprise-Grade Orchestration environment.

The base salary range represents a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant work experience, qualifications, internal peer equity, and market and business conditions that exist when extending an offer. A discretionary bonus may be awarded in recognition of individual and company performance.

In addition, Appian provides generous benefits offerings that include a 401(k) plan with company match, flexible time off, paid parental leave, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, wellness programs, flexible spending accounts, health savings account contributions, an employee referral bonus program, and learning and development resources. Certain positions may be eligible for equity awards.

Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation, commission, bonus, or benefit plans.

Base Salary Range

$100,000 - $200,000 USD

Tools and Resources

• Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.
• Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities.
• Community: We’ll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups . These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company.

Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for mission-critical work. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com . [Nasdaq: APPN]

Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email [e-mail] . Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.