Senior Manager, Associate Experience & Engagement

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. in St.

Louis, MO is seeking a Manager, Associate Experience & Engagement to lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the associate experience across the employee lifecycle, ensuring associates feel informed, supported, connected, and valued from onboarding through offboarding. You will partner with HR, Field Operations, Communications, and business leaders to drive engagement, culture, and experience programs that strengthen retention and reflect

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in HR, employee engagement, communications, or people-focused roles.
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering employee experience or engagement programs.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to craft clear, compelling messaging.
• Experience partnering across HR, Operations, and business leaders.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives.
• High attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.
• Ability to navigate sensitive situations with discretion, empathy, and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of associate experience programs (onboarding, engagement, recognition, communications, culture-building).
• Manages end-to-end onboarding across HR, IT, Operations, and hiring managers; maintain Day 1 readiness and new hire resources.
• Oversee associate engagement strategies (surveys, pulse checks, feedback channels) and drive improvements.
• Develop and maintain associate-facing communications; manage intranet content, handbooks, and experience guides.
• Support culture and recognition programs, including events and initiatives reinforcing belonging.

Skills

Strong communication

Project management

Employee engagement design

Cross-functional collaboration

Discretion & professionalism

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Communications, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

HRIS

Engagement platforms

Survey tools

Job description

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. in St.

Louis, MO is seeking a Manager, Associate Experience & Engagement to lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the associate experience across the employee lifecycle, ensuring associates feel informed, supported, connected, and valued from onboarding through offboarding. You will partner with HR, Field Operations, Communications, and business leaders to drive engagement, culture, and experience programs that strengthen retention and reflect