Talent & Engagement Lead

National Basketball Association (NBA); New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life/AD&D insurance

Short- and long-term disability

Fertility and family-forming assistant

Wellbeing allowance

Educational assistance

Mental health coaching/therapy

HSA and healthcare FSAs

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is seeking a Talent Management & Engagement Lead to drive performance management, employee engagement, and talent development across the organization. This strategic role partners with HR and senior leaders to build a high-performance culture and an engaged workforce.

Responsibilities include leading annual performance cycles, managing engagement surveys and 360 feedback, overseeing talent reviews, and supporting organizational change.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field.
• Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, HR Management, or related discipline preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in HR, Talent Management, or related function.
• Demonstrated ownership of employee engagement survey programs with full-cycle execution and reporting.
• Proven experience leading cyclical performance management processes at an organizational scale.
• Experience with HRIS systems and talent platforms; Learning & Development background is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end administration of annual performance management cycle across the organization.
• Manage company-wide employee engagement surveys, including vendor coordination and results delivery.
• Oversee feedback processes (360, peer/upward) and link insights to leadership development and coaching.
• Support talent initiatives like succession planning and talent reviews with senior leadership.
• Assist with organizational change management, communications, and readiness assessments.
• Develop and maintain performance program materials and resources; update each cycle.
• Oversee system configuration and workflows with the HRIS team for program delivery.
• Serve as escalation point for complex questions about performance and engagement programs.
• Leverage data to produce actionable reporting for senior stakeholders.
• Identify operational gaps and implement improvements for consistency and efficiency.
• Adapt program delivery as priorities evolve; guide project contributors.

Skills

Relationship building

Project management

HR program delivery

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Influence without authority

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Workday

CultureAmp

Qualtrics

Job description

WORK OPTION: The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

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Group And Position Summary

The Talent Management & Learning group within the Human Resources team is responsible for leading the NBA’s enterprise talent management strategies and programs to drive employee engagement and retention, increase productivity and performance, and build a strong pipeline of talent for key roles and future business needs. The group is responsible for performance management, talent development, employee engagement, leadership development, coaching, as well as leading the organization’s competency development initiatives as it relates to key professional skills that help to build teams and advance the mission of the NBA on a global scale.

The Talent & Engagement Lead is responsible for driving the design and execution of key people programs across the organization, including performance management, employee engagement, and talent development initiatives. This role serves as a strategic partner and subject matter expert, collaborating across departments to support organizational effectiveness and an engaged workforce. The Talent & Engagement Lead brings advanced knowledge of HR program delivery, data-informed decision-making, and the ability to influence leaders at all levels to foster a high-performance culture.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end administration of the annual performance management cycle, including goal setting, mid-year check-ins, and year-end reviews, ensuring consistent and equitable execution across the organization
• Manage full execution of the company-wide employee engagement survey, including vendor coordination, system alignment, communication strategy, survey design in alignment with key stakeholders, participation monitoring, and results delivery to the organization and are the primary internal consultant to HR Business Partners and business leaders on engagement survey strategy, data interpretation, and action planning,
• Oversee the execution of overall feedback across the organization – inclusive of leadership 360-degree feedback assessments, peer/upward feedback processes, managing vendor relationships, participant logistics, and results reporting, and partnering with HR Business Partners to connect insights to leader development and coaching conversations
• Support the execution of talent initiatives including succession planning and talent reviews, partnering with HR Business Partners and senior leadership to ensure programs are delivered with quality and strategic alignment
• Assist with organizational change management and org design efforts, including the development of stakeholder communications, readiness assessments, and supporting materials for leadership reviews
• Direct the development and maintenance of all performance program materials, including process guides, manager toolkits, employee-facing communications, and reference documentation, updating resources each cycle to reflect process improvements
• Oversee system configuration and workflows in partnership with the HRIS team, ensuring accurate setup and alignment across platforms in support of performance program delivery
• Serve as the escalation point for complex process questions from managers and employees related to performance and engagement programs, ensuring timely and appropriate resolution
• Leverage data to inform decision-making and track progress throughout each program cycle, producing clear and actionable reporting and end-of-cycle summaries for senior stakeholders
• Identify recurring operational gaps across talent processes and implement practical improvements to increase efficiency and consistency from cycle to cycle
• Adapt program delivery in an iterative fashion as business priorities evolve, adjusting timelines, communications, and coordination plans while maintaining continuity and quality of execution
• Provide direction and guidance to project contributors supporting talent program administration

Required Education/Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field
• Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, Human Resources Management, or a related discipline preferred
• 10+ years of relevant experience in Human Resources, Talent Management, or a closely related HR function
• Demonstrated ownership of employee engagement survey programs, including full-cycle execution from launch through results delivery and stakeholder reporting
• Proven experience leading cyclical performance management processes, including goal setting, mid-year, and year-end reviews, at an organizational scale
• Track record of managing complex, cross-functional programs with multiple senior stakeholders across departments
• Experience working within or directing HRIS systems and talent platforms in a program ownership or administration capacity
• Background in Learning and Development is a plus and will be viewed favorably for candidates looking to grow into a broader talent development leadership scope

Required Skills/Knowledge Attributes

• Ability to build relationships at all levels of an organization, with excellent communication skills that convey complex ideas in a simple way that builds understanding and credibility
• Strong project management skills with the capacity to manage multiple projects at the same time
• Ability to design, build, and execute projects from beginning to end with a bigger picture in mind
• Proficiency in leveraging data for decision-making and progress tracking
• Exceptional organizational leadership skills with the ability to build credibility and influence across teams swiftly
• Advanced knowledge of performance management frameworks, employee engagement methodologies, and HR program delivery at scale
• Proficiency with HRIS and talent platforms such as Workday, CultureAmp, Qualtrics, or similar systems
• Strong communication skills with the ability to tailor messaging for employees, managers, and senior leaders alike
• Collaborative and solutions-oriented working style with a proven ability to influence without authority in a matrixed environment

Salary Range

$150,000 - $170,000

Job Posting Title

Director

Employees currently are eligible to receive an annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company. Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life/AD&D insurance
• short- and long-term disability
• fertility and family-forming assistance
• wellbeing allowance
• educational assistance
• mental health coaching/therapy
• tax advantaged accounts such as HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs
• a 401(k) retirement plan
• time off benefits that include vacation, sick time, and personal days

We Consider Applicants For All Positions On The Basis Of Merit, Qualifications And Business Needs, And Without Regard To Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, Gender Identity, Age, Disability, Alienage Or Citizenship Status, Ancestry, Marital Status, Creed, Genetic Predisposition Or Carrier Status, Sexual Orientation, Veteran Status, Familial Status, Status As A Victim Of Domestic Violence Or Any Other Status Or Characteristic Protected By Applicable Federal, State, Or Local Law.

The NBA is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. To safeguard our employees and their families, our visitors, and the broader community from COVID-19, and in consideration of recommendations from health authorities and the NBA’s own advisors, any individual working onsite in our New York and New Jersey offices must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The NBA will discuss accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.

About The NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.