Workplace Experience & Strategic Initiatives Manager

SupportFinity™; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible paid time off

Coaching and learning stipends

Job summary

BetterUp is seeking a hands-on Workplace Experience & Strategic Initiatives Manager in Oakland to lead the SF hub and drive global workplace programs. You will own day-to-day operations, lead cross-functional HR initiatives, manage vendors and budgets, and champion AI-driven improvements to experiences and reporting.

The role emphasizes hybrid/workplace strategy, leadership across international locations, and a data-informed approach to scaling a modern, AI-enabled workplace culture.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years in Workplace Experience, HR Operations, Program Management, or similar.
• Hands-on experience owning a physical workplace or hub in hybrid/high-growth environments.
• Proven people management experience across distributed/multi-site teams.
• Strong project management skills with ability to deliver in ambiguous settings.
• Experience managing vendors, budgets, space planning, and health & safety considerations.
• Comfortable being visible, present, and accountable for outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills and executive presence.
• Experience managing leased offices or third-party office providers.
• Data-driven mindset with analytics (AI-assisted) to inform decisions.
• Willingness to travel 15–20% for onsite support in US/international hubs.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day SF hub operations and ensure a safe, high-quality employee/guest experience.
• Lead workplace logistics for hybrid work, on-site leadership needs, and executive meetings.
• Develop and evolve the long-term Workplace Experience strategy and hub model across regions.
• Directly manage Workplace Experience specialists in international locations.
• Lead cross-functional HR initiatives beyond workplace scope.
• Manage vendor relationships, budgets, and contract performance.
• Champion AI and automation to streamline workflows and improve reporting.

Skills

Project management

People leadership

Vendor management

Data analytics

AI tools

Tools

Google Suite

Envoy

WeWork systems

Grubhub

Job description

Workplace Experience & Strategic Initiatives Manager

BetterUp |

BetterUp | Posted Mar 15

Full-time

Oakland

Unknown

Let’s face it, a company whose mission is human transformation better have some fresh thinking about the employer/employee relationship.

We do. We can't cram it all in here, but you'll start noticing it from the first interview.

Even our candidate experience is different. And when you get an offer from us (and accept it), you get way more than a paycheck. You get a personal BetterUp Coach, a development plan, a trained and coached manager, the most amazing team you've ever met (yes, each with their own personal BetterUp Coach), and most importantly, work that matters.

This makes for a remarkably focused and fulfilling work experience. Frankly, it’s not for everyone. But for people with fire in their belly, it’s a game-changing, career-defining, soul-lifting move.

Join us and we promise you the most intense and fulfilling years of your career, doing life-changing work in a fun, inventive, soulful culture.

This is a hands-on leadership role with primary accountability for Workplace Experience and Hub Operations, including direct ownership of the San Francisco hub, while also leading select cross-functional HR initiatives.

Approximately 60% of this role is focused on Workplace Experience execution and hub ownership — ensuring day-to-day operational excellence, health and safety compliance, and a high-quality employee and guest experience. The remaining scope focuses on driving workplace strategy and broader HR projects across Total Rewards, HR Operations, and people infrastructure.

As an AI-forward company, we expect this leader to champion the use of AI and automation to streamline workflows, elevate insights, and continuously improve how employees experience our physical spaces and HR programs. This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of people leadership, operational excellence, strategic workplace planning, and modern technology — comfortable executing in real time while also shaping what "great" looks like at scale.

If that sounds exciting—and the job description below feels like a fit—we really should start talking.

What You’ll DoWorkplace Experience & SF Hub Ownership (Primary Focus – ~60%)

• Serve as the day-to-day owner of the San Francisco hub, ensuring a seamless, safe, and high-quality employee and guest experience.
• Oversee daily workplace operations including space readiness, front-of-house support, vendor coordination, events, and real-time issue resolution.
• Act as the primary point of accountability for the SF hub—anticipating needs, resolving problems quickly, and continuously improving the experience.
• Lead workplace logistics related to hybrid work, in-office programming, leadership on-site needs, and executive meetings.
• Own workplace health, safety, and compliance for the hub, partnering with Legal, People, and external vendors to meet local and company standards.
• Manage local vendors and service partners; ensure service levels, budgets, and contracts are met.
• Partner closely with regional and global counterparts to ensure consistency while adapting to local needs.

This is not a passive role—this leader is visible, present, and actively involved in execution.

Workplace Strategy, Program & People Leadership

• Own and evolve the long-term Workplace Experience and hub strategy, balancing employee experience, cost discipline, scalability, and risk management.
• Directly manage Workplace Experience Specialists in international locations, including London and Austin, providing clear priorities, coaching, and performance management.
• Establish operating standards, playbooks, and shared ways of working across hubs to ensure a consistent global experience while allowing for local nuance.
• Lead workplace-related programs such as space planning, moves, expansions, hub model evolution, and vendor transitions across regions.
• Translate strategy into executable plans with clear milestones, risks, dependencies, and success metrics.
• Use data, employee insights, and on-the-ground feedback to inform decisions and continuously refine the workplace model.

HR Project Management & Cross-Functional Initiatives (~40%)

• Lead cross-functional HR initiatives beyond workplace, partnering with Total Rewards, HR Operations, People Systems, Finance, IT, and Legal.
• Bring structure and momentum to complex, ambiguous projects—owning planning, prioritization, execution, and communication.
• Balance project delivery with ongoing workplace operations, ensuring neither is compromised.
• Act as a trusted execution partner to HR leadership, surfacing tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations.

Vendor, Budget & Stakeholder Management

• Own strategic vendor relationships tied to workplace and HR initiatives, including contract negotiation, renewals, and performance management.
• Manage workplace and program budgets with strong cost discipline and transparency.
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders and cross-functional partners; communicate clearly and decisively at all levels.

AI-Enabled & Scalable Operations

• Champion the use of AI, automation, and modern tools to streamline workplace and HR workflows.
• Improve reporting, forecasting, and decision-making through better data, tooling, and dashboards.
• Reduce manual effort while increasing consistency, insight, and scalability across workplace and HR programs.

If you have some or all of the following, please apply:

• 8–12+ years of experience in Workplace Experience, HR Operations, Program Management, or similar operational leadership roles.
• Hands-on experience owning a physical workplace or hub, ideally in a hybrid or high-growth environment.
• Proven people management experience, including leading distributed or multi-site teams.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of delivering complex work in ambiguous environments.
• Experience managing vendors, budgets, space planning, and health & safety considerations.
• Comfort being visible, present, and accountable for outcomes—not just planning.
• Excellent communication skills and strong executive presence.
• Experience managing leased offices, co-working spaces, or third-party office providers.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. health and safety regulations; familiarity with U.K. and EU standards preferred.
• Demonstrated success driving vendor negotiations, cost optimization, and service-level management.
• Data-driven mindset with experience using analytics (preferably AI-assisted) to inform decisions.
• Ability to travel 15–20% for onsite support in U.S. and international hubs.
• Comfort adopting AI tools for automation, reporting, documentation, and workflow efficiency.
• Familiarity with workplace tech (Google Suite, Envoy, WeWork systems, Grubhub, and similar platforms).

Benefits

• Access to BetterUp coaching; one for you and one for a friend or family member
• A competitive compensation plan with opportunity for advancement
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible paid time off
• Per year:
  • All federal/statutory holidays observed
  • 4 BetterUp Inner Workdays (https://www.betterup.co/inner-work)
  • 5 Volunteer Days to give back
  • Learning and Development stipend
  • Company wide Summer & Winter breaks
• Year-round charitable contribution of your choice on behalf of BetterUp
• 401(k) self contribution

We are dedicated to building diverse teams that fuel an authentic workplace and sense of belonging for each and every employee. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we encourage everyone interested in joining us to apply.

BetterUp Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, BetterUp Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Protecting your privacy and treating your personal information with care is very important to us, and central to the entire BetterUp family. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. If you have any questions about the privacy of your personal information or your rights with regards to your personal information, please reach out to [e-mail]

Base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $190,000.

About the company

BetterUp