Manager, Associate Experience & Engagement

The Manager, Associate Experience & Engagement leads the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of Build‑A‑Bear’s associate experience across the full employee lifecycle. This role ensures associates feel informed, supported, connected, and valued from onboarding through offboarding. Partnering closely with HR, Field Operations, Communications, and business leaders, the Manager drives engagement, culture, and experience programs that strengthen retention and reinforce Build‑A‑Bear’s values.

 

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of associate experience programs, including onboarding, engagement, recognition, communications, and culture‑building initiatives.
• Manage the end‑to‑end onboarding experience, ensuring consistent, high‑quality delivery across HR, IT, Operations, and hiring managers; maintain Day 1 readiness, orientation content, and new hire resources.
• Oversee associate engagement strategies, including surveys, pulse checks, feedback channels, and action planning; analyze results and partner with leaders to drive meaningful improvements.
• Develop and maintain associate‑facing communications, ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment with company values; manage intranet content, handbooks, and experience guides.
• Support culture and recognition programs, including company events, celebrations, and initiatives that reinforce belonging and organizational values.
• Identify experience gaps and lead continuous improvement, streamlining processes, reducing friction, and enhancing clarity across the associate lifecycle.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and cross‑functional teams to ensure policies, processes, and communications are associate‑centric, compliant, and easy to navigate.
• Provide tools, resources, and training for managers to strengthen leadership capability and ensure consistent associate experiences across the organization.
• Track and report on associate experience metrics, including engagement, retention, onboarding effectiveness, and feedback trends; use insights to recommend strategic improvements.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and escalation point for associate experience matters across the organization.
• Other responsibilities as needed.

 

Required 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

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with engagement platforms, HRIS systems, or survey tools; retail industry experience a plus
• Experience developing manager‑facing resources or training
• Experience with internal communications or change management

 

Behavioral Traits for Success:

• Strong initiative and urgency
• Persuasive, influential communication
• High self-confidence and poise
• People-centric leadership
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Comfort with delegation
• Motivating presence
• Resilience and undaunted drive

 

Working Environment:

• Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs
• Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO
• Up to 10% overnight domestic travel may be required

 

Your Performance Will Be Measured On:

Your performance will be measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following:

• Decision-making, judgment, and execution
• Clear and thorough communication, both spoken and written
• Timeliness and follow-up
• Problem solving and removing obstacles
• Planning and organization
• Building strong relationships with cross-functional team members
• Tenacity and commitment to tasks
• Internal and external stakeholder feedback

 

This description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent an expressed or implied contract of employment, nor does it alter your at-will employment, and Build-A-Bear, Inc. reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as may be deemed appropriate.