Senior Program Manager - Performance & Talent Enablement

Salary range is $78k to $180k, with a midpoint of $129k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

The Senior Program Manager - Performance and Talent Enablement is responsible for leading the design, implementation, and execution of agency-wide employee enablement programs that elevate individual performance, strengthen team effectiveness, and build leadership capability at every level. This role drives a performance-focused culture by aligning strategic talent programs with organizational goals, fostering leadership accountability, and supporting managers in developing high-performing teams.

Sitting at the intersection of human resources, talent strategy, and organizational transformation, this role plays a critical part in modernizing and scaling performance management through data-driven insights, technology, and inclusive, human-centered design.

Acting as a bridge between People & Culture teams, people leaders, employees, and external partners, this leader will drive cross-functional collaboration to ensure enablement efforts are integrated, consistent, and impactful-embedding continuous performance, coaching, and feedback practices that support both employee growth and organizational excellence.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

Enablement Strategy & Program Ownership

• Lead the design, execution, and continuous improvement of strategic enablement programs (e.g., performance management, coaching, people leader capability, role clarity).
• Create program frameworks and roadmaps aligned to employee enablement strategy, change priorities, and operational needs.
• Partner with leadership, HRBPs, and stakeholders to ensure alignment, adoption, and shared accountability.

Stakeholder & Vendor Partnership

• Serve as a strategic partner to internal teams (ST People, L&D) and external vendors to deliver integrated, scalable enablement solutions.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts, ensuring high-value delivery, KPI alignment, and process optimization.

Operational Excellence & Content Enablement

• Develop and maintain enablement content architecture (storyboards, training decks, job aids, toolkits) by leveraging available organizational tools and platforms to support scalable learning and performance practices.
• Implement content lifecycle and governance models to ensure relevance, accessibility, and usability across the organization, aligning resources with evolving workforce needs and performance priorities.
• Maintain tools and systems that track program progress, effectiveness, and manager capabilities, leveraging performance trends and employee relations data to identify gaps, reduce risk, and inform content and solution development.
• Use insights from employee relations and organizational health metrics to proactively shape enablement strategies that promote accountability, drive behavioral change, and support high-trust team environments.

Measurement & Insights

• Define and track enablement KPIs (ramp time, manager effectiveness, performance goal quality, adoption rates, etc.).
• Create dashboards and reports to communicate program health, usage trends, and strategic recommendations.

Change & Transformation Enablement

• Collaborate with peer program managers and key stakeholders to lead programmatic change management efforts that ensure successful adoption of major initiatives (e.g., performance enablement, job architecture, talent mobility).
• Ensure employees and leaders are equipped with the right tools, training, and support to adopt new systems or processes.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development or related field; 5 years of experience in employee development, employee enablement, program management, learning, and talent management, with demonstrated success in designing and implementing programs that drive employee engagement and growth; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage employees, managers, and senior leadership in the development and execution of employee programs.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to assess needs, design innovative programs, and measure success.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across various levels of the organization and collaborate effectively.
• Experience in managing or collaborating on performance management, leadership development, or enablement programs.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a hybrid office environment.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.