Principal, Colleague Experience - Recognition & Onboarding (New York or Cincinnati)

Be part of an amazing story.

Macy’s is more than just a store. We’re a story. One that’s captured the hearts and minds of America for more than 160 years. A story about innovations and traditions…about inspiring stores and irresistible products…about the excitement of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, and the wonder of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. We’ve been part of memorable moments and milestones for countless customers and colleagues. Those stories are part of what makes this such a special place to work.

Job Overview

As Principal, Colleague Experience, you'll redefine how Macy's colleagues feel welcomed, valued, and celebrated throughout their journey. Your primary focus will be on optimizing recognition, onboarding, and sustaining key workplace rituals to deliver on our culture vision. You’ll spearhead initiatives to continuously improve our colleague experience – to foster genuine hospitality and drive organizational growth.

What You Will Do

• Drive Growth Through Recognition: Develop and implement company-wide recognition programs that celebrate everyday excellence and high-impact achievements, reinforcing our culture and driving growth.
• Lead Impactful Recognition Events: Orchestrate company-wide recognition events, from concept to delivery, creating engaging celebrations that bring our colleagues together to spotlight outstanding performance.
• Elevate the Onboarding Experience: Lead the strategy and implementation of how we welcome and onboard new colleagues, ensuring they experience hospitality from the start. Serve as a key point of contact, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, to create a seamless and engaging experience.
• Build People Leader Capability: Partner with our Organizational Capability team to develop education that empowers leaders to elevate the colleague experience during key moments.
• Amplify Colleague Lifecycle Moments: Refine workplace practices at critical milestones—onboarding, career transitions, and recognition—ensuring every interaction deepens engagement and strengthens our culture.
• Personalize & Integrate Experiences: Utilize a persona-based approach and collaborate across functions to ensure colleague lifecycle experiences align with our colleague’s work environments.
• Cultivate Workplace Rituals: Develop and sustain meaningful workplace rituals that reinforce genuine hospitality and foster collaboration.
• Advise on Strategic Solutions: Provide expert guidance to HRBPs and business partners, ensuring consistent and engaging recognition and onboarding experiences across all locations.
• Champion Culture: Integrate Macy’s values and genuine hospitality into all colleague experiences. Provide support for key colleague experience initiatives, such as learning and listening, during peak periods.
• Leverage Data for Continuous Improvement: Analyze colleague feedback and data to assess ROI, understand program utilization, and measure the impact on colleague experience. Use these insights to refine and optimize strategies.
• Mentor and Develop Talent: Coach and directly supervise a direct report who will partner on colleague experience work and supports work across the Talent COE. 
• Foster an environment of acceptance and respect that strengthens relationships, and ensures authentic connections with colleagues, customers, and communities. 
• Special Projects and other duties as assigned. 

Skills You Will Need

Strategic Leadership: Clearly articulate and execute a vision aligned with Macy’s business and culture goals.

Change Management & Adaptability: Ability to drive and activate new strategies and approaches, while responding to colleague feedback and learnings.

Advanced Problem-Solving: Strong critical thinking skills to address complex workplace issues. Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively implement solutions.

Design Thinking Expertise: Apply a user-centered, iterative problem-solving approach to solutioning, focused on our colleagues’ needs and workplace.

Collaborative Communication & Storytelling: Proven ability to partner effectively across diverse teams and clearly communicate vision. Skilled in creating compelling narratives to focus teams on what matters most.

Adult Learning Expertise: Deep knowledge of adult learning, especially during onboarding, leadership transitions, and skill-building moments.

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Skilled at using analytics to continuously enhance experiences, establish KPIs, and measure impact.

Innovative & Human-Centered: Experienced in applying design