Director, People Strategy

Position Summary...

The Director, People Strategy is accountable for enterprise program architecture and disciplined execution across Walmart U.S. People initiatives. This role does not simply manage delivery. It defines the problem, designs the program structure and requirements, shapes scalable solutions in partnership with Product and Tech, and ensures governance and execution drive measurable outcomes. Operating horizontally across People, Operations, Product, Tech, Planning, and Data, the Director ensures complex initiatives move from ambiguity to clarity, and from intent to impact.

Mission:
Define and architect enterprise People programs that translate business pain points into scalable solutions. Own program design from problem framing through measurable impact, integrating AI and automation where appropriate to drive simplicity, speed, and business value at scale.

What you'll do...

• Lead structured problem framing with business and functional leaders to define clear problem statements, use cases, and measurable success criteria.
• Own end-to-end program architecture, including scope definition, operating model impacts, business and functional requirements, sequencing, and success metrics.
• Define solution guardrails and intended outcomes before build begins, ensuring downstream Product and Tech execution aligns to business need.
• Identify integration points across initiatives and enterprise roadmaps to reduce duplication and create scalable capabilities.
• Incorporate AI and automation into program design where it improves speed, decision quality, cost efficiency, or associate experience.

Operational Excellence & Delivery Management

• Lead governance routines that provide clarity, visibility, and decision-making for enterprise initiatives.
• Partner with the Sr. Director and Portfolio Manager to connect program performance to strategic outcomes and multi-year planning.
• Create consistent standards for planning, documentation, and milestone tracking to drive alignment across initiatives.
• Identify cross-program interdependencies and integration opportunities across functions (e.g., Stores, Supply Chain, Health & Wellness, Manufacturing, etc.).
• Serve as the connector between delivery execution and business value — ensuring what’s built aligns to what the business needs. Executive Influence & Stakeholder Alignment Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across People, Operations, Product, and Tech to drive alignment and remove barriers.
• Influence enterprise sequencing and roadmap alignment based on program architecture and business readiness.
• Translate complex program design into concise executive narratives grounded in data and outcomes.
• Provide strategic guidance and oversight to Sr. Program Managers leading major initiatives.
• Represent People Strategy & Operations in enterprise forums, ensuring programs are connected to other transformation efforts.

Key Skills:

• Enterprise program architecture and operating model design
• Strategic problem framing and structured requirements definition
• AI-enabled workflow and automation design
• Cross-functional influence at senior levels
• Governance design and execution rigor
• Executive communication and storytelling
• Data-informed decision making

What you’ll bring:

• 10+ years of experience in program or portfolio management, leading large-scale, cross- functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience defining business requirements and architecting programs that required product or technology build.
• Proven ability to align strategy to execution in complex enterprise environments.
• Expertise in program management methodologies, frameworks, and tools (Airtable, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent).
• Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources, or related field.
• Experience within People, HR Tech, or enterprise transformation functions.
• Demonstrated experience designing AI-enabled or automation-driven enterprise solutions.
• Experience influencing product roadmaps based on business program architecture.
• Familiarity with Walmart systems and governance rhythms.
• Track record of delivering measurable outcomes across multi-year initiatives.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benef