Head of Associate Experience & Technology

Position Summary:
The role of Head of Associate Experience & Technology is a newly created position that will be empowered to advance the performance of Parallel’s associates by delivering high value, simplified and personalized experiences at every stage of their associate’s interaction with HR policies, initiatives, programs, and processes.

This leader must be relentless about enabling associates to meet the needs of Parallel’s customers, leveraging technology to its fullest extent, and bringing solutions that will create value for the different segments of the workforce. Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, and playing a key role on the HR leadership team, the successful candidate will be the designer and implementer of enabling technologies and interfaces that optimize employee engagement and performance.

The Associate Experience & Technology Leader will have broad authority to develop a digital culture that seamlessly aligns the delivery of Parallel’s customer value proposition with their employee value proposition.

Primary Accountability and Responsibilities:

• Develop an HR technology road-map that aligns strategy, structure, processes, people, and culture through an enabling suite of technologies that drive ongoing operational efficiency in the delivery of exceptional customer experience.
• Instill a customer back mindset into HR service delivery by incorporating empathy, data analytics, design thinking, and agile methodologies into every aspect of every employee interaction.
• Ensure new hire engagement by creating an awesome on-boarding experience wherein new employees are set up for success with clear expectations and empowerment.
• Oversight of all People-related delivery initiatives, ranging from specific one-time projects to annual cyclical events such as the Employee Survey and Pay & Bonus review.
• The job holder is expected to be the “eyes and ears” for the People Services and Delivery team, and facilitates and influences people initiatives.
• By leveraging business insights and strong stakeholder relationships, this role will make recommendations to enhance the overall people delivery experience.
• Accountable for the delivery of a standardized efficient service for People lifecycle, calendar events, as well as processes and initiatives to support delivery of the People strategy
• Lead all operational activity by building and maintaining key relationships across the business to ensure a great delivery experience
• Influence and provide best practice solutions to people managers in order to deliver against functional plans, and support initiatives aligned to the people strategy.
• Work closely with Business Partners and other specialist areas within the People team to ensure resource and support is in place to successfully execute plans.
• Working in close collaboration with functional centers of excellence, orchestrate effective HR services delivery to all employees. Provide strategic leadership in digital employee engagement, continuous improvement, and efficiency in those functions, which includes benefits and leave administration, employee contact center, HR data governance, talent management, off-boarding, and mobility services.
• Working in partnerships with customer-facing stakeholders identify, assess and implement HR service delivery opportunities to optimize the employee experience.
• By using data, information, and analytics, develop business cases that drive increased compliance, efficiency, and improved employee experience through:
• Introduction of service tiers where applicable and where required, ranging from self-service to white glove.
• Increased simplification and access to self-service features and capabilities across functions and markets in order to drive efficiency and improved employee experience.

Key Selection Criteria:

• Mastery is design thinking which brings together what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable.
• Experience in creating a high performance digital culture that utilizes technologies to enable employee engagement and performance.
• The proven ability to proactively partner with the management team to enable optimum employee performance which delivers exceptional customer service while providing the employee a phenomenal experience.
• Self-starter with a passion for solving complex challenges through teamwork and innovation. Aptitude for framing complex business problems, generating testable hypotheses, translating these through analyses into recommendations to facilitate effective decision-making.
• Committed to Well-being, advocating the realization that they, and others, can be their best when they focus on their well-being and that of their colleagues and customers.
• High-energy level, hands-on management style, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong business acumen, financially astute, attention to detail, and strong sense of logic will be critical to success in this role.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, information technology or related field required.
• Educational emphasis and/or certification in design theory is Required.
• 10 years progressive management experience in HR service delivery in retail or a FMCG environment, wherein technology has been effectively utilized to achieve a high performance culture.

6 CORE VALUES OF A PARALLEL ASSOCIATE

Integrity – We operate in a regulated and unchartered industry. Act and make decisions that stand up to scrutiny and reflect our position as a sophisticated, credible and respected leader. Be honest, trustworthy, dependable, and honorable. Demonstrate sound moral and ethical ways of interacting.

Collaboration – We are a collection of the best talent at all levels. Learn and grow from this diversity: welcome healthy debate and proactively seek other perspectives and points of view to find the best solution while not resting on consensus. Proactively ensure the right people have the right information at the right time. Work as a team vs. an individual performer.

Agility – We are growing incredibly fast in a new industry. Be open to change, be ready to pivot on the moment’s notice, and act with a sense of urgency to take advantage of opportunities. Then be ready to do it again. Quickly –and calmly -respond and adapt to the unexpected. Modify and streamline processes, find more efficient ways of doing your job. Work efficiently across markets, time zones, and functions.

Intentionality – Intentionality requires action –it makes your intentions happen. Good thoughts are meaningless without action. It is initiative directed by the purpose to move our business forward. Intentionality is doing things important to you, even when not easy. Transformational change happens with intentionally.

Alignment – Together, we must understand and believe in our vision, mission, business and team goals and priorities. When we make a decision, even when we don’t have consensus we all align behind that decision and execute. We don’t revisit decisions unless we have material new data or circumstances.

Accountability – Make the best proactive and reactive decisions given the available information and the wisest counsel. • Own your decisions, actions and outcomes, and promptly correct mistakes. • Be reliable, honor commitments and do not finger point, off-load responsibilities, or criticize co-workers. Look after co-workers and team’s success.