Talent Director

SM+K is seeking a Talent Director to aid in elevating its people practices, particularly with respect to Talent Acquisition, Performance Management, and Employee Relations and Engagement. This position reports into the Head of Talent.

who you arE

• Empathetic. As SM+K’s culture is people-first, a deep understanding of, concern for, and interest in your fellow humans is central to your approach.
• Intellectually curious. You draw inspiration from myriad sources. Never knowing where your next, big idea is coming from, you enjoy learning for learning’s sake.
• An optimistic skeptic. Evidence rules. Before taking a position you weigh pros and cons, consider sources of information, and look for a data-based recommendation.
• A systems thinker with a knack for building bridges, creating efficiencies, and finding synergies between people across disciplines, offices, and other disparate groups
• Adaptable. Being part of a small, hat-switching team does not overwhelm you. It excites you to be able to get a wide breadth of experience across several Talent-based disciplines.
• Entrepreneurial. Not only do you take personal pride in delivering exceptional work to internal clients, you do so with business objectives front-of-mind.

what you’ll do

• Advise and assist team in resolution of complex employee relations matters, consulting counsel and senior leadership as necessary.
• Partner with the Head of Talent to rework and retrain staff on the overhauled Performance Management process.
• Assist in development of firm-wide Learning &Development practices including leadership development, coaching for high-potential employees, general workshops and role-based curricula
• Lead the Talent Acquisition(TA) practice from sourcing through hire, ensuring a consistent, equitable, efficient and transparent process for applicants
• Define and measure success of our TA efforts, keeping track of time-to-fill, yield ratios, etc. and make recommendations for improvements
• Enhance pre-hire and onboarding experiences to reflect the company’s culture and values and promote our brand as an employer of choice
• Co-lead the design, integration, and adoption of practices aimed at increasing DEI among our team, monitoring programs for success
• Support administration of payroll, benefits, leaves and HRIS transactions

your experience

 As a qualified candidate, you have experience in all areas below:

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience
• Experience navigating complex employee relations issues
• Demonstrated interest in talent systems and philosophies

As an exceptional candidate, you possess many of the following attributes:

• Experience in a creative, media or professional services environment
• Professional certification from either SHRM or HRCI
• An outgoing, service-oriented, solutions-centered demeanor
• A talent for translating complex concepts into easy-to-follow terms
• Experience determining key performance indicators and tracking them over time

Candidates need not possess every attribute listed above to qualify for a role. If you identify with this profile but don’t quite meet all of the criteria we strongly encourage you to apply to joining our winning team!

Who we are

Subject Matter+Kivvit, where creative advocacy meets data-driven communications.

Our diverse skill sets deliver unexpected solutions that break through a complicated communications and policy landscape. We are an integrated consultancy, offering strategic communications, data analytics & insights, government relations, digital strategy, creative content, and advertising services. 

As one of the largest independent agencies, we provide clients with the attention they expect of a boutique firm, with the resources of a national agency.

We are here for what is now, and what is next. 

Subject Matter+Kivvit prides itself on the kind of innovation that is only achieved through inclusive collaboration and equal opportunity. Maintaining a diverse staff of first-class talent (including those from BIPOC, LGBTQ communities, and others from traditionally underrepresented groups), and conferring a sense of value and belonging on each team member is central to our mission as expert communicators.

We offer a uniquely rich benefits package to support our team’s quality of life outside of work that includes: 

• ​​​​​​​​​Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
• Fully paid parental leave
• 401(k) contributions
• Flexible, hybrid work arrangements
• 12 paid company holidays per year, up to 39 days individual paid time off 
• Winter break: Offices close the last week of the year

SM+K is also committed to providing necessary assistance or modifications to the application process for prospective candidates. If you need support, please reach out to [email protected] and include your full name and the accommodation needed to assist you with the Talent Acquisition process. Decisions to grant reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.