The Director, Employee Experience is responsible for leading key people programs and strategies that shape the overall employee experience at Aretum. This role oversees major areas within the Employee Experience pillar, including Total Rewards, employee engagement, culture, development, performance management, and People & Culture communications.
This leader partners closely with People & Culture leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to design, implement, and continuously improve employee-facing programs that support retention, growth, engagement, and organizational effectiveness. The role requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with a strong focus on building scalable programs that align with business needs and strengthen Aretum’s employee experience.
RequirementsKey Responsibilities
Employee Experience Leadership
- Lead the strategy, development and execution of employee experience strategies and programs that support engagement, retention, culture, and organizational effectiveness
- Set priorities for employee-focused programs in partnership with People & Culture leadership, ensuring alignment with business goals and evolving workforce needs
- Drive a consistent and scalable approach to employee experience across the organization
Total Rewards
- Lead key areas of Aretum’s Total Rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, and employee reward programs
- Partner with leadership on compensation philosophy, pay structures, job leveling, and reward approaches
- Oversee benefits strategy and administration in partnership with internal stakeholders and external vendors as needed
- Assess Total Rewards programs and recommend enhancements based on market data, employee feedback, and business needs
Culture and Engagement
- Lead programs and initiatives that strengthen culture, connection, and employee engagement across the organization
- Oversee engagement survey strategy, results analysis, trend identification, and action planning support
- Serve as a liaison to culture-building initiatives, employee committees, recognition efforts, and engagement programs
- Help foster an employee-centered culture that supports inclusion, connection, and organizational effectiveness
Learning, Development, and Performance
- Oversee programs related to employee development, leadership development, career pathing, and performance management
- Partner with leaders and managers to strengthen growth opportunities and performance practices
- Design and improve development programs that support retention and long-term employee success
People & Culture Communications
- Lead and coordinate People & Culture communications related to employee programs, initiatives, and key updates
- Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure communications are clear, consistent, and aligned with company messaging
- Support communication planning for major initiatives, including benefits updates, performance cycles, engagement efforts, and policy rollouts
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Partner closely with People Operations, Talent Acquisition, Finance, leadership, and other internal teams to align employee-facing programs and priorities
- Support enterprise-wide initiatives that impact employees, managers, and the overall employee experience
- Guide rollout efforts tied to People & Culture programs and organizational change
Metrics and Continuous Improvement
- Establish and monitor key metrics related to compensation, benefits, employee engagement, retention, development participation, and program effectiveness
- Use employee feedback, internal data, and market insights to identify improvement opportunities
- Provide reporting, recommendations, and strategic insights to People & Culture and executive leadership
- 15+ years of progressive Human Resources and People & Culture experience, including significant leadership in Employee Experience, Total Rewards, talent management, organizational development, or related functions
- Experience leading or managing programs across compensation, benefits, employee engagement, culture, development, or performance management
- Experience partnering with leadership to develop and improve employee-facing programs and people strategies
- Strong understanding of compensation analysis, market benchmarking, and employee benefits administration
- Strong communication, organizational, and project management skills
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
- Experience in government contracting, professional services, or a similarly fast-paced environment
- Experience supporting organizational change, manager enablement, or employee communications
- Experience working with employee survey tools, performance processes, and people metrics
- Familiarity with cross-functional program leadership and implementing company-wide people initiatives
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
Benefits
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Paid Time Off
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short Term & Long-Term Disability
- Training & Development
EEO Statement
Aretum is committed to fostering a workplace rooted in excellence, integrity, and equal opportunity for all. We adhere to merit-based hiring practices, ensuring that all employment decisions are made based on qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the job, without preference or consideration of factors unrelated to job performance.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aretum complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
We are proud to support our nation’s veterans and military families, providing career opportunities that honor their service and experience.
If you require reasonable accommodation during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
What We Do
Panum, a Maryland-based company, provides a continuum of services and strategies to accelerate innovation and transformation for the federal government in meeting its mission. Panum has had significant growth in the last 5 years due to its people, process, and innovative solution and services offered to its federal customers. Panum brings innovative ideas with a passion and a culture of “expect excellence” in Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Health Sciences, Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, FOIA Support, Logistics, Training, and Organizational Change Management. It provides these services to more than 25 federal agencies. Panum has received numerous excellence awards from its federal customers including the Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Agriculture. Panum provides its employees with work-life balance, an opportunity to innovate, learn, and grow their skills while working on solving the most complex federal government problems. Panum's management team consists of seasoned executives with both industry and government experience. This team boasts decades of business experience in diverse businesses with domestic and international operations, as well as small and large businesses. Why choose Panum? We are readily available to assist our customers with the necessary expertise and support to accomplish their mission.
