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WP Engine is looking for a Principal Employee Experience (HR) Business Partner to be the strategic talent partner for our Marketing organization and Global Corporate Functions (Finance, Enterprise Systems/Corporate IT, and Revenue Operations).
This role sits at the intersection of business strategy and people. You'll be a trusted advisor to senior executives, helping them see the talent and organizational implications of their decisions before they make them, and you'll be an advocate for the people in these teams, someone who knows what it actually feels like to work here and feels personally responsible for protecting and strengthening our culture. The best Business Partners hold both of these at once: deep commercial acumen and a genuine connection to the employee experience. That's who we're looking for.
What You'll Do
- Advise the business. Partner with executive leadership on strategy, structure, and talent. You assess the people and business impact of proposed changes, bring an independent and evidence-backed point of view, and help leaders find the path that holds up over time. You escalate when warranted and move fast once the call is made.
- Champion our people and culture. Stay close to the teams you support. Understand their experience firsthand, elevate what you hear, and ensure decisions about pace, structure, and priorities account for their impact on people. Be a visible steward of WP Engine's values.
- Lead org design and change. Guide organizational design, operating model shifts, and change initiatives across multiple global functions, with a plan for how people move through the change and not just the end state.
- Coach leaders. Provide candid, practical coaching to senior executives and their teams on leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, inclusion, and nuanced people matters.
- Own the talent strategy for your client groups. Drive performance and development cycles, compensation planning, employee relations and workforce planning in partnership with our Centers of Excellence.
- Strengthen the EE function. You collaborate closely with Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, People Operations, Systems, etc, bringing them in early and sharing context generously. You surface what you're seeing across your client groups, give and take feedback well, and elevate others.
Who You Are
- An experienced HRBP. 8+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience, including direct partnership with VP+ and C-suite leaders, ideally in tech or a high-growth environment.
- Commercially fluent. You understand growth drivers, P&L dynamics, and how marketing and corporate functions create value, and you translate that into talent strategy leaders actually use.
- A pragmatic problem solver. You find the path that balances risk and outcome, and you have a track record of judgment leaders trust.
- A confident, independent voice. You form your own view, share it clearly, and hold it under pressure.
- A genuine employee advocate. You care about how it feels to work here. You build trust across levels, and people bring you things because they know you'll handle it fairly.
- A skilled communicator. You distill complex information into clear, executive-ready recommendations, and you deliver hard truths in a way that people trust you more, not less, for having heard them.
Candidates must be in a commutable distance from downtown Austin and comfortable being in the office an average of 2 days per week.
The Perks & Benefits
- Company Stock Options (Every employee is an owner in the company)
- Great Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance)
- Fertility Benefits (IVF/Fertility drug coverage)
- HSA Company contribution
- 401(k) with a 4% match
- Disability Insurance
- Paid Family and Caregiver’s Leave
- Employee Assistance Program
- Generous Vacation Time (Who doesn’t like time off)
- One-time $500 payment to set up your home office
- 4 Company Wellness Days a year
- 1 floating holiday
- Pet Insurance
- On-going education through LinkedIn Learning, Workday Learning and our Career Growth Portal
At WP Engine, we strive to have the broadest possible view of diversity, going beyond visible differences to include the background, experiences, skills, and perspectives that make each person unique. WP Engine is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.
Base Salary Range
We believe that compensation should be reflective of the impact you have within the organization relative to the market value of your role. The estimated base salary range for this position is as listed above. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay. Our salary ranges are determined by job role and responsibilities and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for salaries for the position nationwide. The actual base pay will vary based on various factors including job-related skills and individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process. Your talent acquisition partner can share more about the total rewards package at WP Engine including any additional total rewards components such as equity, variable pay plans (if applicable), and benefits during the hiring process.
Skills Required
- 8+ years of progressive HR Business Partner experience
- Direct partnership experience with VP-level and C-suite leaders
- Candidates must live within commuting distance of downtown Austin
- Comfort working in the office an average of 2 days per week
- Experience in technology or a high-growth environment
- Understanding of growth drivers, P&L dynamics, and corporate functions
- Experience leading organizational design, operating model shifts, and change initiatives
- Experience with performance and development cycles, compensation planning, employee relations, and workforce planning
- Strong executive communication, leadership coaching, judgment, and problem-solving skills
WP Engine Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about WP Engine and has not been reviewed or approved by WP Engine.
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Healthcare Strength — Employee medical, dental, and vision premiums are described as fully employer‑paid in the U.S., with options that include fertility coverage, preventive care, and mental‑health supports. Wellbeing resources such as an EAP, Calm access, a monthly wellness allowance, and quarterly wellness days bolster the package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is framed as generous, including several weeks of PTO, company holidays, a floating holiday, and recurring wellness days. The approach pairs with a remote‑first model and encouragement to take needed time away.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Stock options are provided broadly so that all employees participate in ownership. Equity is presented as a standard component of offers across functions and levels.
WP Engine Insights
What We Do
We're a rapidly growing technology company that is committed to having an awesome culture, innovation, open source, exceptional customer service, and the massively growing WordPress community!
Why Work With Us
If you’re looking for a fun and fast-paced environment where you can make an impact, WP Engine is the perfect spot for you. We are looking for new team members to come help us shape the way people use and think of WordPress. As a member of our team you will have the opportunity to explore and help us all drive the business forward.
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