Program Manager, Compass Group Employee Engagement

REI Co-op is united around discovering, building and celebrating better ways of working in this world, all so that folks can find and pursue a love of the outdoors. When you work for the co-op, you do your best work with the support to live your best life. And you play a part in shaping the future of the outdoors, for people and our planet. 

The Compass Program Office team is responsible for the enterprise-wide strategy and execution of the Co-op Compass Group: a unique employee forum with members from Stores, Distribution Centers, Sales and Customer Service, and senior leadership. Our mission is to unlock employee voices, ensuring they are a critical source of influence on the co-op and they inspire our direction forward. 

We execute the strategy, communication, day to day management and administration of the program. Your role is broad in scope and serves as a key partner to Compass members, leaders and teams across the entire organization. We’re successful as a team, because you use program management tools and processes. This ensures the dependencies among multiple projects and team commitments are tracked, managed, and meet or exceed expectations. You lead high-impact initiatives. You’ll monitor best practices and emerging trends and assess how new opportunities can be leveraged to improve the employee experience for everyone at REI.

• Oversees the management of the Co-op Compass Program and related projects that support divisional priorities and in-line with REI’s strategy.
• Develops requirements for program and projects while continuously evaluating the needs of customers and employees. Identifies and provides recommendations for process and program improvements. Research trends, opportunities, threats, external benchmarks, and other factors that affect the program.
• Plans and delivers on high visibility, multi-year program strategy by utilizing established project management methodology.
• Ensures program quality and success through management of action items, issues, decisions, risks, change requests, resource needs, deadlines for deliverables, and financial planning.
• Works with cross-divisional leadership to identify and close critical program gaps.
• Identifies and provides recommendations for process and program improvements.
• Leads and develops programs and projects that transform process, policy and systems.
• Facilitates and leads collaborative cross-functional meetings.
• Manages both external and internal business relationships with vendors, clients, strategic partners, and agencies.
• Ensures adequate business process documentation is created and maintained.
• Participates in change management planning and ensures that internal and external (vendor) change management processes are followed.
• Provides stakeholders with accurate, timely and relevant information about the status of projects, initiatives and activities within project teams.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years managing medium to large cross-divisional, multi-year projects with a business and technology focus
• 5+ years of previous retail, customer service/contact center or equivalent experience
• Certification in program management, process improvement (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma), and/or project management (e.g. PMP)
• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills.
• Demonstrates superb cross-cultural skills with proven ability to successfully approach, build trust, listen, and negotiate across multiple cultures and communities.
• Highly effective communicator and strategic thinker with the ability to clearly articulate complex ideas, unique concepts, and proposals to team, peers, and leaders.
• Comfort and experience in collaborating with and influencing both floor/line staff and senior leadership teams
• Familiarity with system scope and project objectives, as well as the role and function of each team member
• Actively participates and collaborates with team and across REI for the achievement of business goals
• Flexible in one's viewpoints and positions to support the direction taken by others at REI
• Works smart by setting effective goals, establishing priorities, and planning well in order to produce quality work
• Executes effectively by using resources efficiently, meeting deadlines, and keeping others informed of work plans and progress
• Clearly conveys and accurately receives information by a variety of methods and in various situations
• Makes effective organization and people decisions in a manner consistent with REI's values and ethics.
• Delivers on commitments and holds others to same.
• Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities.
• Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound decisions.
• Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
• Foundational DEI understanding and ability to translate to implementation.
• Virtual and in person meeting facilitation.
• Change management and appropriate communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in REI stores or SCS
• Background in people management or other exposure to HR best practices
• Research or human-centered design experience
• Internal communication, video, or graphic design experience
• Recruitment and hiring experience, particularly at larger scales

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.  

Pay Transparency 

We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.   

REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off.  Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.