Retail HR Program & Governance Manager

Job ID: 296158

Location Name: FSC REMOTE SF/NY/DC -173(USA_0173)

Address: FSC, Remote, Remote REMOTE, United States (US)

Job Type: Full Time

Position Type: Regular

Job Function: Human Resources

Work Location: MarketBased

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Your Role at Sephora:

Ready for a career glow up? As Manager, Retail HR Programs & Governance, you’ll help Retail HR identify and address the policies, processes, tools, and ways of working that create barriers for the field. You’ll organize priorities, coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, and move practical solutions forward to improve clarity, consistency, and execution across Retail HR. You’ll be part of a collaborative team focused on strengthening the programs, resources, and routines that help field leaders and teams operate effectively.

About the Team

Retail HR operates in a complex, fast-moving environment where it is critical to understand where issues exist, create clarity, and build the foundational work needed for the organization to operate at full efficiency. The Manager, Retail HR Programs & Governance partners with Retail Operations, field leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders to identify where focus is needed most, align on practical solutions, and strengthen the policies, processes, tools, and routines that support consistent execution.

Job Summary

The Manager, Retail HR Programs & Governance helps Retail HR identify and execute the work that will remove barriers for the field. This role organizes priority gaps, coordinates stakeholders, and moves practical solutions forward across policies, processes, tools, leader guidance, and field enablement.

In the near term, this role will focus on hands-on execution for high-priority Retail HR needs. The role will leverage data, field feedback, stakeholder input, and feedback mechanisms to understand top priorities and determine where Retail HR should focus first. As the role matures, it will help strengthen program governance, documentation, communication routines, and follow-through mechanisms.

The ideal candidate is organized, collaborative, comfortable with ambiguity, and able to use leadership alignment to move important work forward. They communicate proactively and clearly so stakeholders understand what is happening, why it matters, what decisions are needed, and what actions come next. They are persistent in finding a path forward when work gets stuck, including providing practical interim guidance while longer-term processes are built and improved.

What You’ll Do:

Field Barrier Identification & Prioritization

Identify Retail HR programs, policies, processes, tools, or ways of working that are unclear, hard to use, or need to be fixed.

Use data, field feedback, stakeholder input, and feedback mechanisms to understand recurring themes and top priorities.

Review urgency, risk, impact, dependencies, and capacity to decide what should be solved first.

Define the issue, the goal, the decisions needed, and the next steps.

Policy, Process & Foundational Solutions

Create practical solutions for priority Retail HR policies, processes, tools, leader guidance, and field enablement needs.

Draft and maintain SOPs, playbooks, toolkits, quick reference guides, templates, escalation frameworks, and process documentation.

Develop clear materials, templates, and process guides when resources do not already exist or need to be improved.

Keep key information organized, current, and easy to find.

Program Coordination & Rhythm of Business

Coordinate Retail HR programs and workstreams with clear owners, timelines, and deliverables.

Maintain program roadmaps, trackers, calendars, status updates, and decision records for priority Retail HR work.

Build routines that regularly assess barriers, align priorities to Retail HR’s rhythm of business, and evolve ways of working as the organization’s needs change.

Track progress and open items so priority work keeps moving.

Stakeholder Partnership & Communication

Partner with Retail Operations, field leaders, HR Operations, Employee Relations, Legal, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Communications, and other stakeholders as needed.

Align partners on priorities, roles, handoffs, decisions, and next steps.

Communicate progress, risks, decisions, and next steps proactively so stakeholders stay informed and prepared.

Build trust and follow through to help move work forward without direct authority.

Change Enablement & Continuous Improvement

Support rollout plans for new or updated Retail HR programs, processes, tools, and ways of working, with a focus on helping teams understand and use them consistently.

Create resources, guidance, and communication materials that help leaders and teams understand what is changing, why it matters, and how to apply it.

Identify opportunities to simplify work, improve consistency, and make better use of technology and AI-enabled tools.

Collect feedback after rollout to understand what is working, where teams need more support, and how guidance or tools should be improved.

What You’ll Bring:

Experience Required;

5+ years of progressive experience in HR, HR Operations, Program Management, project coordination, process improvement, policy/program support, or related disciplines.

Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives and projects.

Demonstrated success driving outcomes through influence rather than direct authority.

Experience developing, documenting, or supporting governance routines, operating procedures, process documentation, policies, programs, or organizational standards.

Comfortable taking a hands-on approach to prioritize ambiguous work, draft materials, organize work, build tools, and support execution when processes or resources are not yet established.

Strong project management, stakeholder management, facilitation, communication, and organizational skills.

Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities, including executive-level communications.

Proven ability to navigate ambiguity and manage competing priorities effectively.

Preferred

Experience supporting multi-unit retail, hospitality, field-based, or operationally complex organizations.

Experience with program management governance, organizational effectiveness, change management, continuous improvement, or transformation initiatives.

Experience developing SOPs, policy frameworks, knowledge management solutions, and operating models.

Experience with AI enablement, automation, process improvement, or workforce technology solutions.

Familiarity with Microsoft 365, Copilot, SharePoint, Smartsheet, Power BI, and project management platforms.

PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, SHRM, or related certifications.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Certification and Licenses

PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, SHRM, or related certifications preferred.

Competencies and Skills

Prioritization & Judgment: Identifies what matters most, weighs urgency, risk, impact, and capacity, and helps Retail HR focus on the right work first.

Program Execution: Organizes work, tracks progress, documents decisions, and keeps priorities moving forward.

Problem Solving & Simplification: Breaks down complex or unclear issues and creates practical, easy-to-use solutions.

Hands-On Ownership: Willing to jump in, draft materials, build tools, test solutions, and provide interim guidance when needed.

Influence & Partnership: Builds trust, aligns stakeholders, and moves work forward without relying on direct authority.

Adoption & Feedback: Helps teams use new tools and processes, gathers feedback, and improves guidance over time.

Proactive Communication: Communicates early and clearly so stakeholders understand what is changing, why it matters, and what happens next.

Continuous Improvement Mindset: Looks for better ways of working, including opportunities to simplify work and use technology or AI-enabled tools where appropriate.

Working Conditions

May require flexibility outside standard business hours when business needs require it.

Travel requirements: Around 10%

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What You’ll Get:

The annual base salary range for this position is $125,000.00 - $140,000.00 The actual base salary offered depends on a variety of factors, which may include, as applicable, the applicant’s qualifications for the position; years of relevant experience; specific and unique skills; level of education attained; certifications or other professional licenses held; other legitimate, non-discriminatory business factors specific to the position; and the geographic location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will perform the job. Individuals employed in this position may also be eligible to earn bonuses. This job will be posted for a minimum of five days.

• Caring Community. You’ll collaborate with teammates who are equally passionate about innovating and driving the industry forward – together, united in beauty.

• Fulfilling Path. Your career transformation starts here, with opportunities that will challenge, stretch and develop your skills.

• Meaningful Work. As you make an impact on beauty, you’ll feel and see the positive change (consumer, industry, and social) that your individual voice is a part of.

Rewards as Unique as You:

Some benefits have eligibility requirements and may depend on job classification and length of employment.

• Health. Choose a healthcare plan to fit you and your family’s needs with medical, dental, and vision coverage. Sephora also fully covers our employees’ disability and life insurance.

• Wealth. We offer a competitive 401k with 4% match as well as FSA and HSA programs. We also offer a Student Debt Retirement plan, where your student loan payments qualify to earn the 401k match from Sephora.

• Balance. You’ll be empowered to find the perfect blend of work/life balance that actually works for you with PTO, flexibility, protected leave, and more.

• Growth. Career growth is built into every role, with access to training, development, and tuition reimbursement.

• Perks. Think you’ve tried it all? Enjoy a 30% discount on all merchandise/services, opportunities for free product or “gratis,” and flash sale discounts on LVMH brand products.

• Support. Join a team that truly cares – with free mental health and financial coaching resources with 24/7 access to Modern Health and Financial Finesse. Plus, volunteer and donation matching.

Sephora values a diverse and inclusive workplace and considers all applicants without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, national origin, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age, religion, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, disability, or any other protected category. Sephora is committed to providing reasonable accommodation ta applicants with disabilities or other medical conditions.

Sephora will consider all qualified applicants, including those with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.

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