Director - Talent, Culture & Org Effectiveness (Contract)

About this role

We are seeking an experienced HR leader to provide leave cover for the Director of Talent, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness from September 2026 through February 2027. Reporting to the SVP, People, this is a key strategic role and a part of the People Leadership Team, playing a key thought partner and change agent role.

This is a high-impact, fast-moving role for someone who thrives in ambiguity and is ready to step-in, pick-up context quickly, and make things happen. You will inherit an active portfolio and be expected to lead from day one - priorities will shift, and the ideal candidate will be energized by that. This is a hybrid role, working 3 days in our San Jose HQ.

Key Responsibilities

AI Enablement & Transformation

Lead the charge on building AI capability and readiness across the organization:

- Curate, design, and/or deliver AI training resources tailored to different employee audiences and skill levels

- Drive culture change initiatives that support the organization’s shift toward AI-enabled ways of working

- Partner with business leaders to identify capability gaps and develop targeted enablement strategies

- Serve as a visible champion and thought leader for AI adoption within the People function and beyond

- Evaluate learning effectiveness and iterate based on data and feedback

Talent Development & Retention

- Oversee global expansion of the Next Gear Leadership Development Intensive (an established Americas program), monitoring rollout progress and driving post-session feedback collection and analysis.

- Own the Performance Review program, including leading the annual review cycle process

- Develop talent program frameworks including succession planning, org/talent reviews, and top talent identification

- Ensure alignment of talent development initiatives with the organization’s strategic priorities

- Design, curate, and deliver learning experiences that build capability at scale

- Facilitate leadership and employee development programs

- Manage curation of external learning resources and vendor partnerships where relevant

- Partner with People Operations and Business Insights teams to implement and maintain a real-time retention dashboard, enabling the organization to track turnover trends as they emerge, identify at-risk segments, and respond with timely, data-informed interventions

New Hire Onboarding & Enablement

- Support the design and delivery of company-wide orientation and people leader onboarding programs

- Gather and act on onboarding feedback surveys to continuously improve the new hire experience

- Partner with the team to ensure onboarding connects employees to NETGEAR’s culture and strategic direction from day one

Employee Engagement

- Own the Employee Engagement program, serving as a strategic sounding board and escalation partner for the Talent Programs Manager leading the engagement survey cycle

- Provide guidance on translating survey insights into actionable, prioritized initiatives

- Connect engagement efforts to broader culture and transformation work

Organizational Effectiveness & Change Management

- Lead organizational design and change management efforts to enhance agility and scalability

- Partner with senior leadership to assess and optimize team structures, roles, and processes

- Foster cross-functional collaboration to align people strategies with business objectives

- Establish key metrics and evaluation methods to measure organizational health and effectiveness

Internal Communications

- Support internal messaging for key announcements, strategic initiatives, and business updates

- Ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with company values across communication channels

- Leverage technology and platforms to enhance communication flow for a global workforce

- Own the Next Gear Leadership Forum, from agenda and presentation creation and scheduling through delivery and evaluation

Required Qualifications

- 10+ years in Human Resources, Talent Management, Organizational Development, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role

- AI-forward builder’s mindset. Hands-on user of AI tools with a bias toward experimentation, rapid prototyping, and finding practical ways to apply AI to real work

- Demonstrated experience leading AI enablement, digital transformation, or capability-building initiatives, or a proven ability to quickly master new content areas and translate them into impactful learning experiences

- Expertise in talent management, including performance reviews, succession planning, and top talent development

- Strong background in learning design and facilitation

- Proven change management capabilities, with experience leading culture and transformation efforts

- Ability to hit the ground running: comfortable operating in ambiguity, picking up existing programs mid-stream, and flexing priorities as the business evolves

- Strong coaching and advisory skills, particularly in developing IC-level team members

- Exceptional communication, influence, and relationship-building capabilities across all organizational levels

Preferred Qualifications

- Global or regional HR leadership experience in a multinational corporation and/or high-growth technology company

- Certification or relevant experience in change management, organizational development, or executive coaching

- Experience with HR technology and tools for talent management and learning platforms

- Advanced degree in Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, Learning & Development, or a related field

Company Statement/Values:  

At NETGEAR, we are on a mission to unleash the full potential of connectivity with intelligent solutions that delight and protect. We turn ideas into innovative networking products that connect people, power businesses, and advance the way we live.  

We're a performance-driven, talented and connected team that's committed to deliveri

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