Manager - Early Career

Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the organization's Early Career strategy and programs, creating structured development pathways that attract, develop, and retain high-potential early-career talent.The role will oversee graduate, internship, and other early-career development initiatives from program design and selection through onboarding, development, assessment, progression, and program completion. The Manager will work closely with business leaders, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, and external partners to ensure programs build the capabilities and future talent pipelines required by the organization.The role will also ensure that early-career initiatives provide a high-quality participant experience while delivering measurable business and talent outcomes.RequirementsEarly Career Strategy & Program DesignDevelop and implement the Early Career strategy in alignment with the overall Talent Management and workforce strategyDesign structured graduate, internship, trainee, and other early-career development programsDefine program journeys including onboarding, rotations, formal learning, experiential development, mentoring, assessments, and career progressionEstablish clear program governance, standards, policies, and operating proceduresBenchmark early-career practices and introduce improvements based on market trends and organizational requirementsEnsure programs create sustainable pipelines for critical and future capability areasGraduate & Early Career Program ManagementManage early-career programs end to end, from workforce requirements and participant selection through development and graduationBuild structured development plans and learning journeys for program participantsCoordinate business rotations, placements, projects, mentoring, coaching, and development activitiesWork with business leaders to identify appropriate placements and meaningful development experiencesMonitor participant progress and proactively address performance, engagement, or development concernsEnsure smooth transitions from early-career programs into permanent roles where applicableTalent Assessment & DevelopmentEstablish appropriate assessment methodologies to evaluate participant capability, performance, potential, and developmentFacilitate talent and progress reviews for early-career populationsIdentify high-potential participants and recommend appropriate development and career opportunitiesPartner with Talent Management and Learning & Development teams to address capability gapsUse assessment and performance data to continuously improve program design and participant outcomesStakeholder & Business PartnershipPartner closely with HR Business Partners and business leaders to understand future talent and capability requirementsBuild strong relationships with managers hosting graduates, interns, and traineesProvide guidance and support to managers on developing and managing early-career talentPartner with Talent Acquisition on attraction, assessment, and selection strategiesCollaborate with Learning & Development and Leadership Development teams to deliver high-quality development interventionsManage relationships with universities, educational institutions, external providers, and development partners where requiredParticipant Experience & EngagementCreate a consistent and engaging employee experience throughout the early-career journeyDevelop effective communication and engagement plans for participants and their managersOrganize development events, networking opportunities, workshops, leadership exposure, and community-building activitiesEstablish feedback mechanisms to understand participant experience and identify improvement opportunitiesAct as an escalation point for significant participant or program issuesAnalytics, Reporting & Program EffectivenessDefine and monitor KPIs for all Early Career programsTrack participant performance, retention, engagement, program completion, placement, and progressionDevelop dashboards and reports for Talent Management and HR leadershipAnalyze program data and participant feedback to identify trends and recommend improvementsMeasure program effectiveness and demonstrate the contribution of Early Career initiatives to the organization's future talent pipelineGovernance & Continuous ImprovementMaintain appropriate governance, documentation, and controls across Early Career programsEnsure participant decisions and assessments are fair, consistent, evidence-based, and properly documentedManage program calendars, budgets, suppliers, and resources as requiredIdentify opportunities to digitize and automate program administration and reportingStay current on emerging practices in graduate development, skills-based talent management, AI-enabled learning, and early-career developmentQualifications & ExperienceEducationBachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, Education, Learning & Development, or a related disciplineMaster's degree is advantageousProfessional qualifications such as CIPD, SHRM, HRCI, coaching, assessment, or talent development certifications are advantageousExperienceTypically 8+ years of relevant HR/Talent experience, with meaningful exposure to Early Careers, Talent Management, Learning & Development, Leadership Development, or Graduate ProgramsDemonstrated experience designing and managing structured talent or development programsExperience managing graduate, internship, trainee, leadership, or early-career initiatives is strongly preferredExperience partnering with senior business stakeholders and HR Business PartnersExperience using talent data, assessments, and participant feedback to drive decisionsExperience managing external vendors, universities, assessment providers, or learning partners is advantageous