Lead Onboarding Program Manager

About Us 

dbt Labs is the pioneer of analytics engineering, helping data teams transform raw data into reliable, actionable insights. Since 2016, we’ve grown from an open source project into the leading analytics engineering platform, now used by over 50,000 teams every week. 

As of February 2025, we’ve surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and serve more than 5,400 dbt Cloud customers, including JetBlue, HubSpot, Vodafone New Zealand, and Dunelm. We’re backed by top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Altimeter. At our core, we believe in empowering data practitioners:

About The Role

Join us at dbt Labs as our next Lead Onboarding Program Manager, where you will drive the strategy, design, and delivery of a world-class onboarding experience for new hires globally. This role goes beyond logistics—it requires shaping onboarding to scale with a growing business, driving innovation in content and delivery, and ensuring alignment with company goals. 

As a Lead Onboarding Program Manager, you will independently manage complex projects, collaborate across functions, and provide thought leadership on best practices. 

You will identify and implement new approaches, influence stakeholders, and measure impact through data-driven insights. This role reports into the Senior Manager of Learning & Development and plays a critical part in shaping employee success from Day 1.

What You'll Do

Global Onboarding Program Strategy & Delivery

• Own and evolve the global onboarding strategy to meet business needs, scale for growth, and reflect company values.
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of the onboarding program—including facilitation, logistics, and cross-functional coordination—while identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Serve as lead facilitator for flagship sessions and coach others to deliver onboarding content effectively.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (TA, IT, People Ops, L&D, DEI, etc.) to ensure onboarding is consistent, inclusive, and impactful across regions.

Continuous Improvement & Engagement

• Analyze survey data, business feedback, and talent metrics to identify gaps and trends; create and implement action plans.
• Lead complex onboarding transformation projects (e.g., integrating new tools, redesigning experiences for hybrid/remote teams, streamlining systems).
• Proactively recommend and implement new policies, practices, or frameworks that elevate the onboarding experience.
• Ensure program scalability by anticipating challenges and building proactive solutions.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior leaders and cross-functional partners; regularly consult on onboarding-related needs.
• Advise stakeholders on best practices and influence decision-making through clear recommendations and data-backed insights.
• Ensure managers and onboarding stakeholders are aligned and equipped to deliver an excellent new hire experience.

Program Measurement & Reporting

• Own onboarding metrics framework: establish KPIs, track effectiveness, and share insights with senior leadership.
• Develop dashboards and reporting to connect onboarding success to retention, engagement, and productivity outcomes.
• Translate findings into compelling stories that influence leaders and drive program decisions.

What You'll Need

• 4–6 years of relevant experience in onboarding, L&D, HR, or employee experience, with demonstrated ability to independently lead complex programs
• Proven ability to design, implement, and scale people programs across a global or distributed workforce
• Strong facilitation skills, able to deliver engaging live sessions and coach others to do the same
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities and stakeholders
• Skilled at analyzing data, identifying insights, and influencing leaders with recommendations.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to persuade and influence across levels and functions.

What Will Make You Stand Out

• Experience leading onboarding in a scaling or hyper-growth environment
• Familiarity with HR tech tools (HRIS, LMS, survey platforms, analytics dashboards)
• Exposure to global onboarding practices and designing inclusive programs
• Experience with utilizing AI to optimize people programming

Hiring Process

1. Interview with Talent Acquisition Partner
2. Interview with Hiring Manager
3. Team Interviews with functional Peers
4. Final round with HR Leadership

Benefits

• Unlimited vacation time with a culture that actively encourages time off
• 401k plan with 3% guaranteed company contribution
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage
• Generous paid parental leave
• Flexible stipends for:
  • Health & Wellness
  • Home Office Setup
  • Cell Phone & Internet
  • Learning & Development
  • Office Space

Compensation

We offer competitive compensation packages commensurate with experience, including salary, equity, and where applicable, performance-based pay. Our Talent Acquisition Team can answer questions around dbt Labs total rewards during your interview process.

In select locations (including Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Seattle), an alternate range may apply, as specified below.

• The typical starting salary range for this role is:
  • $125,000 - $150,000
• The typical starting salary range for this role in the select locations listed is:
  • $140,000 - $169,000

dbt Labs is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building an inclusive team that welcomes diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Even if your experience doesn’t perfectly align with the job description, we encourage you to apply—we value potential just as much as a perfect resume.

Want to learn more about our focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at dbt Labs? Check out our DEI page.

dbt Labs reserves the right to amend or withdraw the posting at any time. For employees outside the United States, dbt Labs offers a competitive benefits package. Equity or comparable benefits may be offered depending on the legal or country limitations.