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Senior Talent Manager

New York, NY

Studs is a category-defining ear piercing and earring brand named one of “the 10 most innovative companies in retail for 2023” by Fast Company. Studs connects ear piercing with aftercare and earring shopping to create an end-to-end Earscaping® experience. We offer a better retail and digital experience that prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortment—all at an accessible price point.

Salary Range: $125,000–$155,000

Location: New York, NY

 

The Senior Talent Manager operates Studs’ company-wide talent infrastructure. This role maintains and evolves the systems that support performance management, leveling, internal mobility, workforce planning, and organizational structure across both Retail and HQ teams.

They also serve as the People Team’s program manager for talent-related initiatives — driving planning, sequencing cross-functional work, and ensuring predictable execution across People Operations, Retail Training, Piercing Education, Recruiting, and business leaders.

This role is ideal for someone who has operated in People Operations, Talent Programs, HRBP (development-focused), or People PMO roles and is ready for expanded ownership. It is particularly suited for someone who brings strong systems thinking, disciplined program management, and the ability to translate talent data and signals into clear, actionable guidance for leadership.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Talent Infrastructure & Performance Systems

  • Maintain and evolve Studs’ performance, leveling, role clarity, and internal mobility frameworks, ensuring consistent application across Retail and HQ.
  • Lead mid-year and annual performance cycles — including planning, calibration coordination, resource/toolkit development, system updates, and reporting.
  • Build and maintain guidance materials (e.g., calibration templates, readiness rubrics, promotion criteria, role expectation summaries).
  • Ensure expectations, processes, and tools are clear for all managers and leaders across teams.
  • Partner with Finance and People Ops to ensure alignment between leveling, cost modeling, and organizational design needs.

Workforce Planning & Succession

  • Maintain a company-wide view of bench strength, leadership readiness, and capability gaps, incorporating inputs from RMs, department leaders, and People Ops.
  • Build and update workforce planning dashboards and trackers (e.g., readiness maps, time-to-readiness grids, skill progression indicators).
  • Partner with Recruiting, People Ops, and business leaders on internal mobility, promotion timing, and leadership pipeline planning.
  • Provide concise, data-backed summaries that surface patterns, risks, and recommended actions for leadership decision-making.
  • Support annual org planning processes (e.g., headcount validation, role architecture, talent needs assessments).

People Team Program Management

  • Serve as the People Team’s central program manager for all talent-related initiatives — including performance cycles, talent reviews, capability routines, annual planning rhythms, and ongoing improvement initiatives.
  • Own the People Team operating calendar, coordinating timelines, dependencies, and deliverables across People Ops, Retail Training, Piercing Education, Recruiting, and business leaders.
  • Build templates, workflows, trackers, and documentation that support clarity, alignment, and reliable execution (e.g., planning timelines, deliverable checklists, communication guides).
  • Ensure that program sequencing and cross-functional handoffs are predictable and well-managed.
  • Partner with the VP of People on the preparation of talent insights, materials, and summaries for leadership reviews.

 

Requirements:

  • 6+ years of experience in Talent Management, People Programs, HRBP (development-focused), Organizational Effectiveness, or PMO/Project Management within a People team.
  • Experience running or supporting performance cycles, talent reviews, succession planning, or workforce planning.
  • Comfort interpreting talent data and building simple dashboards or trackers; strong analytical literacy.
  • Strong project management capability — able to build structure, manage timelines, and coordinate complex cross-functional work.
  • Excellent writing and synthesis skills; able to translate talent signals into actionable recommendations.
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable operating in fast-paced and ambiguous environments.
  • Experience supporting multi-site or operational functions preferred; retail not required.
  • Proficiency with HRIS, Google Workspace, and lightweight reporting tools (Sheets, dashboards).
  • Based in NYC and able to work onsite 3 days/week.

 

Benefits & Perks

  • Flexible Work Environment (3 days in office, 2 days work from home)
  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (including a plan option with $0 in-network mental health visits)
  • Access to Mental Health and Work/Life Resources including Online Therapy, Gender Affirmation Support Services, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Voluntary Life Insurance
  • Health and Commuter Tax-Advantaged Accounts
  • Stock Options in connection with the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan
  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
  • Paid Time Off, Paid Safe & Sick Leave, and Paid Parental Leave
  • Paid Sabbatical After 4 Years of Service
  • Exclusive Employee Discounts on Piercings and Jewelry (we’ve got your friends and family covered too!)
  • Access to PerkSpot and additional benefits such as pet insurance, discounted tickets, personal finance coaching, healthy rewards, and more!

Studs is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, citizenship, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status. Studs considers qualified applicants with criminal histories. We comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which we operate. If you require an accommodation for the application process, please fill out this form.

Massachusetts Applicants: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. 

Click here for the Studs Privacy Notice for California Applicants.

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