Career Frameworks Specialist

Aquent is partnering with a globally recognized leader in technology, renowned for its groundbreaking innovation and commitment to creating exceptional user experiences. This visionary company is at the forefront of shaping the future, driven by a culture of creativity, excellence, and continuous evolution. Join a team that values talent, fosters growth, and empowers individuals to make a significant impact on products and services used by millions worldwide.

About the Role

Are you a seasoned expert in talent development with a passion for building clear pathways to success? Aquent is seeking a highly skilled professional to join our client's dynamic Product, Design & Marketing Operations team. In this pivotal role, you will step into an ongoing, high-impact project, taking the reins to finalize and launch comprehensive career frameworks. Your work will directly empower employees with transparent growth roadmaps and equip managers with standardized tools for performance evaluation, ultimately shaping the professional journey of countless individuals and bolstering organizational excellence.

This role is crucial for enhancing our client's talent ecosystem. You will be instrumental in bridging existing gaps in career architecture, ensuring consistency across diverse roles, and validating frameworks against industry best practices. By collaborating with key stakeholders, you will deliver a robust system that supports talent retention, development, and strategic workforce planning within a vital operational area.

Key Responsibilities

• Review existing project materials, including drafts, research, stakeholder input, and timelines, to quickly understand project status, decisions made, and open items.
• Conduct a thorough gap analysis and develop a prioritized plan to complete remaining work within the project timeline.
• Ensure consistency in language, leveling criteria, and structure across all roles and functions.
• Facilitate essential working sessions and review cycles with subject matter experts, People partners, and business leaders to resolve open questions and secure approvals.
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback and provide clear, documented recommendations when trade-offs are required.
• Validate the frameworks against internal standards, market benchmarks, and organizational needs.
• Create final deliverables and supporting materials, including comprehensive framework documentation, manager and employee guides, FAQs, and communication and rollout content.
• Track progress, risks, and dependencies, providing regular status reports to the project sponsor.
• Prepare thorough handoff documentation to ensure internal teams can seamlessly maintain and evolve the frameworks post-engagement.

What You'll Bring (Must-Haves)

• 5+ years of experience in career architecture, job architecture, competency modeling, talent management, organizational design, or a related HR field.
• Demonstrated experience building or implementing career frameworks, leveling guides, or competency models from start to finish.
• Proven ability to step into an in-progress project, assess its status, and independently drive it to successful completion.
• Experience collaborating effectively with highly matrixed and globally distributed teams and stakeholders.
• Expertise in prioritizing competing demands within a fast-paced corporate environment.
• Exceptional ability to connect with others and build relationships by demonstrating integrity and fostering trust quickly.
• Outstanding organizational skills and acute attention to detail.
• Polished communication skills, capable of motivating, influencing, and impressing through various methods.

Bonus Points (Nice-to-Haves)

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience developing career frameworks specifically for creative organizations or similar entities.
• Active engagement in the design or creative community, coupled with an awareness of major industry trends.
• A strong advocate for inclusive thinking, speaking, and collaboration, fostering a culture that celebrates diverse experiences and perspectives.
• Innovative problem-solving skills that combine functional expertise with resourcefulness.
• Familiarity with creative organizations, including a firm grasp of the functional skills and responsibilities of various design, content, and product management roles.
• Comfort with ambiguity and a proven ability to thrive in an environment of continuous improvement and constant change.