Talent Operations Lead

WORK OPTION: The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

Group Summary:

At the NBA, we’re passionate about growing and celebrating the game of basketball. Through the intensity of the game and the amazing athletic skill of our players, we deliver excitement to hundreds of millions of fans around the world. As a global sports and media business, the NBA is so much more. While so many of our departments run the league’s on-court activities, manage relationships with television and digital media partners, or develop marketing partnerships with some of the world’ most recognizable companies, our Human Resources team is focused on our people. We’re hard at work ensuring that NBA employees have a safe, supportive, challenging, and rewarding place to come to work each day. We’re a Center of Excellence, made up of subject matter experts from each of our respective fields: HR Business Partnerships, Benefits, Compensation, Legal, Talent Acquisition, and more.

Job Summary:

As a member of our collaborative, adaptable, and fast-paced Talent team, you will drive innovation and impact across the global Talent function by optimizing systems, processes, and tools to enhance recruiting, performance management, learning, and employer branding. We are looking for a team-oriented talent operations expert who can lead process design, system integrations, and training to ensure all team members are operating to the best of their abilities. You will lead the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, oversee compliance, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver data-driven insights and continuous improvements that align with organizational goals. You’re willing to extend yourself to support your colleagues, and ready to present and test new ideas. You learn from the wins as much as the losses, and no matter what, you show up to play tomorrow. This role will shape the future of Talent strategy at the NBA by implementing exceptional tools and processes while championing a employee experience through streamlined talent processes and programs.

You will be expected to work from our New York office (645 5th Ave.) with the option to work remotely 1 day per week.

Major Responsibilities:

• Elevate the global Talent function through process and system optimization, implementation, and adoption, as well as training, compliance, recruiting analytics, and employer branding.
• Oversee and improve all talent tools and systems and ensure they can deliver on desired outcomes in partnership with Talent Acquisition and Talent Management leadership. This includes the ATS, CRM, performance management, LMS and other related technologies. Ensure system updates and improvements are integrated as part of the Talent roadmap.
• Execute the design and implementation of all Talent processes and programs in a new HRIS system. This includes defining requirements and ensuring these are met as part of implementation.
• Oversee the appropriate and effective use of all Talent systems and technology globally, ensuring all team members are operating efficiently, in accordance with organizational and DEI standards, and delivering exceptional value to the organization.
• Analyze core processes across Talent Acquisition, Talent Management & Learning, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing changes to improve team functioning and impact.
• Uphold compliance with legal requirements in all recruiting activities.
• Work alongside People Analytics to enhance Talent data analysis, including the development of dashboards, reports, and metrics to facilitate continuous improvement.
• Ensure Talent vendors, including contingent and retained search firms, Applicant Tracking System vendor and Learning partners, deliver services in a cost-effective manner and in accordance with signed agreements. Oversee inventory of currently contracted vendors, measure effectiveness and satisfaction, and make recommendations to improve overall value.
• Identify, research, and evaluate innovative and emerging talent systems, tools, vendors, and strategies.
• Support Talent Acquisition’s employer branding efforts and strategy in collaboration with the HR Communications and Social Content teams.
• Improve the new internal talent profile platform for employees to match their skills and knowledge to current and open positions across the NBA
• Improve utilization of the Learning Management tools and systems to elevate employee experience and improve efficiency.

Required Education/Professional Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in a corporate Talent Acquisition or Staffing function, including recruitment, sourcing, and project management experience
• 2+ years in Recruitment Operations project managing, implementing and configuring modern TA technology stacks, including Applicant Tracking Systems and technologies used to attract, nurture and manage a pipeline of talent
• Prior experience configuring and optimizing Talent Management and Learning & Development systems highly preferred
• Experience building, scaling, and deploying processes in a high-growth, rapidly adapting environment
• Ability to responsibly handle confidential information

Required Skills/Knowledge Attributes:

• Deep understanding of Talent systems, platforms and metrics, as well as how best to achieve full optimization and adoption. Prior experience with Workday, Phenom, and Linkedin highly preferred.
• Able to operate within a global Talent function, as well as navigate the unique cultural and legal variances of recruiting and hiring in international regions.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to establish credibility.
• Experience developing and cultivating partnerships with Talent Vendors, with a focus on optimizing recruitment, talent attraction, employer branding and talent development.
• Customer service orientation and consultation skills with focus on building outstanding relationships at all levels. Excellent client service skills and the capacity to facilitate the needs of multiple business units.
• Passionate about improving processes and comfortable leading change.
• Proven ability to think strategically and use data to gain insights and solve problems.
• Ability to analyze sophisticated problems and propose solutions within existing technical and operational constraints
• Ability to influence and persuade through compelling written and verbal communication
• Strong business and professional presence

Salary Range: $120,000 - $140,000

Job Posting Title: Senior Manager

The NBA does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or any other third parties. Any unsolicited resume sent to the NBA will be considered NBA property, and the NBA will not pay a fee should it hire the subject of any unsolicited resume.

The NBA considers applicants for all positions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs, and without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status, familial status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

The NBA is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. To safeguard our employees and their families, our visitors, and the broader community from COVID-19, and in consideration of recommendations from health authorities and the NBA’s own advisors, any individual working onsite in our New York and New Jersey offices must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The NBA will discuss accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.

About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season featured a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.