Posting Start Date: 8/18/26
Job Title: Employee Experience & Engagement Manager
Job Location: Des Plaines-USA-60016
Work Location Type: On-Site
Salary Range: $85,030.22 - 100,287.77
Role Purpose StatementAt Sky Chefs, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are seeking an Employee Experience Manager to lead and continuously improve the employee experience across our ORD operation. This highly visible role partners closely with Operations and Human Resources leaders to drive engagement, strengthen culture, improve retention, and ensure employees feel valued from their first day through every stage of their career.
As the voice of the employee, you will leverage data, feedback, and strong business partnerships to develop meaningful engagement strategies, identify opportunities for improvement, and influence organizational decisions that enhance the employee experience.
Main Accountabilities- Serve as the primary employee experience leader for the ORD operation, championing a positive, inclusive, and engaging workplace culture.
- Directly responsible for leading weekly new hire orientation.
- Design, implement, and continuously improve employee engagement initiatives, recognition programs, and cultural events.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen employee satisfaction, morale, and retention through ongoing feedback and analysis.
- Partner with leaders to create meaningful employee experiences while balancing the operational needs of a fast-paced airport environment.
- Manage employee engagement surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, and feedback channels.
- Analyze engagement data, identify trends, and translate insights into actionable recommendations for leadership.
- Facilitate action-planning efforts with business leaders to address opportunities and improve organizational health.
- Lead programs that support employee onboarding, integration, and early-career engagement.
- Partner with operational leaders to execute and continuously improve the Buddy Program and other onboarding initiatives.
- Meet regularly with new hires to gather feedback, address concerns, and identify barriers to success.
- Act as a trusted resource and advocate for employees during their transition into the organization.
- Build strong, collaborative relationships with Operations, Human Resources, and business leaders at all levels.
- Present engagement insights, workforce trends, and improvement recommendations to leadership teams.
Knowledge, Skills and ExperienceRequired Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business, Communications, Psychology, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
- 5+ years of experience in employee engagement, employee experience, organizational development, HR business partnership, culture initiatives, talent management, or a related people-focused function.
- Experience analyzing survey data, employee feedback, and engagement metrics to drive organizational improvements.
- Strong self-management and scheduling flexibility to effectively engage and support employees across all shifts, including evenings, nights, and weekends.
- Proven ability to influence leaders and build partnerships across all organizational levels.
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives simultaneously.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with employee engagement platforms, including Qualtrics or similar survey tools.
- Background supporting large hourly workforces, operations environments, manufacturing, hospitality, airline, logistics, or service industries.
- Experience leading culture transformation, retention, onboarding, or organizational effectiveness initiatives.
