Sr. Director HR Business Partner - Stores

JCPenney • Dallas, TX

3d • $144,000 - $240,000

About The Position

The Senior Director, Human Resources – Field Organization serves as the strategic HR leader for a large, complex, multi‑brand field organization encompassing 1,000+ stores. This role partners closely with senior field and brand leadership to drive talent‑centered business outcomes, strengthen leadership pipelines, and transform the HR function from a primarily tactical service model into a true HR Business Partner organization.
This leader must be experienced operating within large, highly matrixed organizations, balancing enterprise priorities with brand-specific needs while driving alignment, clarity, and accountability across multiple stakeholders.
This leader will have a strong emphasis on talent development, talent management, and succession planning while ensuring consistent, high‑quality HR support across all stores. The role requires the ability to operate at enterprise scale, leverage data and emerging AI‑enabled HR tools, and build a future‑ready HR team capable of supporting continued growth and transformation.

Requirements

• 12–15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with significant experience supporting large, multi‑unit retail or field‑based organizations.
• Proven success leading talent development, talent management, and succession planning at scale.
• Demonstrated experience transforming HR teams into effective HR Business Partner organizations.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to influence senior leaders and operate as a business leader first.
• Experience leading through complex change and large‑scale organizational transformation.
• Working knowledge of HR technologies, people analytics, and emerging AI applications in HR.
• Experience leading HR within complex, matrixed, multi-brand or multi-business unit environments.
• Someone who understands field operations and can turn big transformation goals into clear, practical, and measurable improvements in day-to-day performance.
• Works closely with the business leader to make sure people strategies directly support running better stores and delivering stronger sales results.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate competing priorities across corporate, brand, and field stakeholders while maintaining enterprise alignment.
• Deep understanding of core HR disciplines, including associate relations, organizational design, performance management, workforce planning, and employment compliance.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Nice To Haves

• SPHR, preferred
• JD, a plus

Responsibilities

• Strategic HR Leadership & Business Partnership
• Serve as the senior HR partner to field and brand leadership, aligning people strategies with business objectives across a large, geographically dispersed store network.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, leadership effectiveness, and change management.
• Translate enterprise HR strategy into practical, scalable solutions that drive performance, engagement, and retention in the field.
• Talent Development, Talent Management & Succession Planning
• Design and lead enterprise‑scale talent development strategies for store, district, regional, and field leadership populations.
• Build and continuously strengthen succession plans for critical field leadership roles, ensuring a robust and diverse leadership pipeline.
• Oversee performance management, talent reviews, and development planning processes that clearly differentiate performance and potential.
• Partner with Talent, Learning, and DEI teams to deliver impactful leadership development experiences tailored to field needs.
• HR Transformation & HRBP Model Evolution
• Lead the transformation of the field HR team from a tactical, transaction‑focused model to a proactive, consultative HR Business Partner model.
• Set clear expectations, capabilities, and operating rhythms for HR Business Partners with a strong focus on talent, leadership, and organizational effectiveness.
• Coach and develop HR leaders and teams to elevate strategic thinking, business acumen, and influence.
• Field HR Operations & Associate Experience
• Ensure consistent, compliant, and effective HR support across all stores, including associate relations, performance issues, policy interpretation, and risk mitigation.
• Provide oversight and guidance on employee relations matters, ensuring fair, timely, and values‑based outcomes.
• Partner with Operations and Store Leadership to improve the overall associate experience and engagement across brands.
• Data, Analytics & AI‑Enabled HR Capabilities
• Leverage people data, analytics, and insights to inform talent decisions and workforce strategies.
• Bring working knowledge of AI‑enabled HR tools and technologies to improve efficiency, insight generation, and decision‑making (e.g., workforce planning, talent assessment, learning, and associate support tools).
• Champion responsible, practical use of AI to support business needs while maintaining trust, compliance, and ethical standards.
• Leadership, Culture & Change Management
• Model and reinforce company values while helping shape a high‑performance, inclusive, and customer‑focused culture across the field.
• Lead large‑scale change initiatives, including organizational redesigns, capability shifts, and culture transformation efforts.
• Build strong partnerships with COEs and corporate HR teams to deliver integrated, enterprise‑wide solutions.

Benefits

• Enjoy a rewarding career at Catalyst, where we offer a competitive benefits package, a vibrant work environment, and the opportunity to make a difference with America's most iconic brands.
• Generous benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance starting on day one, term life insurance, paid vacation/holidays, 401(k) Savings Plan with company match, and an associate discount across all Catalyst Brands.
• Opportunities for growth and development: We are committed to helping our employees grow their careers and develop their skills. We offer a variety of training and development programs, as well as opportunities for advancement.
• Collaborative and supportive culture: We believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage teamwork and collaboration, and we are always looking for ways to support our employees' success.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director