Description

About TEGNA

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than 100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news.

Location & Work Model

Hybrid - 2 days per week onsite

WTHR | Downtown Indianapolis, IN

Reporting To
Director of People Ops & Technology

Role Summary
The People Ops Excellence Lead owns how People Operations works. This role is responsible for designing, mapping, standardizing, and continuously improving People processes across the employee lifecycle. The focus is operational excellence: reducing variation, eliminating waste, clarifying handoffs, and building repeatable, scalable ways of working.
This is an individual contributor role with enterprise-level influence. You will not manage people-you will design the systems, processes, and standards that enable People teams to operate effectively.
If you enjoy fixing the machine more than running individual cases, this role was built for you.

What This Role Owns

Process Design & Continuous Improvement
• Design, mapping, and optimization of end-to-end People Operations processes (onboarding, employee changes, exits, core HR workflows)
• Creation and maintenance of current-state and future-state process maps
• Identification of waste, failure points, handoffs, controls, and risks
• Application of Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence principles
Standards, Documentation & Governance
• Definition and documentation of SOPs, playbooks, job aids, and best practices
• Establishment of People Ops standards, controls, and governance
• Ensuring processes are consistently followed and intentionally improved

Onboarding & Enablement
• Ownership of onboarding experience design across People Operations
• Clear role definitions, handoffs, success metrics, and feedback loops
• Product-ownership mindset for People enablement tools (LMS, knowledge platforms) from a content and experience perspective
• Development and maintenance of HR knowledge content to support self-service and reduce rework

Data, Metrics & Root Cause Analysis
• Use of data and operational metrics to measure effectiveness, adoption, and impact
• Root cause analysis of process failures and recurring issues
• Continuous improvement based on evidence, not anecdotes
Cross-Functional Partnership
• Partner with HRBPs, People Experience, Payroll, HRIS, and Talent teams
• Design solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and actually adopted
• Influence without authority through clarity, logic, and results

Who This Role Is For
• A former or current HRBP who prefers fixing systems over handling individual cases
• A process-first thinker who sees workflows, controls, and outcomes-not just tasks
• Someone energized by standardization, clarity, and measurable improvement
• Comfortable influencing across teams without formal authority
• Pragmatic: knows the difference between a perfect process and one that will actually be used

Required Skills & Experience
• Experience in HR Operations, People Operations, or HR Business Partnering
• Demonstrated experience with formal process mapping and documentation
• Lean, Six Sigma, or operational excellence experience (certification or equivalent hands-on work)
• Strong root cause analysis and structured problem-solving skills
• Experience improving complex, cross-functional processes
• Ability to translate process design into practical, adoptable ways of working
• Experience owning learning, onboarding, or enablement content from a product perspective
Preferred Qualifications
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
• Experience applying Lean or Six Sigma in a corporate or HR environment
• Familiarity with service delivery or shared services operating models

What Success Looks Like
• People processes are mapped, standardized, and measurably better
• Variation is reduced and exceptions are intentional, not accidental
• Onboarding is predictable, scalable, and continuously improving
• HRBPs spend less time navigating ambiguity and more time delivering value
• Leaders trust People Ops processes because they are clear, repeatable, and data-backed

Benefits:

TEGNA offers comprehensive benefits designed to safeguard the physical, mental and financial health of our employees and their families. TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.

Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA's 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.

Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor's appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.

TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.

* Some jobs are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and thus some or all of the benefits described herein may not apply. For example, some newsroom bargaining unit employees receive health and retirement benefits under plans administered by the union.

EEO statement:

TEGNA Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, hiring and developing individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to add to our collaborative culture. We value and consider applications from all qualified candidates without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, disability, medical condition, enrollment in college or vocational school, political affiliation, military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. TEGNA will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. If you are in need of an accommodation in order to submit your application, please email askhr@tegna.com

Recruiting Fraud Alert:

To all candidates: your personal information and online safety are important to us. Only TEGNA Recruiters or Hiring Managers will reach out to you regarding consideration of your application or background. Communications with TEGNA employees will either come from a TEGNA email address with a domain of tegna.com or one of our affiliate station domains.

Recruiters or Hiring Managers will never request payments, ask for financial account information or sensitive information such as social security numbers.

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