What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Employee Engagement position at Good Day Farm?
The Director of Employee Engagement leads retail-wide efforts to build a culture of connection, inclusion, and recognition. This role ensures that engagement strategies are aligned with business objectives, driving retention, development, and a consistent, values-driven employee experience across all brands. Partnering closely with field and corporate leaders, the Director fosters an environment where every team member feels valued, supported, and inspired — bringing our brand's mantra “Good People. Good Cannabis. Good Day.” to life.
This role is a remote, hybrid role, and Candidates should live in, or be willing to relocate to, Arkansas, Missouri, or Louisiana to support the needs of this role.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership, setting the direction for company-wide employee engagement and culture initiatives.
- Lead the development and execution of store-level HR strategies that enhance engagement, retention, and performance across retail brands.
- Provide strategic partnership to leaders in the field and corporate offices, ensuring engagement initiatives are embedded into operational practices.
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders, including HR, Operations, and Communications, to align engagement strategies with business priorities.
- Navigate ambiguity across multiple stakeholders with agility and influence, driving progress in complex, evolving environments.
- Serve as an internal consultant and advisor to the executive team and managers to address specific people and culture needs.
- Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure a seamless candidate experience, consistent employer branding, and a cohesive onboarding process that reinforces company culture from day one.
- Thrive within an environment that is dynamic and evolving, demonstrating strategic agility and adaptability in approach.
- Develop and direct branding strategies that position GDF as an exceptional place to work and attract top talent across all markets.
- Drive a culture anchored in our associate-first employee experience philosophy rooted in integrity, passion, innovation, teamwork, equity, and inclusion.
- Regularly assess the effectiveness of recognition, engagement, and community-building programs, using metrics to report on their contribution to employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
- Work closely with senior leadership to align employee experience strategies with key business priorities, including talent acquisition, retention, and development.
- Oversee and refine listening strategies to gather employee feedback through surveys, lifecycle assessments, and engagement tours, ensuring transparent communication and follow-up actions.
- Develop initiatives that foster a sense of belonging and community, such as engagement teams, employee groups, and volunteer activities, aligning these with organizational goals.
- Partner with Retail Communications to ensure consistent, authentic messaging that reinforces company culture and values.
- Lead the strategy for employee recognition programs that celebrate achievements and milestones, ensuring they remain inclusive, relevant, and impactful.
- Drive engagement-building projects by collaborating with field leadership teams to enhance system-wide strategies and integrate human experience principles into employee initiatives.
- Collaborate with the Manager of Employee Engagement and HR Business Partners to ensure seamless execution of engagement and performance initiatives across the organization.
- Partner with field HR and Operations to align engagement initiatives with store-level performance and retention outcomes.
- Drive behavior-based coaching principles in stores through the field leadership teams and support ongoing training initiatives.
- Host roundtable meetings with teams and leaders to solicit feedback and create actionable engagement plans that improve the employee experience.
- Operate with the highest level of conduct, integrity, and confidentiality, setting the example for leaders and associates.
- Demonstrate strategic agility by anticipating change and proactively adapting engagement strategies to meet business needs.
- Develop and nurture strong cross-functional partnerships, driving results and inspiring a culture of transparency, collaboration, and accountability.
- Recruit, identify, develop, and retain high-performing talent that delivers excellence in execution.
- Balance a strong leadership presence with approachability, encouraging open communication and feedback.
- Maintain focus and composure in high-pressure, fast-paced environments while managing multiple priorities.
- Bachelor’s degree and/or 6-10 years of HR experience, with at least 7 years leading the HR or employee engagement function.
- SHRM certification required, or a similar human resource certification.
- Experience developing and executing employee engagement and culture strategies across multi-unit or multi-state retail environments, preferably within the cannabis industry.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity and influence cross-functional partners to achieve alignment.
- Strong understanding of HR processes, performance management, and engagement metrics.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to interact with executives, managers, and field employees.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Proven success implementing programs that drive engagement, retention, and company culture.
- Must be able to pass a background check.
- Ability to perform effectively in high-pressure situations and manage multiple priorities.
- Self-motivated with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and team-oriented mindset.
- Available to work weekends and holidays as needed.
- Reliable transportation and willingness to travel as required.
Here, we believe cannabis is the most natural form of medicine, that's why we are obsessed with creating and curating the best cannabis products in the south, using natural and sustainable farming practices, and giving back to our local community. We believe in plants over pills, and using the magic of mother nature to help people feel their best.
As the self-declared Southern ambassadors of weed, we pride ourselves in staying true to our roots as we bring the best the cannabis world has to offer to the places we love most. From our high-tech, high-touch growing practices to our expert extraction methods, we are obsessed with creating and curating the best cannabis offering in the south. Everything we do here is rooted in our desire to cultivate goodness.
Our approach to cannabis is straightforward: good people, good cannabis, good day. The core of our mission is to deliver high quality cannabis products and support and educate our communities on the tremendous healing benefits of this medicinal plant—and it all starts with our People.
We encourage you to explore opportunities with a company whose culture is dedicated to celebrating diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We firmly believe that maintaining diversity and inclusion is what contributes to our stellar decision making and increased creativity!
We know we cannot achieve our goals without excellent talent- and so we’re looking for the best, brightest, and most determined individuals in the industry and beyond to join our team at this pivotal moment in history- the end of cannabis prohibition in the United States.
As a vertically integrated multi-state operator in the cannabis space, our company is rapidly growing and building out our Team. From Cultivation and Manufacturing our own products, to Wholesale and Retail, even Accounting, Marketing, Compliance, IT and HR, we have a myriad of opportunities for people to join the Team. Our full-time Team Members are also eligible for generous benefits packages, including insurance, paid time off and holidays, 401K and Employee Resource Groups! We also offer a highly competitive compensation package.
Should you join the Team, you’ll also be able to participate in any one of our Employee Resource Groups, which provide safe space and community for specific groups and cultures. We are excited to see the initiatives in community outreach and social justice work that come from these groups!
We are an equal opportunity employer.