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Job Summary: Serves as the enterprise owner of employee recognition strategy and execution. Establishes frameworks, governance, enterprise standards, and best practices that promote meaningful, equitable, and timely recognition across the organization. Leads the development and evolution of enterprise recognition programs, including values-based recognition, peer-to-peer recognition, service awards, and key employee milestone recognition such as onboarding milestones, certifications, promotions, years of service, retirements, and other significant career achievements. Ensures programs reinforce organizational values, strengthen employee engagement, celebrate meaningful contributions, and support employee retention. Owns recognition program strategy, metrics, reporting, and continuous improvement efforts while influencing senior leaders, HRBPs, and cross-functional partners to cultivate a culture where recognition is embedded into everyday leadership practices. The Recognition Program Manager is a senior, enterprise-level role responsible for setting and driving the strategy, governance, and effectiveness of employee recognition programs across UCSF. Reporting to the Director of Organizational Effectiveness, this role ensures recognition practices are equitable, meaningful, data-driven, and fully integrated into how leaders and teams celebrate contributions, reinforce organizational values, and strengthen employee engagement. This position has direct accountability for the design, implementation, adoption, and continuous improvement of enterprise recognition programs, ensuring leaders consistently recognize employee contributions and key career milestones in ways that reinforce organizational culture, values, and strategic priorities. The role partners closely with HR Business Partners (HRBPs), Organizational Effectiveness, Learning & Development, Internal Communications, and business leaders to embed recognition into the employee experience and foster a culture of appreciation across the organization. Department Overview: UCSF Human Resources has a mission of attracting, developing and retaining outstanding and diverse people with a vision of being a strategic and trusted partner empowering the UCSF Health community to leverage their talents. Human Resources is committed to providing outstanding customer experience, leading workforce strategies, creating an engaging environment focused on continuous improvement for the HR team, and demonstrating value to the organization.
% of time |
Essential Function (Yes/No) |
Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor) |
| 25% |
Yes |
Recognition Strategy & Governance Leads the enterprise recognition strategy, including program design, governance, policies, eligibility criteria, funding models, communication plans, and annual recognition calendar. Establishes standards that ensure recognition programs are equitable, inclusive, scalable, and aligned with organizational priorities. Develops enterprise frameworks that ensure key employee milestones-including onboarding, certifications, promotions, years of service, retirement, and other career achievements-are celebrated consistently across UCSF. |
| 20% |
yes |
Enterprise Recognition Program Management Designs, implements, and manages enterprise recognition programs, including values-based recognition, peer-to-peer recognition, service awards, key career milestone recognition, and enterprise award programs. Oversees program governance, recognition campaigns, annual award programs, and enterprise recognition events while continuously evaluating program effectiveness and recommending enhancements that improve employee engagement, organizational culture, and employee experience. |
| 15% |
Yes |
Recognition Adoption & Accountability Drives enterprise participation in recognition programs by establishing goals, monitoring adoption, identifying participation gaps, and partnering with HRBPs and leaders to increase manager engagement, recognition frequency, and enterprise utilization. |
| 15% |
Yes |
Recognition Data, Reporting & Insights Owns recognition program analytics, dashboards, and reporting. Analyzes participation trends, milestone recognition completion, equity of recognition, program effectiveness, employee feedback, and organizational impact to provide actionable insights and recommendations that drive continuous improvement. |
| 10% |
Yes |
HRBP Partnership & Business Alignment
Partners closely with HRBPs as the primary interface to the business, providing consultation, tools, resources, and guidance that support consistent implementation of enterprise recognition programs and alignment with organizational goals. |
| 10% |
Yes |
Leader Capability & Enablement
Collaborates with Learning & Development and Organizational Effectiveness teams to strengthen leader capability in delivering meaningful, timely, equitable, and inclusive recognition. Develops training, communications, and resources that reinforce recognition best practices and help leaders effectively celebrate employee achievements and milestones. |
| 5% |
Yes |
Enterprise Program Execution & Continuous Improvement
Leads ongoing enhancement of recognition platforms, processes, communications, and governance by incorporating employee feedback, benchmarking industry best practices, evaluating emerging recognition trends, and adapting programs to evolving organizational needs. |
100% |
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Required:
- Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
- 5 - 7 years related experience.
- Advanced expertise in employee recognition strategy, enterprise program management, and employee engagement.
- Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and leading enterprise-wide employee recognition programs.
- Strong experience with calibration processes, performance data, reporting, and analytics
- Proven ability to increase compliance and completion of enterprise processes through influence and structure
- Experience partnering effectively with HRBPs and senior leaders in a complex, matrixed environment
- Strong consulting, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities
- Executive-level communication and facilitation skills
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational execution
Preferred:
- Experience in academic health systems or large, complex organizations.
- Experience with enterprise HCM performance management systems
- Experience managing key employee milestone recognition programs, service awards, values-based recognition initiatives, and enterprise recognition campaigns.
- Experience administering enterprise recognition platforms such as Workhuman, Achievers, Awardco, Kudos, or similar technologies.
- Experience integrating recognition strategies with employee engagement, organizational culture, leadership development, and talent management initiatives.
- Advanced degree in organizational development, business administration, or related field preferred.
About UCSF
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. We bring together the world's leading experts in nearly every area of health. We are home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging and stem cells.
Pride Values
UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence - also known as our PRIDE values.
In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity - both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available here.
Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
Salary Information
The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.
Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.
To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html Required:
- Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
- 5 - 7 years related experience.
- Advanced expertise in employee recognition strategy, enterprise program management, and employee engagement.
- Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and leading enterprise-wide employee recognition programs.
- Strong experience with calibration processes, performance data, reporting, and analytics
- Proven ability to increase compliance and completion of enterprise processes through influence and structure
- Experience partnering effectively with HRBPs and senior leaders in a complex, matrixed environment
- Strong consulting, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities
- Executive-level communication and facilitation skills
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational execution
Preferred:
- Experience in academic health systems or large, complex organizations.
- Experience with enterprise HCM performance management systems
- Experience managing key employee milestone recognition programs, service awards, values-based recognition initiatives, and enterprise recognition campaigns.
- Experience administering enterprise recognition platforms such as Workhuman, Achievers, Awardco, Kudos, or similar technologies.
- Experience integrating recognition strategies with employee engagement, organizational culture, leadership development, and talent management initiatives.
- Advanced degree in organizational development, business administration, or related field preferred.
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University of California - San Francisco
180,000
Sep 18, 2026