The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced April 8, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person June 4.
Next is Julie Anna Barker, chief human resources officer at ManTech, and a finalist in the CHRO or HR Executive of the Year category. In this spotlight, she reflects on key achievements, offers advice for those following a similar path, shares current priorities and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2024/2025?
Under my leadership, we transformed the human resources function – we now employ a modern, data-driven and employee-centered approach to ensure ManTech is a great place to work today – and will also be so tomorrow.
We’ve reimagined how ManTech attracts and engages top talent. For example, last year we launched a new Careers site, making it more appealing to today’s job seekers.
To build deeper connections with prospective hires, we introduced ManTech’s first-ever CRM for candidate engagement, allowing recruiters to nurture relationships with top talent well before they apply. This forward-thinking approach has strengthened our hiring pipeline and positioned us as an employer of choice in the highly competitive GovCon market.
We’ve also embraced data-driven workforce solutions. We now have our first-ever People Analytics function inside our Human Capital team, giving managers unprecedented access to data that provides insights that drive smarter hiring, retention and development decisions.
Beyond talent acquisition, my team has redefined employee support and benefits. We launched a program called Total Rewards Enhancements, that — among other things, expanded paid parental leave, enabled more flexible leave options, and introduced fertility benefits and an adoption and surrogacy subsidy program.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
The focus is always our people — now and in the future. It never waivers. Taking care of our people is the best way for them to take care of our nation, and our warfighters. Everything I do, is focused on accomplishing that.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
For those who seek to be a CHRO, I would recommend that you work hard to build your business acumen and partner closely with all parts of the business consistently throughout all levels of your career, asking questions to understand and build that knowledge.
While it’s great to have a seat at the executive leadership table, it’s what you contribute once you’re in that seat that matters ⏤ a full business mindset and perspective. So lean in differently and build the knowledge of the business outside of HR. That will increase your professional value and set you apart as you move toward becoming a CHRO one day.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know?
I love to do extreme racing — I just finished my third Ragnar Race, and I have participated in several Spartan races and other obstacle course races. I am an adrenaline junky and believe it or not, easily get my adrenaline fix in my job — nothing is more exciting than the opportunity to bring a new or innovative people solution forward and watch it result in measurable business impacts. It’s that rush that motivates me to continue to innovate and lead my team to do the same.