Senior Director of Operations

POSITION:

Reporting into the SVP, Head of People & Culture, this strategic and influential leader brings operational experience and a strong point of view on people operations including, HR systems (Oracle HCM, Greenhouse), data analytics, and benefits administration, paired with process engineering expertise.

This is a newly created role for a forward-thinking, credible Director of People & Culture Operations to assess, architect and scale a modern HR operations foundation.

After assessing the current-state, this innovative Director will leverage their process engineering expertise to recommend and implement policies, processes, and mechanisms while defining future-state needs that are aligned to organizational growth.

This experience and motivational people leader will be responsible for end-to-end HRIS optimization (Oracle HCM), P&C data governance, benefits operations, process design, vendor management, and P&C compliance, - while partnering closely with P&C leadership, Finance, IT, and Legal to ensure an exceptional employee experience and strong internal controls.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership & Operating Model:

• Develop and own the People Operations strategy and multiyear roadmap aligned with business growth, People & Culture priorities, and a high-quality employee experience.

• Establish a policy governance framework with clear ownership, version control, and change management processes.

• Strong partnering skills across HR, Finance, IT, and Legal; ability to influence senior leaders.

HR Systems, Data & Analytics:

• Serve as product owner for HRIS and supporting systems (ATS, LMS, etc.) driving enhancements, integrations, and data governance.

• Drive HRIS enhancements, automation, and integration requirements in partnership with IT (e.g., ATS, payroll provider, benefits, learning).

• Establish P&C data standards, audits, and controls to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, and privacy.

• Build scalable workforce reporting and dashboards (headcount, turnover, open roles, org changes) aligned with P&C and Finance needs.

Benefits & Leave Administration:

• Oversee benefits administration team, including vendor/broker relationships, annual renewals, cost/value analyses, and employee communications.

• Responsible for leave programs (FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, parental, state leaves), ensuring equitable, compliant administration.

Team & Vendor Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and scale the People Operations team.

• Manage and develop vendor relationships including, HRIS, benefits, leaves, payroll interfaces, and background screening with clear KPIs and QBRs.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

•Bachelor’s degree required (HR, Business, or related field) or equivalent experience.

•12 years of progressive HR leadership experience with demonstrated success in building and scaling HR Operations functions

•Experience in biotech, pharma, life sciences, or other regulated/high-growth environments.

•Demonstrated strong expertise in HRIS, benefits, HR compliance, HR process design, and vendor management. Oracle HCM experience preferred.

•Hands-on experience leading HRIS implementations or major upgrades (e.g., Workday/UKG/ADP transitions).

•Demonstrated ability to scale operations in a growing organization (e.g., rapid hiring, M&A integration, multi-site growth).

•Proven record driving measurable improvements in service delivery, automation, and internal controls.

•Experience supporting clinical-stage to commercial-stage scaling, including multi-state expansion.

•Demonstrated ability to serve as a culture ambassador

•Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization

•Proven ability to develop pragmatic, fit-for-purpose programs that demonstrate immediate impact.