Senior Director Human Resources

Overview

Senior Director of Human Resources – Western Region role  position shapes and executes the people agenda across Europe and the United States, partnering with regional leadership to combine forward-thinking HR strategy with hands-on operational execution to enable business growth, organizational agility, and employee engagement. The role manages the HR function for the region, driving excellence across core people processes, embedding a consistent operating model, and ensuring the deployment of Microsoft Dynamics 365 HR.

It balances strategic insight, business acumen, and operational rigor to enable leaders to make informed decisions, build strong local HR capabilities, and foster a high-performance, compliant, and inclusive workplace culture.

• Strategic Business Partnering
  • Act as the trusted advisor to regional leadership, enabling business decisions through data-driven people insights.
  • Translate strategic priorities into actionable HR plans at country and regional levels.
  • Support change and transformation initiatives including M&A, restructuring, and capability-building.
• HR Operations and Process Excellence
  • Drive standardization and continuous improvement of core HR processes in line with the new HRIS implementation (recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compensation review, talent development).
  • Define and implement clear RACI matrices across HR roles (global, regional, country, third parties).
  • Monitor key HR KPIs and ensure process adherence and compliance.
• HR Systems & Digital Enablement
  • Lead the deployment and adoption of Microsoft Dynamics 365 HR across the Western Region.
  • Serve as the main business process owner for system modules impacting the region (e.g., org management, people data, absence management).
  • Build local HRIS capabilities and ensure quality and consistency of people data.
• Talent, Performance & Engagement
  • Roll out talent reviews, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
  • Coach HR teams and business leaders on performance enablement and people development.
  • Ensure consistency of the employee experience across the region despite legal and cultural diversity.
  • Foster employee engagement, and provide training and development opportunities for employees.
• Compliance & External Interfaces
  • Ensure compliance with local employment laws, regulations, and group policies.
  • Manage interfaces with external HR providers (payroll, legal, labor relations, etc.) and optimize contractual setups.

• Pragmatic, execution-focused, and able to thrive in lean environments.
• Strong balance of strategic thinking and operational hands-on delivery.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, in fast-changing environments and with distributed teams.
• Demonstrated ability to drive change, improve processes, and elevate HR as a value-adding business partner.

• Bachelor’s degree required. A master’s degree in HR or Business would be a strong plus.
• 10+ years of HR experience in multinational, matrixed environments, with at least 5 years in an HR Business Partner or HR Director capacity.
• Strong understanding of European and US employment law.
• Experience in CRO/pharma or life sciences industry
• Experience with HRIS implementations and HR process redesign (Microsoft Dynamics 365 preferred).
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.

• Director

• Full-time

• Human Resources

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Biotechnology Research