Director HR

Ascend Learning; Burlington, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and parental leave

Employee assistance program

Headspace and Airvet wellness programs

Charitable matching program

Job summary

Ascend Learning, located in Burlington, MA, seeks a Director of Human Resources to act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, aligning people strategy with business priorities to drive organizational effectiveness and scalable performance.

This hybrid US-based role guides workforce planning, organization design, and change initiatives across complex operations, with a focus on data-driven decisions and executive presence in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience including HRBP roles supporting complex operations.
• Proven ability to influence, coach, and advise senior leaders through ambiguity and change.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen with an enterprise mindset.
• Strong ability to utilize data analytics to drive decision-making and measure effectiveness.
• Experience supporting corporate operations or similarly complex, matrixed environments.
• Expertise in organization effectiveness, change leadership, and workforce planning.
• Executive presence with strong judgment and decision making capability.
• High emotional intelligence and advanced coaching skills.
• Solid knowledge of employment law, employee relations, and HR best practices.
• Proven experience in merger and acquisition due diligence and integrations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex initiatives in a fast paced, matrixed organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field; high school diploma/GED acceptable as fallback

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior operations leaders, translating business strategy into integrated people strategies.
• Diagnose organizational challenges and opportunities using data-informed insights to drive sustainable performance.
• Partner with leaders on workforce planning, capability needs, and operating rhythm to support current and future business demands.
• Lead organization design and operating model evolution, including role clarity, spans of control, and team effectiveness.
• Guide leaders through change initiatives such as restructures, growth, integration, and transformation.
• Guide organization through performance management, succession planning, leadership development, and internal mobility.
• Provide expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance issues, and workplace concerns.
• Collaborate with HR Center of Excellence to deliver cohesive, scalable enterprise solutions and contribute to enterprise-wide HR initiatives.

Skills

HR leadership

Data analytics

Change management

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Executive coaching

Employment law

Merger & acquisitions due diligence

Workforce planning

Organizational development

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / business

Tools

HRIS

Job description

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Burlington, MA, US, 01803 Leawood, KS, US, 66211 Remote, US

We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture

Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company,is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data-driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning.From testing to certification, Ascend Learning products are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers.

Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America’s 2025 Greatest Workplaces as well as America’s Best Places to work for Mental Well-Being for 2025.

We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Director Human Resources serves as a strategic advisor and thought partner to senior leaders across key corporate operations functions. This role aligns people strategy with business priorities to drive organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and scalable performance in complex, fast paced environments. Operating with a strong enterprise mindset, the Director balances immediate business needs with long term workforce and organizational health. As a member of the HRBP team, this role influences outcomes at scale through trusted leadership partnership and data driven insight. Your leadership will be pivotal in nurturing our culture and guiding our talent to new heights of success.

WHERE YOU’LL WORK

This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Burlington, MA office location preferred. Hybrid work from our Leawood, Kansas office location or remote will be considered within the United States. Working Eastern and/or Central time zone hours is required.

HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior operations leaders, translating business strategy into integrated people strategies
• Diagnose organizational challenges and opportunities using data informed insights to drive sustainable performance
• Partner with leaders on workforce planning, capability needs, and operating rhythm to support current and future business demands
• Lead organization design and operating model evolution, including role clarity, spans of control, and team effectiveness
• Guide leaders through change initiatives such as restructures, growth, integration, and transformation
• Guide organization through performance management, succession planning, leadership development, and internal mobility
• Provide expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance issues, and workplace concerns
• Collaborate with HR Center of Excellence (COEs) to deliver cohesive, scalable enterprise solutions and contribute to enterprise wide HR initiatives

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant experience in HR Business Partner roles supporting complex operations
• Proven ability to influence, coach, and advise senior leaders through ambiguity and change
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen with an enterprise mindset
• Strong ability to utilize data analytics to drive decision-making and measure effectiveness
• Experience supporting corporate operations or similarly complex, matrixed environments
• Expertise in organization effectiveness, change leadership, and workforce planning
• Executive presence with strong judgment and decision making capability
• High emotional intelligence and advanced coaching skills
• Solid knowledge of employment law, employee relations, and HR best practices
• Proven experience in merger and acquisition due diligence and integrations
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex initiatives in a fast paced, matrixed organization
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or other areas combined with relevant work experience is preferred. High school diploma or GED required

HIRING RANGE

The current full-time, annualized base pay hiring range for this role is $135,000.00-$193,050.00. In accordance with applicable state laws, we are providing the expected pay range for this position. Individual compensation will be determined by various factors, including relevant experience, qualifications, current business needs and local market factors. Most regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in an Ascend incentive bonus or salesplan.

BENEFITS

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and parental leave
• Employee assistance program
• Other employee wellness programs such as Headspace and Airvet
• Charitable matching program

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers. We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and be authentic. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S.-based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.