Director, People Business Partner

Acadia Pharmaceuticals; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 172,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan

Paid vacation and holidays

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Acadia Pharmaceuticals in Princeton, NJ seeks a Director, HR Business Partner to act as a strategic advisor across workforce planning, org development, performance, and compensation. Hybrid work requires three days in the office weekly.

You will partner with senior leaders to address talent needs, lead succession planning, and drive employee engagement while aligning rewards with performance and business goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years progressively responsible HR experience with at least 6 in leadership.
• Prior HR Business Partner experience in biotech/pharma preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain relationships with leadership and employees.
• Provide expert advice on organization and HR issues.
• Develop talent strategies with executives and partner with Talent Acquisition.
• Drive performance management and succession planning for client groups.
• Guide employee relations and change management initiatives.
• Oversee compensation planning and total rewards alignment.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Coaching & mentoring

Employee relations

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

10+ years HR experience

Biotech/Pharma HR experience

Job description

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals

Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals

Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

Please note that this position is based in Princeton, NJ. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office on average three days per week.

Position Summary:

For assigned business group(s), the Director PBP will act as a strategic business partner and serve as an expert advisor across all aspects of human resources, including workforce planning, organizational development, employee relations, performance management, compensation, and leadership development.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with business group leadership and employees.
• Ensure regular presence to build and enhance relationship with employees.
• Provides expert advice and counsel to assigned group leaders on organization and human resources issues.
• Partners with the group executives and their teams to develop strategies and implement talent plans to address organizational talent needs; partners with Talent Acquisition to ensure talent gaps are filled appropriately.
• Drives performance management and succession planning process within client group(s) to develop key talent and bench strength for future needs and to ensure the best talent is retained.
• Consults with clients to understand training and development needs across their groups and partners in creating employee development plan.
• Works with business leaders to establish and drive employee engagement actions.
• Offers objective and balanced advice to leaders on business challenges and people implications, leadership effectiveness, culture, and alignment.
• Oversees annual performance and compensation planning for assigned group(s) to ensure alignment of total rewards to performance.
• Assists managers and provides constructive feedback and coaching for all aspects of the company performance management process including coaching leaders on effective documentation practices for good and poor performance, evaluating performance results, and making promotion recommendations.
• Provides guidance to objectively assess and resolve employee relations issues. Identifies root causes as opportunities to improve team effectiveness; coaches managers to be proactive in employee relations issues.
• Partners with leaders on employee relations issues; involves Director, Employee Relations as appropriate.
• Develops and implements appropriate change management plans as needed.
• Works effectively with the process owners for one or more sub-section HR process (i.e., Performance Management, Compensation Planning, Learning and Development, On Boarding Programs and Organizational Effectiveness).
• Participates in the design and management of company-wide compensation programs.
• Performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skills:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and applicable job experience may be considered. A minimum of 10 years’ progressively responsible related experience with a minimum of 6 years in a leadership role. Prior experience as an HR Business Partner experience in Biotech or Pharma industry strongly preferred.

Essential Qualifications:

• Strategic thinking capability and “hands on” HR plan implementation experience.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable Federal, State and local employment law.
• Demonstrated skills and abilities in coaching, influencing, facilitation, development, and problem solving with a passion to deliver results.
• Excellent communication, presentation, consultative, partnership, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in business analysis and compensation planning.
• Familiarity with benefit program design and delivery.
• Strong adaptability to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to influence mid-level and senior management.
• Effective conflict resolution skills.
• Prior experience working with teams across multiple geographies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong trusting relationships in order to gain support and achieve results; skilled in bringing alignment to different views of constituents across the business.
• Skilled at negotiating with business partners or management and influencing senior level leaders regarding matters of significance to the organization.
• Proficient at creating and communicating a clear vision among team members effectively aligning resources and activities to achieve functional area and/or organizational goals.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time, primarily domestic.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, see, talk or hear in a standard office environment and independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Ability to travel by car or airplane independently up to 10% of the time and work after hours if required by travel schedule or business issues.

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

Salary Range

$171,600—$214,500 USD

What we offer US-based Employees:

• Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
• 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
• 15+ vacation days
• 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
• 10 days of paid sick time
• Paid parental leave benefit
• Tuition assistance

EEO Statement (US-based Employees):

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company, and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe here.

It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at [e-mail] or 858-261-2923.

Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment.

California Applicants:

Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy.

Canadian Applicants:

Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy.

Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia:

Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy.

Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters):

The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.