HR Consultant I

Danforth Health; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Danforth Advisors, a life-sciences focused finance and HR consultancy, seeks a Consultant, Strategic & Operational Human Resources to support early-stage and publicly traded clients. You will lead HR functions from hiring to compensation, ensuring policy compliance and alignment with client talent strategy.

The role requires hands-on leadership, multi-client balance, and deep knowledge of employment laws. Ideal candidates have 7–10 years HR experience in life sciences, consulting background,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in Human Resources, including roles as a specialist, generalist and/or leading a solo HR function.
• SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP highly desired
• 3+ years of HR experience within the life sciences (biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare IT) required
• Experience in both early-stage and publicly traded life science organizations highly desired
• Consulting experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute routine HR functions including hiring, interviewing, compensation, benefits, and leave; enforce company policies.
• Partner with leadership to implement HR/business strategy and ensure legal compliance.
• Collaborate with senior consultants to support talent strategy across multiple clients.
• Develop and maintain HR materials such as offer letters, handbooks, and interview templates.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and best practices.
• Support performance management, training, and employee relations activities.
• Assist in compensation analysis and benefits program design.
• Manage onboarding and new hire orientation for multiple clients.
• Support open enrollment processes and HRIS data accuracy.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Task prioritization

Integrity

Confidentiality

HR knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

7-10 years HR experience

SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP

3+ years life sciences HR experience

Experience with early-stage and publicly traded life science companies

Consulting experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

HRIS familiarity

Talent management systems

Job description

About Danforth Advisors

Danforth Advisors is a finance and accounting consultancy built for life-sciences companies — from early-stage start-ups through the demands of an IPO and beyond. Our teams step directly into client finance functions to build the accounting, controllership, and reporting infrastructure that growing biotech and life-sciences companies need. We're a career home for people who want to do meaningful client-facing work as part of a collaborative team, not a bench of interchangeable contractors.

About Danforth Advisors

Danforth Advisors is a finance and accounting consultancy built for life-sciences companies — from early-stage start-ups through the demands of an IPO and beyond. Our teams step directly into client finance functions to build the accounting, controllership, and reporting infrastructure that growing biotech and life-sciences companies need. We're a career home for people who want to do meaningful client-facing work as part of a collaborative team, not a bench of interchangeable contractors.

The Role

Consultant

Strategic & Operational Human Resources

Job Summary

Danforth's Strategic & Operational HR consulting team provides advisory and execution of HR functions according to clients' needs, scaling in line with their growth. Services include foundational HR strategy and guidance, organizational development, on-boarding, benefits/payroll, employee relations and executive compensation, among others.

The Consultant, Strategic & Operational Human Resources will have experience supporting early-stage and publicly traded life science organizations, including biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device and healthcare IT companies. The ideal candidate will have consulting experience with the ability to balance priorities of multiple clients at a time. This role often operates as the client's sole HR practitioner and requires a hands‑on leader that is an expert in navigating the fast‑paced environment of early‑stage and startup organizations.

The Consultant will lead and execute the routine functions of the HR department including hiring and interviewing staff, administering pay, benefits, and leave, and enforcing company policies and practices. This role will work closely with leadership and often partner with a Danforth Senior Consultant to ensure execution on HR/business strategy, legal compliance and implementation of the organization's mission and talent strategy.

Responsibilities, Which May Vary By Client Engagement

• Partner with the leadership team to understand and execute the organization's human resourced and talent strategy particularly as it relates to current and future talent needs, recruiting, retention, and succession planning
• Provide support and guidance to HR team, management, and other staff when complex, specialized, and sensitive questions and issues arise
• Manages the talent acquisition process, which may include recruitment, interviewing, hiring and onboarding of qualified job applicants, particularly for managerial, exempt, and professional roles; collaborates with departmental managers to understand skills and competencies required for openings
• Conducts or acquires background checks and employee eligibility verifications
• Implements new hire orientation and employee recognition programs
• Develops and maintains HR related materials such as offer/termination letters, interview materials, employee handbook, etc.
• Analyzes trends in compensation and benefits; researches and proposes competitive base and incentive pay programs to ensure the organization attracts and retains top talent
• Handles employment‑related inquiries from applicants, employees, and supervisors, referring complex and/or sensitive matters to the appropriate staff
• Performs routine tasks required to administer and execute human resource programs including but not limited to compensation, benefits, and leave; management of the benefit open enrollment process; disciplinary matters; disputes; performance and talent management; productivity, recognition, and morale; occupational health and safety; and training and development
• Develop and facilitate the performance evaluation and development process including company communications, manager coaching, performance calibration, promotion process and criteria and compensation planning.
• Plans, leads, develops, coordinates, and implements policies, processes, training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization's human resource compliance and strategy needs.
• Maintains compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommended best practices; reviews policies and practices to maintain compliance.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Thorough knowledge of employment‑related laws and regulations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficiency with or the ability to quickly learn HRIS and talent management systems.

Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in Human Resources, including roles as a specialist, generalist and/or leading a solo HR function
• SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP highly desired
• 3+ years of HR experience within the life sciences (biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare IT) required
• Experience in both early-stage and publicly traded life science organizations highly desired
• Consulting experience preferred

Why Danforth

• A defined growth path — advancement is a real, supported option, not just a talking point
• A team-based, mentorship-driven model rather than being handed a client and left on your own
• The chance to build a career across a portfolio of life-sciences clients, rather than staying siloed at one company
• A salaried role with the stability of a firm behind you

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Danforth Advisors does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.