HR Partner - Analytics and Strategic Initiatives

Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University is seeking an HR professional to provide day-to-day support and analytics for two client organizations. You’ll partner closely with the Director, HR to strengthen oversight, advance HR practices, and develop actionable insights through dashboards and reports.

In this fully on-site Pittsburgh role, you’ll interpret policies, support performance management, and collaborate with recruiting, compensation, benefits, and HR systems

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 5-8 years of HR experience, with a foundation in HR operations, employee support, HR data analytics, or related work.
• Experience contributing to HR projects, reporting, or process improvements.
• Experience using HR information systems and managing employee data.
• Ability to analyze data using Excel or similar tools and communicate findings clearly.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day HR support to FABS and CTO teams, building relationships and understanding each group’s priorities and people needs.
• Interpret policies and resolve routine matters independently, consulting with the Director or subject matter experts as needed.
• Support managers with performance expectations, employee development, workplace communication, and routine employee relations concerns.
• Assist with complex matters and investigations through information gathering, documentation, analysis, and follow-up under experienced HR guidance.
• Facilitate people processes for assigned groups, including performance management, promotions, recognition, and offboarding.
• Partner with the Director to establish metrics assessing workforce trends, HR service delivery, process effectiveness, and progress against priorities.
• Work with the HR team to build and maintain the HR dashboard, consistent metric definitions and reporting practices, and accurate, complete data.
• Develop and maintain knowledge resources documenting dashboard management and related analytics processes to support knowledge sharing and continuity.
• Analyze HR data to identify patterns, emerging needs, and opportunities; recommend actions, help evaluate results, and communicate findings to leadership through reports and presentations in collaboration with the Director.
• Help the Director advance HR priorities and practices by researching issues, evaluating options, coordinating projects, developing resources, and tracking commitments and results.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues and subject matter experts in recruiting, compensation, benefits, and HR systems to deliver coordinated support.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Relationship building

Communication

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree

HR/Business degree preferred

Tools

Workday

Tableau

Job description

About the SEI

At the SEI, you are a part of a community that works with the highest levels of government and industry to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure, improve mission-critical systems, and advance software. You’ll have the opportunity to work with both industry and academia in an environment where unique research projects thrive. As a member of the SEI, you’ll join a group of talented people who channel their unique and varied perspectives to create innovation that is making a better tomorrow. You’ll also become part of an environment in which we support our staff to be both passionately committed to their careers and find balance between life and work. As a mission-focused organization, we value integrity, collaboration, curiosity, and excellence—and we’re committed to fostering a welcoming, high-performing workplace where every employee can thrive.

This Opportunity

We’re seeking an HR professional who enjoys solving problems, working with data, and supporting people. You’ll provide HR and employee relations support to two client organizations while partnering closely with the Director, HR to strengthen oversight, advance HR practices, and anticipate changing needs. You’ll handle routine HR matters independently and develop your employee relations skills through guidance on more complex issues. Working with the Director and HR team, you’ll establish meaningful metrics, build and maintain an HR dashboard, and turn findings into recommendations and action. This role offers an opportunity to deepen your understanding of how an HR function is led while helping identify emerging issues, evaluate solutions, and move priorities forward.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day HR support to FABS and CTO teams, building relationships and understanding each group’s priorities and people needs.
• Interpret policies and resolve routine matters independently, consulting with the Director or subject matter experts as needed.
• Support managers with performance expectations, employee development, workplace communication, and routine employee relations concerns.
• Assist with complex matters and investigations through information gathering, documentation, analysis, and follow-up under experienced HR guidance.
• Facilitate people processes for assigned groups, including performance management, promotions, recognition, and offboarding.
• Partner with the Director to establish metrics assessing workforce trends, HR service delivery, process effectiveness, and progress against priorities.
• Work with the HR team to build and maintain the HR dashboard, consistent metric definitions and reporting practices, and accurate, complete data.
• Develop and maintain knowledge resources documenting dashboard management and related analytics processes to support knowledge sharing and continuity.
• Analyze HR data to identify patterns, emerging needs, and opportunities; recommend actions, help evaluate results, and communicate findings to leadership through reports and presentations in collaboration with the Director.
• Help the Director advance HR priorities and practices by researching issues, evaluating options, coordinating projects, developing resources, and tracking commitments and results.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues and subject matter experts in recruiting, compensation, benefits, and HR systems to deliver coordinated support.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 5-8 years of HR experience, with a foundation in HR operations, employee support, HR data analytics, or related work.
• Experience contributing to HR projects, reporting, or process improvements.
• Experience using HR information systems and managing employee data.
• Ability to analyze data using Excel or similar tools and communicate findings clearly.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Exposure to employee relations or performance management support.
• Experience developing dashboards, recurring reports, or measures of process effectiveness.
• Experience using Workday, Tableau, or other analytical tools; familiarity with CMU systems.
• Professional HR certification, such as SHRM-CP or PHR.
• Experience in technical, research-intensive, government, or higher education environments.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to recognize when consultation or escalation is needed.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, including thoughtful questioning, careful listening, and clear explanations.
• Analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to assess data quality and connect findings to organizational needs.
• Practical problem-solving skills that incorporate different perspectives and produce workable solutions.
• Strong organization, project coordination, and follow-through; ability to adapt and prioritize competing demands.
• Curiosity, initiative, and willingness to seek feedback and learn how HR leadership decisions are made.
• Commitment to confidentiality, integrity, fairness, and inclusive practices.

Other Considerations

This position is fully on site in our Pittsburgh, PA office. Occasional travel to Arlington, VA and other SEI locations may be required. You will be subject to a background investigation.

At the SEI, your work helps strengthen the people and technology that underpin national security. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to make a meaningful impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Location

Location Pittsburgh, PA

Job Information

Job Function HR Services and Operations Position Type Staff - Regular Full time/Part time Full time Pay Basis Salary More Information: Please visit “Why Carnegie Mellon” to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran.

Statement of Assurance

Always focused on the future, the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) advances software as a strategic advantage for national security. We lead research and direct transition of software engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence technologies at the intersection of academia, industry, and government. We serve the nation as a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and are based at Carnegie Mellon University, a global research university annually rated among the best for its programs in computer science and engineering. Our people apply special knowledge and skills and are part of an elite research university. We perform research and apply our expertise every day to foresee problems and exploit opportunities in software engineering, AI engineering, and cybersecurity. Quality software that is secure will control the future. At CMU SEI, we are engineering that ever-greater software-fueled future.

Need Help?

For technical assistance, email [e-mail] or call 412-268-5072. We are committed to providing an accessible experience throughout our recruitment process. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation at any stage of the application, interview, or hiring process, please contact Equal Opportunity Services by email at [e-mail] or by phone at 412-268-3930.