People Advisor, Corporate Functions

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 112,700 - 169,100; Full time

Job summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is seeking a People Advisor to deliver manager-facing HR advisory support and help leaders make effective people decisions. You will coach through everyday challenges, guide policy interpretation, and partner with HR functions to drive organizational health.

The role emphasizes proactive coaching, talent planning, program enablement, and people insights within Vertex's service-based HR model. A hybrid work arrangement in the Boston area is supported.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• 4+ years of experience in HR advisory, HR business partnering, employee relations, HR operations, or related HR role.
• Experience advising managers on performance, lifecycle, workforce planning, or talent program execution preferred.
• Experience partnering with HRBPs, Employee Relations, People Experience, HR Operations, Legal, and Centers of Excellence preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coach managers through day-to-day people challenges, performance concerns, conduct matters, and team effectiveness opportunities.
• Advise on policy interpretation and practical application, helping managers make consistent, values-aligned decisions.
• Support early intervention in difficult or sensitive employee situations by helping assess risk, clarify options, and prepare for appropriate next steps.
• Engage Employee Relations when formal action, independent fact-finding, or investigation support is required.
• Advise managers through complex employment moments, including workforce cycles, compensation cycles, performance, role changes, and promotion decisions.
• Support leave of absence and return-to-work planning by helping managers navigate timelines, decision points, and stakeholder coordination.
• Guide accommodation and workplace adjustment processes in partnership with the appropriate HR, Benefits, Employee Relations, and legal stakeholders.
• Support sensitive employment transitions, including involuntary separations, reductions in force, and other complex exits.
• Enable managers with clear guidance, practical tools, and timely communications that help translate programs into day-to-day action.
• Reinforce consistent application of standard processes and ways of working across functions and teams.
• Partner with Centers of Excellence and HR teams to standardize processes, support change adoption, and ensure scalable, business-relevant delivery.

Skills

Coaching

Policy interpretation

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Change enablement

Consulting

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

4+ years HR advisory/employee relations

Job description

Job Description

Overview

At Vertex, the People Advisor delivers high-impact, manager-facing HR advisory support that helps leaders make effective people decisions, strengthen organizational health, and create a consistently positive employee experience. This role supports the Corporate Functions portfolio and will partner closely with managers through everyday people decisions, moments of change, and critical workforce cycles.

Operating within Vertex's HR service-based model, the People Advisor focuses on proactive coaching, early intervention, talent planning, program enablement, and people insights while partnering with People Experience, Employee Relations, HR Business Partners, HR Operations, and Centers of Excellence to route transactional, programmatic, or formal investigative work to the teams best positioned to deliver it.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coach managers through day-to-day people challenges, performance concerns, conduct matters, and team effectiveness opportunities
• Advise on policy interpretation and practical application, helping managers make consistent, values-aligned decisions
• Support early intervention in difficult or sensitive employee situations by helping assess risk, clarify options, and prepare for appropriate next steps
• Engage Employee Relations when formal action, independent fact-finding, or investigation support is required

Employee & Employment Life-Cycle Services

• Advise managers through complex employment moments, including workforce cycles, compensation cycles, performance, role changes, and promotion decisions
• Support leave of absence and return-to-work planning by helping managers navigate timelines, decision points, and stakeholder coordination
• Guide accommodation and workplace adjustment processes in partnership with the appropriate HR, Benefits, Employee Relations, and legal stakeholders
• Support sensitive employment transitions, including involuntary separations, reductions in force, and other complex exits

Talent Strategy Activation & Enablement

• Support rollout, adoption, and consistent execution of enterprise talent programs, workforce cycles, and manager-facing HR initiatives
• Enable managers with clear guidance, practical tools, and timely communications that help translate programs into day-to-day action
• Reinforce consistent application of standard processes and ways of working across functions and teams
• Partner with Centers of Excellence and HR teams to standardize processes, support change adoption, and ensure scalable, business-relevant delivery

Talent Planning & Consulting

• Advise managers on organization hygiene, role clarity, workforce planning, and headcount-related initiatives
• Assess people implications of business and operating model changes across Corporate Functions and provide practical recommendations
• Translate business needs into talent actions that balance near-term execution with longer-term workforce goals
• Support restructures, role changes, work shifts, and related stakeholder coordination across HR teams as needed

People Intelligence & Organizational Health

• Analyze workforce trends and patterns to help leaders understand what is changing, why it is happening, and where action may be needed
• Monitor organizational health indicators, manager capability signals, and emerging workforce risks across the Corporate Functions portfolio
• Conduct targeted diagnostics, highlight themes and opportunities, and guide managers toward appropriate actions rather than simply providing reports

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to coach and influence managers through complex people decisions, early interventions, and sensitive employment situations
• Strong knowledge of HR policies, employment practices, and service-based HR operating models, with the ability to apply guidance consistently and practically across geographies
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret workforce trends, identify organizational health themes, and translate insights into action
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, navigate ambiguity, assess risk, and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced, matrixed environment
• Strong consulting, communication, stakeholder management, and change enablement skills across business and HR partners

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 4+ years of experience in HR advisory, HR business partnering, employee relations, HR operations, or a related HR role
• Experience supporting manager-facing advisory work across performance, employment lifecycle, workforce planning, organizational health, or talent program execution preferred
• Experience partnering with HR Business Partners, Employee Relations, People Experience, HR Operations, Legal, and Centers of Excellence preferred

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Pay Range:

$112,700 - $169,100

Disclosure Statement:

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

Flex Designation:

Hybrid-Eligible Or On-Site Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:

• Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
• On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex's Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

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Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [e-mail]