Senior Director of HR Strategy & Leadership

Harvard University; Massachusetts; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Health Insurance

Tuition Assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University, Central Administration, seeks a Senior Director of Human Resources to partner with senior leaders and lead a HR team serving 700–1000 employees. The role drives HR strategy, workforce planning, and employee lifecycle programs in a hybrid work setting.

You will advise on complex labor relations, collaborate across HR and related offices, and ensure compliance with university policies and laws. Requires 12+ years HRBP experience and a Master’s degree.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• 12+ years of direct HR business partner experience.
• Experience managing HR teams and overseeing HR service delivery functions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted HR advisor to VPs and senior leaders.
• Lead and manage a team delivering day-to-day HR services to assigned client areas and foster an inclusive, high-performing culture.
• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with organizational goals and priorities.
• Engage in strategic workforce planning to assess workforce needs, structures, and talent risks.
• May lead Organizational Talent Reviews and performance calibration exercises.
• Allocate resources and oversee team workflow and service delivery.
• Use HR analytics to improve organizational, team, and individual effectiveness.
• Lead programs across the employee lifecycle (onboarding, performance, development, recognition, offboarding).
• Strengthen leadership capability and foster learning, inclusion, and innovation.
• Advise on complex employee and labor relations matters, including union relationships and dispute resolution.
• Partner with managers, Labor Relations, and GC on employment issues and compliance.
• Collaborate across HR functions to improve processes and service delivery.
• Lead departmental and enterprise-wide projects.
• Maintain knowledge of evolving HR practices and higher education trends.
• Ensure compliance with policies, procedures, and laws.

Skills

HR policies

Team leadership

Coaching

Delegation

Conflict resolution

Decision making

Change management

Bargaining unit policies

Communication

Collaboration

Relationship building

Influence without authority

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

HRIS systems

Analytics tools

Job description

Harvard University, Central Administration, seeks a Senior Director of Human Resources to partner with senior leaders and lead a HR team serving 700–1000 employees. The role drives HR strategy, workforce planning, and employee lifecycle programs in a hybrid work setting.

You will advise on complex labor relations, collaborate across HR and related offices, and ensure compliance with university policies and laws. Requires 12+ years HRBP experience and a Master’s degree.