Strategic HR Director — Data-Driven Change Leader (Remote)

Ascend Learning; Burlington, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and parental leave

Employee assistance program

Headspace and Airvet wellness programs

Charitable matching program

Job summary

Ascend Learning, located in Burlington, MA, seeks a Director of Human Resources to act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, aligning people strategy with business priorities to drive organizational effectiveness and scalable performance.

This hybrid US-based role guides workforce planning, organization design, and change initiatives across complex operations, with a focus on data-driven decisions and executive presence in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience including HRBP roles supporting complex operations.
• Proven ability to influence, coach, and advise senior leaders through ambiguity and change.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen with an enterprise mindset.
• Strong ability to utilize data analytics to drive decision-making and measure effectiveness.
• Experience supporting corporate operations or similarly complex, matrixed environments.
• Expertise in organization effectiveness, change leadership, and workforce planning.
• Executive presence with strong judgment and decision making capability.
• High emotional intelligence and advanced coaching skills.
• Solid knowledge of employment law, employee relations, and HR best practices.
• Proven experience in merger and acquisition due diligence and integrations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex initiatives in a fast paced, matrixed organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field; high school diploma/GED acceptable as fallback

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior operations leaders, translating business strategy into integrated people strategies.
• Diagnose organizational challenges and opportunities using data-informed insights to drive sustainable performance.
• Partner with leaders on workforce planning, capability needs, and operating rhythm to support current and future business demands.
• Lead organization design and operating model evolution, including role clarity, spans of control, and team effectiveness.
• Guide leaders through change initiatives such as restructures, growth, integration, and transformation.
• Guide organization through performance management, succession planning, leadership development, and internal mobility.
• Provide expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance issues, and workplace concerns.
• Collaborate with HR Center of Excellence to deliver cohesive, scalable enterprise solutions and contribute to enterprise-wide HR initiatives.

Skills

HR leadership

Data analytics

Change management

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Executive coaching

Employment law

Merger & acquisitions due diligence

Workforce planning

Organizational development

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / business

Tools

HRIS

Job description

Ascend Learning, located in Burlington, MA, seeks a Director of Human Resources to act as a strategic partner to senior leaders, aligning people strategy with business priorities to drive organizational effectiveness and scalable performance.

This hybrid US-based role guides workforce planning, organization design, and change initiatives across complex operations, with a focus on data-driven decisions and executive presence in a fast-paced environment.