Job Description
We are seeking a strategic, influential, and business-savvy HR Business Partner Senior Director to support the Biopharmaceutical Sciences & Manufacturing Organization (BSMO) at Vertex during a pivotal phase of growth and innovation. In this role, you will act as the key HR leader and strategic advisor to senior executives across one or more major BSMO sub-functions. Reporting to the Executive Director, HRBP Lead for BSMO, you will help shape organizational strategy, culture, and workforce plans that drive critical business outcomes and scientific advancement.
This is a senior individual contributor position that leads through influence—operating as a consultative partner by aligning cross-functional stakeholders and leveraging HR centers of excellence to deliver integrated people solutions. This highly visible role offers an exceptional opportunity to impact an end-to-end biotech organization and provides a pathway to broader HR leadership responsibilities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic HR Partner & Enterprise Influencer: Serve as the primary HR partner to senior leaders of assigned BSMO areas, translating their business strategies into a prioritized, integrated people and organizational plan. Sit on the respective unit’s leadership team and influence executive decision-making by providing clear options, risk/benefit analyses, and data-backed recommendations that connect talent strategies to operational, quality, safety, and cost outcomes.
Organizational Design & Growth Enablement: Act as a chief architect of organizational design and transformation in a rapidly scaling, complex manufacturing and technical development environment. Lead the evolution of the function’s organizational structure to support growth, new capabilities, and globalization (for example, standing up new technical capabilities, optimizing organization spans and layers, and clarifying governance and decision-making interfaces). Partner with business leaders to identify and build critical workforce capabilities, closing skill gaps through targeted build/buy/borrow talent strategies.
Workforce Planning & Succession Strategy: Own the multi-year strategic workforce plan for the function, aligned with the organization’s long-range business strategy, capacity forecasts, and budget. Define workforce requirements (headcount, skills, location strategy, etc.) to ensure the function can meet current and future demands. Proactively identify critical roles and drive robust succession planning for key leadership and technical positions, cultivating a diverse talent pipeline and actionable development plans that ensure continuity in a regulated environment.
Talent Development & Leadership Excellence: Elevate leadership and team performance within BSMO’s senior levels. Establish and refine management and talent practices that drive a high-performance, agile culture. Provide coaching to leaders navigating growth and organizational inflection points, helping them raise the performance bar with clarity and fairness. Partner with Talent Management and Learning & Development to design and implement programs for high-potential talent, technical career paths, leadership development, and other initiatives that support succession and retention of top talent.
Culture, Engagement & Change Leadership: Champion a culture of innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement across the function. Diagnose organizational health and culture needs in line with BSMO’s strategic objectives and culture roadmap. Lead change management efforts for major initiatives—such as network expansions, technology transfers, organizational restructurings, or portfolio pivots—by creating clear cases for change, stakeholder engagement plans, communications strategies, and metrics to track adoption and impact. Act as a visible change agent and advisor to leaders and employees alike, ensuring changes are implemented effectively and sustainably.
People Analytics & Decision Support: Leverage advanced people analytics and insights to inform talent and organizational decisions. Monitor key workforce metrics (e.g., attrition in critical roles, staffing levels for 24/7 operations, talent pipeline health) and present data-driven narratives that drive strategic action. Translate complex data into clear, compelling stories for leadership to shape investments in people and organizational capabilities. Use predictive analytics and industry benchmarks to anticipate future talent trends and proactively address challenges.
HR Program Leadership & Operations Governance: Orchestrate with HR Centers of Excellence (Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, People Experience, Talent Management, Strategic Analytics, etc.) to design and deploy integrated HR solutions at speed. Ensure flawless execution and contribute to continuous improvement of core HR processes – such as performance management, succession reviews, talent calibration, compensation planning, and employee feedback/action planning – with an emphasis on fairness, transparency, and business relevance. Identify opportunities to streamline HR processes and contribute to enterprise HR projects (for example, improving headcount planning, HR technology implementations, or diversity and inclusion initiatives). Mentor and provide thought leadership to junior HRBPs and other HR team members, fostering a collaborative OneHR approach across the organization.
Knowledge and Skills:
Recognized expert in business strategy and organizational effectiveness, with proven ability to influence senior executives and shape sub-functional priorities.
Deep understanding of technical environments, with experience working in a regulated environment.
Advanced proficiency in change leadership, culture transformation, and strategic planning.
Strong business acumen and ability to translate strategies into measurable business outcomes.
Exceptional communication and influencing skills; ability to negotiate and shape opinions of senior leaders.
Expertise in leveraging data-driven insights and storytelling to inform decisions and drive transformation.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
Typically requires 12+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant leadership responsibility and experience in complex, multi-site scientific organizations.
Demonstrated success in leading through subordinate managers and influencing sub-function strategy.
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Pay Range:
$227,200 - $340,800Disclosure 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 EligibleFlex Eligibility Status:
In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. 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 [email protected]
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Boston, Massachusetts, USA Office
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA 02210, US, Boston, MA, United States, 02210
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