Senior director human resources

The Senior Director of Human Resources – Western Region, plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the people agenda across Europe and the United States.

As a strategic business partner to the regional leadership team, this role combines forward-thinking HR strategy with hands-on operational execution to enable business growth, organizational agility, and employee engagement.

This position manages the HR function for the region, driving excellence across all core people processes, embedding a consistent operating model, and ensuring the successful deployment of Microsoft Dynamics 365 HR.

The Senior Director of Human Resources – Western Region brings a balance of strategic insight, business acumen, and operational rigor—enabling leaders to make informed decisions, building strong local HR capabilities, and fostering a high-performance, compliant, and inclusive workplace culture.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Business Partnering

• Act as the trusted advisor to regional leadership, enabling business decisions through data-driven people insights.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable HR plans at country and regional levels.
• Support change and transformation initiatives including M&A, restructuring, and capability-building.

HR Operations and Process Excellence

• Drive standardization and continuous improvement of core HR processes in line with the new HRIS implementation (recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compensation review, talent development).
• Define and implement clear RACI matrices across HR roles (global, regional, country, third parties).
• Monitor key HR KPIs and ensure process adherence and compliance.

HR Systems & Digital Enablement

• Lead the deployment and adoption of Microsoft Dynamics 365 HR across the Western Region.
• Serve as the main business process owner for system modules impacting the region (e.g., org management, people data, absence management).
• Build local HRIS capabilities and ensure quality and consistency of people data.

Talent, Performance & Engagement

• Roll out talent reviews, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Coach HR teams and business leaders on performance enablement and people development.
• Ensure consistency of the employee experience across the region despite legal and cultural diversity.
• Foster employee engagement, and provide training and development opportunities for employees

Compliance & External Interfaces

• Ensure compliance with local employment laws, regulations, and group policies.
• Manage interfaces with external HR providers (payroll, legal, labor relations, etc.) and optimize contractual setups.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Pragmatic, execution-focused, and able to thrive in lean environments.
• Strong balance of strategic thinking and operational hands-on delivery.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity, in fast-changing environments and with distributed teams.
• Demonstrated ability to drive change, improve processes, and elevate HR as a value-adding business partner.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required. A master’s degree in HR or Business would be a strong plus.
• 10+ years of HR experience in multinational, matrixed environments, with at least 5 years in an HR Business Partner or HR Director capacity.
• Strong understanding of European and US employment law.
• Experience in CRO/pharma or life sciences industry
• Experience with HRIS implementations and HR process redesign (Microsoft Dynamics 365 preferred).
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.