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.