Director / Sr Director, Human Resources Generalist

Position Summary

Own the full HR generalist mandate for a fast-growing, privately-held pharmaceutical company — with direct, daily visibility to the most senior HR leader in the U.S. organization.

Our client is a privately-held, growth-stage pharmaceutical company with a meaningful U.S. commercial presence and an ambitious build-out underway across its Human Resources function. This is a newly elevated, high-priority search for a true HR generalist — someone who has genuinely done it all, not specialized in one lane.

This role reports directly to the most senior HR leader for the Americas organization, who is looking for a strategic thought partner and hands-on operator in equal measure. You will not be brought in to administer someone else's narrow process — you will help shape how HR operates across the full employee lifecycle for a company that is actively investing in its people function.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the senior HR leader on the strategic planning and design of the organization's people function, including org design, workforce planning, and staffing levels against company goals.
• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and practices remain compliant with applicable federal and state employment law — maintaining awareness of regulatory change, coordinating with legal counsel, and rolling out updates across the organization.
• Own the employee relations function end to end: policy and compliance reviews, investigations, corrective action, performance issues, recognition programs, leave management, workers' compensation, unemployment claims, and separations.
• Maintain and continuously improve position descriptions across the organization, ensuring accurate titling, compliant qualifications, and consistency with company policy and applicable law.
• Direct compensation programs including salary administration, market and internal equity analysis, and the design and administration of bonus and incentive programs — including cost/benefit analysis presented for executive decision-making.
• Regularly benchmark the company's recruitment, compensation, and benefits programs to ensure market competitiveness and equity in attracting and retaining top talent.
• Partner on the HR budget, manage annual and quarterly bonus cycles (including for the sales organization), and coordinate long-term incentive data with Payroll.
• Support the talent acquisition process in close collaboration with the senior HR leader.
• Provide general HR guidance, direction, and leadership to executives, managers, and employees across the organization.
• Stay current on HR best practices and proactively recommend improvements to the company's policies, practices, and systems.
  
  Requirements
  
• A true HR generalist — someone with broad, hands-on exposure across the full HR function (talent, employee relations, compensation, compliance, policy, org design), not someone who has only ever worked in one narrow specialty.
• 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience in the U.S., ideally including experience operating at both a strategic and an execution level.
• A bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field, or equivalent progressive HR experience.
• Strong working knowledge of HR practices, employment law, and regulatory requirements.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate across all levels of an organization.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize complex or diverse information into clear recommendations.
• A collaborative, builder mindset — comfortable operating in a lean, still-forming HR structure where you help shape the function rather than inherit a fully built one.
• Brand/branded pharmaceutical industry experience is a plus, though candidates from comparably regulated, complex, multi-site industries will also be considered.
• SPHR certification is a plus but not required.

Location: This is a hybrid role based in the Princeton NJ area, with three days on-site per week.

Compensation: Annual Salary Range at Director: $200K–$225K + 30% bonus | Sr. Director: $240K–$260K + 40% bonus (level TBD by strategic depth).

The salary offered will be commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, and other relevant factors.

About the Search: This search is being managed by Summit Strategic Search on behalf of our client. This is a full-time, permanent position where the successful candidate will be hired directly by the end client.

Equal Opportunity Commitment: Summit Strategic Search and our client are equal opportunity partners. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Accommodations & Support: We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities during the application and interview process. If you require assistance, please contact us at

admin@summitstrategicsearch.com

Selection & Onboarding: As this is a direct-hire role within a regulated industry, the end client’s standard hiring protocols apply. This includes, but is not limited to, a comprehensive background check and drug screening prior to the start of employment. All hiring decisions are made solely by the end- client.