CARB-X ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURC, CARB-X Administration

CARB-X is the largest externally funded program at Boston University reporting to the Vice President and Provost for Research. CARB-X is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research and development to tackle the threat of drug-resistant bacteria. The CARB-X portfolio is the world's most promising early development pipeline of innovative products to prevent, diagnose and treat life-threatening bacterial infections. CARB-X is grant-funded and currently supported by multiple government and foundation funders. The CARB-X environment is innovative, dynamic, energetic, and rapidly evolving. The Associate Director, Human Resources oversees workforce strategy, HR operations, and organizational effectiveness in a global, distributed environment. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role is responsible for translating CARB-Xs muti-year Human Resourcing Strategic Plan into executable policies, programs, and practices that support the organizations mission, values, and long-term sustainability. This role serves as CARB-Xs primary internal HR leader, advising senior leadership and managers on workforce planning, compensation strategy, performance management, employee relations, and organizational design. The Associate Director partners closely with Boston University Human Resources, external vendors (including PEOs), and internal stakeholders to ensure consistent, compliant, and equitable HR practices across geographies. While the COO retains ultimate authority over organizational strategy and role design, the Associate Director owns day-to-day HR leadership and serves as the operational and strategic anchor for people-related systems and decisions. This position is critical to shaping CARB-Xs evolution from a lean, founder-era organization to a mature, resilient enterprise with scalable HR infrastructure. The position can be entirely virtual, but the successful candidate must be able to work (at least partially) in ET and CET time zones. Essential Functions include: Enterprise HR strategy implementation and workforce planning Lead the implementation of CARB-Xs multi-year Human Resourcing Strategic Plan, translating strategic priorities into actionable initiatives, timelines, and deliverables. Partner with the COO and Executive Team to support workforce planning, organizational design, role clarity, and capacity modeling in alignment with CARB-Xs mission and funding environment. Track progress against strategic HR priorities, identify risks or bottlenecks, and recommend course corrections as needed. Develop and maintain human capital metrics to inform leadership decision-making. Compensation, career leveling, and performance management Serve as CARB-Xs internal expert on compensation, career architecture, and performance management. Advise managers and leadership on job leveling, role scope changes, promotions, and salary adjustments to ensure internal equity, external competitiveness, and compliance with funder and BU constraints. Partner with BU HR and external consultants to support the design and implementation of a transparent, equitable global compensation framework. Oversee performance review cycles, goal-setting guidance, and professional development planning to promote consistency and accountability across teams. HR operations and employee lifecycle management Oversee core HR operations across the employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding, role changes, separations, and employee relations matters. Serve as the primary liaison with BU HR, Safeguard Global, and other employment vendors to ensure accurate data management, compliant employment practices, and effective service delivery for both US-based and international staff. Ensure timely and accurate processing of personnel actions, payroll coordination, timekeeping, and HR records. Proactively identify operational gaps and drive process improvements to enhance efficiency and staff experience. Manager advisory support and organizational effectiveness Provide trusted advisory support to managers and leadership on people-related matters, including performance management, role clarity, workload balance, conflict resolution, and change management. Support leaders in navigating complex or sensitive employee situations, ensuring alignment with CARB-X values, BU policies, and legal requirements. Contribute to strengthening management capability across the organization by developing tools, guidance, and training resources that promote effective leadership in a global, remote environment. Culture, engagement, and workforce experience Lead initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, culture, and inclusion in alignment with CARB-Xs values. Serve as the organizational lead for staff engagement efforts, including surveys, onboarding improvements, and cross-team initiatives. Partner with the COO to set priorities and direction for the Culture Working Group, supporting its efforts to enhance connection, collaboration, and shared identity across the distributed workforce. Ensure that culture-related initiatives are integrated with broader HR and organizational strategies.

Required Skills

• 5-8 years of demonstrated experience in human resources management.
• Strong time-management abilities and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in managing and completing multiple projects simultaneously and independently.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities.
• Works independently and takes initiative.

Preferred skills:

• Knowledge of global hiring practices.
• Experience working with a remote, dispersed workforce in different time zones.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar systems for HR and payroll management.
• Professionalism, diplomacy, creativity, and enthusiasm, but that's not all were looking for.
• We want someone who embodies our values: - Collaboration - Humility - Integrity - Excellence

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.