Senior Director, People & Culture Business Partner

Our client is a well-funded, late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming treatment outcomes in a serious, underserved therapeutic area. Founded by a leadership team with an established track record of building and scaling successful biotech organizations, the company is advancing a robust pipeline of innovative medicines targeting significant unmet medical needs. Backed by substantial institutional investment from top-tier life sciences investors, the organization combines deep scientific expertise with proprietary clinical data and cutting-edge translational capabilities.

The company is in full build mode, with a rapidly growing team and dual site operations. This is a rare opportunity to join a high-impact organization at a genuinely pivotal moment—with real influence over both culture and infrastructure.

The Senior Director, People & Culture Business Partner will be the primary HR leader for the Princeton site, serving as a trusted strategic advisor to C-Suite executives and senior leaders across the organization. Reporting to a Vice President of People & Culture, this leader will play a central role in shaping and executing the company's people strategy. The role demands both strategic vision and a roll-up-your-sleeves execution mindset—ideal for someone who thrives in a high-velocity environment where priorities shift daily and no two days look the same.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the site People & Culture lead for the Princeton location, functioning as the primary HRBP for site leadership including C-Suite executives and senior functional leaders.
• Report to a Vice President of People & Culture; operate with a high degree of autonomy while maintaining strong alignment with enterprise-wide People & Culture strategy.
• Partner closely with senior leaders across Development, Technical Operations, and other functions on organizational design, workforce planning, talent strategy, and change management.
• Play a hands-on, central role in developing and executing the company's overall talent strategy—from talent acquisition and onboarding to leadership development and retention.
• Lead workforce planning including headcount forecasting, succession planning, and organizational effectiveness initiatives in a company that is actively scaling.
• Drive employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development programs across a fast-growing organization.
• Operate as a true execution partner—not just a strategic advisor. The environment is high-speed, the stakes are real, and priorities change daily. Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to shift gears quickly are non-negotiable.
• Champion the company's values and culture, fostering an environment of authenticity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Provide coaching and counsel to managers and leaders on team dynamics, employee relations, performance, and development.
• Partner with People & Culture centers of excellence including Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, and Learning & Development to support the company's growth and employee experience.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure seamless execution of People & Culture programs, policies, and initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a strategic HRBP role supporting senior or executive leadership.
• Background in biotech or pharma is strongly preferred. Candidates without life sciences industry experience will need to demonstrate a compelling parallel profile.
• Proven experience in workforce planning, employee relations, and organizational development in a scaling, high-growth environment.
• Track record of thriving in fast-paced, early-stage or build-mode environments where structure is still being established and priorities evolve quickly.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and build trust across all levels of the organization.
• Willingness and ability to be on-site in Princeton, NJ 60–80% of the time.

Engagement Details

Compensation: $100–$150/hour (commensurate with experience, skills, and qualifications)

Engagement Type: Temp-to-perm with a genuine, strong intent to convert to a full-time, permanent role. The candidate will be engaged initially through Summit Strategic Search on a contract basis, with an expected transition to direct employment with the end client.

Work Model: Hybrid. Regular on-site presence required 60–80% of the time at the Princeton, NJ location.

About the Search

This search is being managed by Summit Strategic Search on behalf of our client. All candidate information will be kept strictly confidential and shared only with the hiring team upon mutual agreement.

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.

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.

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and provide all contractors with dedicated reporting channels to ensure a safe, professional work environment.

Selection & Onboarding

As this is a role within a regulated industry, the end client's standard hiring protocols apply, including a comprehensive background check and drug screening prior to the start of employment. All hiring decisions are made solely by the end client.

This document is intended for use by Summit Strategic Search and prospective candidates only.