Senior Director, Human Resources

Avenzo Therapeutics, Inc. (“Avenzo”) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation oncology therapies for patients. Co-founded in 2022 by Drs. Athena Countouriotis and Mohammad Hirmand, our team is passionate about advancing a pipeline of targeted oncology programs to make a difference in the lives of people with cancer. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Senior Director, Human Resources is responsible for building, leading, and continuously enhancing the company’s HR operational infrastructure, systems, workforce data, compliance, and processes. This role ensures HR programs, systems, policies, and processes are scalable, efficient, compliant, and aligned with business objectives. The Senior Director will serve as a senior HR leader and trusted advisor to executives, managers, and employees.

Responsibilities

• HR Operations and Infrastructure
  • Develop and maintain scalable HR programs and operating processes that support current needs and future growth.
  • Establish clear standards, service levels, documentation, and accountability across HR operations.
  • Manage and oversee employee lifecycle processes, including onboarding, employment changes, promotions, transfers, leaves of absence, reorganizations, and terminations.
  • Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual work, improve service delivery, and strengthen the employee and manager experience.
  • Maintain accurate and complete employee records in accordance with company policies, legal requirements, and record retention standards.
  • Partner with Payroll, Finance, Legal, IT, and other functions to ensure effective administration and governance of HR processes.
• Public Company and SOX Compliance
  • Lead the design, documentation, execution, and ongoing evaluation of HR-related SOX controls.
  • Ensure HR systems, compensation processes, payroll inputs, employee data changes, system access, approvals, and supporting documentation meet internal control requirements.
  • Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and external auditors during SOX testing and financial audits.
  • Maintain appropriate segregation of duties, approval workflows, access controls, audit trails, and documentation within HR systems and processes.
• Compensation and Benefits
  • Partner with relevant stakeholders on compensation planning, annual merit programs, promotions, incentives, and support executive compensation, equity programs, and benefits administration.
  • Ensure compensation and employee change processes include appropriate approvals, controls, documentation, and system updates.
  • Assist with the evaluation and administration of employee benefit programs and vendor relationships.
• HRIS and HR Technology
  • Serve as the owner of the company’s HRIS and related HR technology platforms.
  • Evaluate current systems and recommend improvements that strengthen efficiency, reporting, compliance, and the user experience.
  • Partner with IT and system vendors to manage integrations between HRIS, payroll, benefits, recruiting, performance management, learning, and other business systems.
  • Establish HR data governance standards, including system ownership, access permissions, data entry protocols, quality controls, and change management practices.
  • Develop dashboards, reports, and workforce analytics that provide leaders with meaningful and actionable business insights.
• HR Business Partnership
  • Build strong relationships with leaders and develop a deep understanding of business priorities, operating challenges, talent needs, and organizational risks.
  • Advise leaders on organizational design, workforce planning, performance management, succession planning, leadership effectiveness, employee relations, and change management.
  • Translate business objectives into practical talent and organizational strategies.
  • Support organizational changes, restructurings, integrations, M&A, and other significant business initiatives.
• Employee Relations and Compliance
  • Provide timely and practical oversight and guidance on employee relations matters, workplace investigations, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, leaves, accommodations, and terminations.
  • Lead the development, review, and implementation of employee policies, handbooks, procedures, and manager guidance and compliance training.
• Talent and Performance Management
  • Support the design and administration of performance management, talent reviews, succession planning, leadership development, and employee engagement programs.
  • Partner with Talent Acquisition, as needed, to improve workforce planning, recruiting processes, candidate experience, and hiring manager effectiveness.
  • Provide guidance on promotions, career development, employee mobility, and leadership capability.
  • Manage HR vendors, consultants, system providers, budgets, and contractual relationships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred (e.g., MBA).
• At least 12+ years of human resources or HR operations experience in the life sciences industry, or an equivalent combination of academic and industry experience.
• Proven ability in evaluating, building, and implementing HR systems and platforms.
• Experience in managing recruiting operations, benefits, and leave administration.
• Strong knowledge of federal and multi-state employment laws and regulations.
• Excellent project and program management skills; highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a strategic mindset.
• Experience operating in a publicly traded company and managing HR-related SOX controls.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Constant or continuous use of a computer keyboard, monitor, and mouse to perform a variety of tasks.
• Constant or frequent sitting, standing, or walking.
• May lift and/or move objects of various weights.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Fast-paced, time-sensitive environment with frequently changing priorities.
• Handle multiple projects simultaneously.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $266,000 to $284,000 per year. The final pay offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include, but are not limited to, the type and years of experience within the job and the industry, education, and skills and certifications.

Benefits

• Eligibility to enroll in group healthcare plans offering medical, dental, vision, and basic life and AD&D insurance (for employees and eligible dependents).
• Additional benefit programs include short-term and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, and voluntary insurance programs (e.g., voluntary life, AD&D, accident, and critical illness).
• Enrollment in the company’s 401(k) plan.
• 10 hours of paid vacation time accrued every month.
• 1 hour of paid sick leave accrued for every 30 hours worked.
• 17 paid holidays each calendar year, including a winter closure.

All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents and company policies, which may be amended from time to time.

Other Compensation

• Eligibility to receive an annual discretionary bonus and an equity award, subject to the terms of the applicable employment agreement, plan documents, and company policies.

The information above is intended to provide a general description of benefits and other compensation and is not a substitute for applicable plan documents or company policies.