Sr. Manager, HR Business Partner (R+D)

About the role

As a Senior Manager, HR Business Partner at Headway, you will serve as a strategic thought partner to our R+D executives. You’ll shape and execute people strategies that enable scale, strengthen leadership, and drive Olympic-level performance.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Partnership: Act as a trusted advisor to executives. Anticipate organizational needs, connect people strategy to business outcomes, and challenge assumptions through evidence and insight.
• Talent Strategy & Performance: Lead performance management and talent review processes with rigor and fairness. Coach leaders to recognize and reward top performance, address underperformance, and build high-performing, inclusive teams.
• Organizational Design & Effectiveness: Partner with leaders to design scalable org structures, strengthen alignment, and enable growth. Use workforce analytics and org design principles to optimize spans, layers, and team health.
• Leadership Coaching & Influence: Build trusted relationships with executives and managers, providing candid, actionable feedback that sharpens leadership effectiveness. Reinforce Headway’s cultural principles and managerial excellence through coaching and systems.
• Analytical & Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage people data to identify trends, diagnose root causes, and drive measurable improvements in organizational health.
• Project Management & Operational Excellence: Lead complex, cross-functional people initiatives end-to-end - from scoping and planning to flawless execution and follow-through. Balance strategic impact with hands-on execution to ensure scalability and continuous improvement.
• Cultural Stewardship & Employee Experience: Model and amplify Headway’s values and performance standards. Ensure fairness, inclusion, and consistency in decision-making. Surface patterns in sentiment and proactively strengthen engagement and trust.

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive experience in HR or HR-adjacent roles (e.g., Chief of Staff, Strategy), with a track record of supporting senior executives in high-growth or scaling environments.
• Data-driven, using qualitative and quantitative insights to inform decision-making, program design, and measurement of impact.
• A trusted coach and advisor, capable of balancing candor and empathy while influencing at all levels.
• Deep expertise in org design, performance management, and leadership development.
• Thrives in fast-paced, high-growth settings where agility, sound judgment, and ownership are essential.
• Model Headway’s cultural principles and uphold our Olympic-level performance standard, driving clarity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to anticipate organizational needs and shape people strategies.
• Experience in performance management and talent review processes.
• Strong understanding of org design principles and workforce analytics.
• Effective coaching and leadership development skills.
• Ability to leverage data to drive organizational health and improve decision-making.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional people initiatives.
• Strong cultural stewardship and employee experience management skills.

Skills

• Data analysis and interpretation.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen.
• People management and leadership development.
• Organizational design and performance management.
• Project management and operational excellence.
• Cultural stewardship and employee experience.

Benefits

• Compensation Range: $180,000 - $250,000, based on a variety of factors including qualifications, experience, and geographic location.
• Comprehensive and competitive total rewards package, including robust health and wellness benefits, retirement savings, and meaningful ownership opportunities through equity.
• Benefits offered include equity compensation, medical, dental, and vision coverage, HSA / FSA, 401K, work-from-home stipend, therapy reimbursement, 16-week parental leave, Carrot Fertility annual reimbursement and membership, 13 paid holidays, and a Holiday Break during the week between December 25th and December 31st.
• Flexible PTO, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), training and professional development.