Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is hiring: Senior Director, Employee Relatio

Job Description

The Senior Director of Employee Relations and HR Governance is a strategic leader responsible for shaping, directing, and executing the organizations global employee relations strategy, ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant employment practices. This role provides enterprise oversight for HR governance, policy management, workplace investigations, labor and employment risk mitigation, and ERrelated data and insights. The Senior Director partners closely with HR leadership, Legal, Compliance, and business leaders to proactively strengthen the employee experience, reduce risk, and ensure operational excellence in all workforcerelated practices.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Define and execute the global employee relations vision, strategy, and operating model, leading a highperforming ER team for investigations, coaching, and conflict resolution.


• Ensure consistent, highquality investigations into misconduct, policy violations, and workplace concerns, while establishing proactive risk management frameworks.


• Own the enterprise HR governance framework, driving policy development, compliance, and global alignment in partnership with Legal, Compliance, and HR COEs.


• Advise on complex ER matters and partner with Legal on compliance, litigation support, audits, and preventative risk strategies through training and trend analysis.


• Design and implement ER and policy training for managers, embed competencies into leadership programs, and create scalable tools to reduce ER escalations.


• Lead ER analytics strategy, case management systems, and reporting; analyze trends to identify systemic issues and present insights to senior leadership.


• Act as a trusted advisor to executives and HRBPs, fostering fair employment practices and influencing culture through ethical leadership and consistent decisionmaking.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with deep expertise in employee relations, investigations, and employment law.


• Experience leading and developing ER practitioners as well as evolving ER functions at a complex, matrixed, global organization.


• Demonstrated success developing and managing HR policies and governance frameworks.


• Proven ability to advise senior executives on sensitive and highrisk matters.


• Exceptional communication skills, sound judgment, and high emotional intelligence.


• Strong analytical and problemsolving capabilities; experience with ER case management tools and analytics.


• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or JD preferred.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic, enterpriselevel thinker with the ability to navigate ambiguity.


• Credible and composed in highstakes situations.


• Skilled at building trust, driving accountability, and influencing without authority.


• Commitment to fairness, inclusion, and ethical leadership.


• Ability to lead through change and build scalable, sustainable ER practices.

Pay Range

$222,400 $333,600

Disclosure Statement

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other jobrelated factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive marketleading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a weeklong company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an EVerify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com.