Senior HR Business Partner
Harvard Law School is Harvard University’s law school, providing legal education, clinical learning, legal scholarship, and research programs.
Funding history
About Harvard Law School
Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is an active academic unit of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It offers more than 500 courses and seminars, clinical education, faculty research, and legal scholarship.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will serve as the primary HR partner for the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, the Institutional Data Initiative, the Library Innovation Lab, and other clients. You will provide strategic guidance and operational support tailored to each organization’s workforce and priorities. You will advise leaders on organizational design, talent acquisition, professional development, change management, employee engagement, employee relations, performance, retention, and compensation. You will build client partnerships, strengthen HR practices, lead hiring strategy and execution, and partner with managers, staff, and bargaining-unit representatives to address workplace challenges.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
- Minimum of 8 years of relevant HR experience
- Experience as an HR Business Partner in a dynamic multidisciplinary research environment, research institute, or startup-like organization
- Experience supporting leaders through changing priorities and organizational evolution
- Financial and business acumen
- Advanced knowledge of employment law and HR policies and practices
- Ability to operationalize business strategy through people, programs, and activities
- Ability to build relationships and collaborate in a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder environment
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Client service excellence
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary HR business partner for client organizations
- Provide strategic HR guidance and operational support tailored to organizational needs
- Advise leadership while aligning with Harvard Law School and University HR policies and priorities
- Support organizational design, talent acquisition, professional development, change management, and employee engagement
- Build partnerships with client groups for proactive planning and collaboration
- Strengthen HR practices, consistency, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across client groups
- Lead talent acquisition strategy and execution, including sourcing, selection, onboarding, and talent-pipeline development
- Guide leaders through employee relations, performance management, team development, retention, and compensation matters
- Advise on best practices and present options for achieving desired results
- Partner with managers, staff, and bargaining-unit representatives to address workplace challenges
- Support inclusion and belonging
Benefits
- Generous paid time off, including parental leave
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance starting on day one
- Retirement plans with university contributions
- Wellbeing and mental health resources
- Support for families and caregivers
- Tuition assistance and reimbursement
- Commuter benefits
- Discounts and campus perks
