Associate Director, Human Resources Business Partner (Hybrid - NJ or PA)

Job DescriptionOur ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, and teamwork of people like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. As part of our company's Research Laboratories HR team, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career, in a true business partner role. This position will support multiple clients within the Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) organization. The Human Resources Business Partner serves as a consultant and strategic partner to leaders within Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO), acting as an employee champion and change agent. This role supports multiple client groups experiencing transformation and operational complexity, providing HR partnership across organizational optimization, talent strategy, workforce planning, org design, change management, leader effectiveness, performance management, compensation planning, and employee relations.Strategic HR Partnership & Leader CoachingServe as a trusted advisor to senior leaders across multiple organizations -understanding business priorities and translating them into HR strategies and practical execution plans.Coach leaders through complex and cyclical people processes (performance management, talent reviews, succession planning, compensation planning, development planning).Provide support for leader transitions, onboarding, and leader effectiveness needs, especially where operating model or ways of working changes create new leader/manager expectations.Organizational Design, Transformation & Change ManagementLead and support organizational design and alignment activities across a portfolio undergoing evolving capability needs.Partner with leaders to plan and execute operating model changes, including communications, implementation planning, and collaboration with legal/HR centers of excellence as required.Talent Strategy, Workforce Planning & Capability BuildingDrive talent and workforce planning aligned to a complex clinical development portfolio, ensuring “right talent, right place, right focus” approaches within each client organization.Support talent and development planning, pipeline/bench strengthening, and succession planning—particularly for leadership roles and critical capabilities.Partner with Learning & Development to support capability building priorities referenced in GCTO HR priorities (e.g., leadership forums, manager enablement, capability alignment, and culture reinforcement).Employee Relations, Risk Management & HR Policy GuidanceProvide day-to-day performance management guidance (coaching, counseling, employee development, employee relations, risk identification/escalation), especially in environments experiencing transformation and role redesign.Provide HR policy guidance and interpretation; ensure decisions and actions reflect compliant and ethical behavior expectations.Operate effectively in global contexts and partner with regional/country HR stakeholders .Data, Insights & Cross-HR CollaborationUse HR systems, trend data, and operational insights to inform recommendations and prioritize the highest-impact work (supporting leaders to navigate complexity and execution).Collaborate across the HR network (GTA, L&D, Employee Relations, Compensation, WFA, etc.) to resolve escalations and deliver integrated solutions that align to business objectives.Required EducationMinimum of a Bachelor’s degree, or currently in pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant HR work experience or related discipline.Required QualificationsMinimum 10 years HR experience, or related discipline (or 8 years minimum experience with Master’s Degree).Demonstrated ability to consult with, coach and advise senior leaders; highly effective written and verbal communicator; proven relationship-building and influence skills.Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities and projects in parallel, prioritizing most impactful activities and initiativesPreferred QualificationsPrior HR Business Partner experience supporting complex, matrixed organizations.Demonstrated experience in organizational development (org design, workforce planning, change management).Comfort operating in global environments with distributed teams and multiple stakeholder groups.Demonstrated ability to translate business priorities into people and capability strategiesConceptual fluency in AI and ability to translate AI strategy into workforce implicationsWork Model / TravelHybrid (NJ/PA); travel approximately 10–20%MSJRRequired SkillsHuman Resource Management, Human Resources (HR), Human Resources PoliciesPreferred SkillsBusiness Management, Business Strategies, Change Management, Client Management, Clinical Development, Coaching, Compensation Strategies, Conflict Resolution, Incentive Compensation, Learning Strategies, Organizational Alignment, Organizational Change Management, People Management, Performance Management Tool, Prioritization, Project Resource Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Succession Planning, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Teamwork, Trend Analysis, Workforce PlanningCurrent Employees apply HERECurrent Contingent Workers apply HEREUS And Puerto Rico Residents OnlyOur company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.RequirementsAs an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:EEOC Know Your RightsEEOC GINA Supplement We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State ActsThe salary range for this role is$129,000.00 - $203,100.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance OrdinanceLos Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring OrdinanceSearch Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.Employee StatusRegularRelocation:No relocationVISA SponsorshipNoTravel Requirements10%Flexible Work ArrangementsHybridShiftNot IndicatedValid Driving LicenseNoHazardous Material(s)N/AJob Posting End Date05/15/2026A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date. Requisition ID:R397040