ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES

Job Description

Job Description

Sanford Burnham Prebys is much more than a research facility and hub for innovation; it’s a vibrant global community of talented scientists and researchers from over 30 countries. This worldwide representation enriches our perspectives and enhances our creative approach to solving complex scientific challenges.

We strive to be leaders not only in biomedical research but also in creating an environment where excellence thrives through collaboration across cultures and backgrounds. Our mission is to advance the biomedical sciences by cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders, providing meaningful opportunities for researchers of all backgrounds to learn, innovate, and make breakthrough discoveries that improve human health.

Together, we translate science into health.

The duties and responsibilities contained in the job description are intended to be examples of the accountabilities for which the person in the position will demonstrate competency through performance. The job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Duties and responsibilities are subject to change and other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Position   Summary:

The Associate Director, Human Resources, is a senior HR leader reporting to the Director of Human Resources. The Associate Director exercises independent judgment within authority delegated by the Director of Human Resources and serves as a primary escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations and hiring matters.

This role provides senior-level oversight and subject-matter leadership for Talent Acquisition and Employee Relations activities, directly conducts and oversees investigations across a range of employee matters, advises leaders on performance management, workforce engagement, and people‑related risk, and partners closely with the Director of Human Resources and Legal as appropriate on matters requiring policy interpretation and institutional judgement.

Duties and Responsibilities:

HR Leadership & People Strategy

• Serve as a strategic HR partner to leadership, guiding workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, and people-related initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Human Resources on HR strategy, change management, and continuous improvement of HR programs.
• Advise senior leadership on people-related risk, performance concerns, and organizational trends, brining a consistent, institution-wide perspective to decision-making.

Talent Acquisition

• Provide strategic oversight and guidance for full-cycle recruitment strategies for scientific and administrative roles, with particular focus on high-impact, sensitive, or senior level searches.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to hiring managers and leadership on search strategy, candidate assessment, and hiring risks for high-impact or sensitive roles.
• Ensure recruitment practices are applied consistently across departments and aligned with institutional standards and values.
• Monitor and improve recruiting metrics such as time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, and key outcomes, and recommend improvements to the Director of Human Resources.
• Ensure an equitable, efficient, and high-quality hiring process and candidate experience, without assuming ownership of recruitment systems or day-to-day administration

Employee Relations, Investigations, and Performance Management

• Serve as a senior employee relations leader, addressing Institute-wide matters, including performance management concerns, workplace conduct issues, manager coaching, and employee complaints.
• Conduct workplace investigations across a range of employee matters (performance, conduct, policy violations, and workplace concerns) or oversee investigations as appropriate based on complexity and risk.
• Determine investigative scope, methodology, and documentation standards, and approach (internal or external), in consultation with HR and Legal Leadership as appropriate.
• Ensure investigations are conducted promptly, fairly, and in compliance with institutional policies and applicable laws.
• Analyze and review investigation findings and exercise independent judgment in advising leadership on outcomes, corrective actions, and follow-on steps .
• Identify trends and systemic risks arising from employee relations matters and investigations, and recommend proactive institutional responses (e.g., training, policy clarification, or process improvements).

Manager Coaching, Training and Organizational Effectiveness

• Provide strategic coaching to managers and leaders on performance management, conduct issues, and workplace dynamics.
• Support development and/or delivery of manager guidance and training related to employee relations, performance management, and fair employment practices.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources during organizational changes, leadership transitions, restructurings, or funding-driven staffing actions to advise on people impacts and risk considerations.

Policy, Compliance & Risk Management

• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, ensuring compliant HR practices.
• Apply employment policies and compliant practices through investigation findings, employee relations guidance, and leadership advisement.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources and Legal to review, interpret, and recommend updates to HR policies and procedures, and support consistent application across the organization.
• Partner with internal and external legal counsel on complex employment matters and risk mitigation strategies.
• Support audits, reporting requirements, and institutional compliance initiatives.

Performs other related tasks, duties and responsibilities as required, assigned or directed

Minimum Qualifications :

Education : Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. Advanced degree or formal training in employment law, investigations, or organizational leadership preferred.

Experience :

• 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, with substantial focus on employee relations, workplace investigations, and performance management.
• Demonstrated experience independently conducting or leading workplace investigations, including factual analysis, documentation, and recommendations regarding outcomes and corrective actions.
• Prior experience managing or providing senior-level oversight to HR professionals or serving in a lead or escalation role for employee relations matters.
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law, with substantial California experience preferred.
• Familiarity with HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, ADP) sufficient to interpret data and trends; system administration experience not required.
• Experience in nonprofit, academic, or medical research environments preferred.

Certifications : Professional HR certification such as SPHR, SHRM‑SCP, or equivalent preferred; PHR or SHRM‑CP acceptable with demonstrated senior-level employee relations and investigations experience.

Other Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound, independent judgment in complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, performance issues, and institutional risk assessment, with a high degree of discretion, professionalism, and integrity.
• Strong workplace investigation expertise, including fact‑finding, credibility assessment, documentation, and synthesis of findings into clear, defensible recommendations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and coaching skills, with the ability to influence and advise leaders and managers at multiple levels and present complex information clearly to varied audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to identify trends, assess risk, and recommend proactive, institution‑wide solutions in partnership with Legal and senior leadership.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms and Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Excel and PowerPoint) for analysis, reporting, and executive presentations.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Direct: Yes

Indirect: Yes

Benefits That Support You

Sanford Burnham Prebys offers a comprehensive benefits package* designed to support employees’ health, financial security, and overall well-being.

• Health & Welfare: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, and employee assistance resources.
• Retirement Savings: A 403(b) retirement plan featuring a generous employer match of $2 for every $1 you contribute (up to 10% of your salary).
• Financial & Lifestyle Benefits: Flexible spending accounts, identity theft protection, and employee discounts on entertainment, travel, and more.
• Time Off & Holidays: Vacation, sick leave, and other applicable leave benefits, plus up to 13 paid holidays per year.
• Wellness & Convenience: Year-round wellness programs and events, free on-site parking, and access to 50 electric vehicle charging stations at competitive rates.

*Benefits eligibility varies by position. Employees must be regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week (0.75 FTE) to be eligible for most benefits.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

When working on-site, the work environment is in a standard office setting. May occasionally be exposed to low to excessive noise, various odors, temperature changes, and equipment with moving parts, including but not limited to computers, phones, printers, and other standard office equipment.

If working from home, you are responsible for ensuring a quiet, organized, and comfortable setting, free from significant noise or distractions. This requires the use of standard home office equipment, including but not limited to computers and phones. As you may be exposed to minimal noise and temperature variations depending on your home setup, it's important to maintain a workspace that supports productivity and well-being. Reliable internet connectivity and a suitable workstation are essential to fulfill job responsibilities effectively.

Physical Requirements:

This role may require specific physical capabilities, including: 

• Standing and Walking : Ability to occasionally (up to 3 hrs) stand or walk and move between different workstations. 
• Other physical activity : Constant (6 – 8 hrs) sitting, occasionally (up to 3 hrs) bending, kneeling, or twisting may be required.
• Lifting and Carrying : Capability to occasionally lift and carry equipment and materials, typically up to 50 pounds, up to various height and distances. 
• Manual Dexterity : Extended periods of repetitive use of their hand, including but not limited to simple grasping, pushing, pulling, reaching and keyboarding.

Hybrid Eligible:  No 

Work Location: This is an onsite position; candidates must be willing to work onsite in San Diego. Out-of-state applicants must disclose their willingness to relocate.