Director, Human Resources

Job Description

Job Description

At Vericel Corporation, we are pioneers in advanced cell therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care, transforming patient lives through cutting-edge regenerative medicine. Our commitment to innovation, patient-centered focus, and scientific excellence drives us to develop groundbreaking treatments including MACI (knee cartilage repair), Epicel and Nexobrid (burn care). 

Position Summary

The HR Director serves as a strategic advisor and trusted partner to our Sales, Marketing and Medical Office teams, translating business priorities into clear, actionable talent strategies that drive performance, innovation and scalable growth.

In this role, you will lead the design and execution of talent and organizational strategies spanning organizational design, workforce planning, performance management, talent development and succession planning. You will play a critical role in shaping how these organizations operate, build capability and deliver results.

This position requires a strong balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, along with the ability to influence senior leaders, facilitate complex discussions and use data and insights to improve organizational and business outcomes.

Schedule :  This position is in-office from Monday – Thursday in our new Burlington, MA location, with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays. 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner with senior leaders to align talent and organizational strategies with business goals.
• Translate business strategy into clear organizational, workforce and talent priorities.
• Advise leaders on leadership effectiveness, team performance and organizational health.

Leadership Development & Capability Building

• Identify individual, team and organizational capability gaps and determine the appropriate development interventions.
• Design and drive targeted learning, leadership development and team effectiveness solutions.
• Ensure development investments address demonstrated business needs and translate into improved capability and performance.

Organizational Design & Workforce Planning

• Lead organizational design efforts to support growth and evolving business needs.
• Assess organizational structure, spans and layers, talent and capability gaps.
• Develop workforce strategies aligned with current priorities and future business needs.

Talent Strategy, Development & Succession

• Lead talent reviews, succession planning and high-potential identification.
• Build leadership pipelines and targeted development plans aligned with business and capability needs.
• Partner with leaders to strengthen internal talent and succession for critical roles.

Performance Management & Accountability

• Strengthen performance management practices to drive accountability and results.
• Partner with leaders to differentiate performance and proactively address performance gaps.
• Coach leaders on feedback, development and difficult conversations.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience supporting Commercial organizations and senior Commercial leaders, ideally within biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, or life sciences.
• Demonstrated expertise assessing organizational and individual capability gaps and designing learning and development strategies that strengthen leadership, functional capability, and business performance.
• Extensive experience in organizational design, workforce planning, performance management, talent reviews, and succession planning.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant HR Business Partner leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute talent and organizational strategies aligned with business priorities and performance goals.
• Proven ability to assess team effectiveness and determine the appropriate talent, structure, leadership, development, or performance interventions needed to improve results.
• Strong business acumen, executive presence, and demonstrated ability to coach, challenge, and influence senior leaders with confidence, credibility, and independence.

Why Vericel?

• Cutting-Edge Science: Work with a leading regenerative medicine product that is transforming patient care.
• Career Growth: Be a part of a growing organization with opportunities to expand your impact.
• Collaborative Culture: Work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about improving lives.