People Partner (HR)

People Partner

We are a team of passionate HR professionals, united by a shared purpose and a drive to succeed together. The US People & Organization (P&O) team is looking for a People Partner to join us in supporting Biomedical Research (BR) at Novartis. In this role, you will be a trusted advisor—guiding and supporting leaders, managers, and associates through the moments that matter. You will help deliver a seamless employee experience across the full lifecycle, from talent acquisition through development, performance, and rewards. You will also play a key role in shaping and implementing P&O transformation initiatives, partnering closely with Business Partners and Centers of Excellence. Together, we collaborate across divisions, staying agile and curious as we evolve with the business and embrace AI-powered and technology-enabled ways of working.

This role is required to be in our Cambridge office 3x/week - #Hybrid.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implements P&O initiatives, supporting the overall P&O strategy. Ensure People Partnering processes are accomplished with high quality and efficiency. Champions culture and supports implementation of corporate initiatives.
• Drive buy-in and utilization of data and analytics to identify risk and trends, and to apply these business insights to inform decisions and actions.
• Embraces customer feedback to understand the customer journey with moments that matter and makes recommendations for continuous improvement. Implement enhancements and modifications as necessary to meet both business and customer needs.
• Ensure compliance with local equity / Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations.
• Manage the delivery of in-country transformations, consult with legal, provides advice and guidance for managers through the local US process, oversees associate notice / handover meetings and overall restructuring life cycle.
• Ensures local Employee Relations regulations are in line with local regulations and Novartis integrity standards from a cross divisional / country lens. Manages Employee relations within client group, coaching and mentoring associates and managers.
• Promotes the contribution of ideas and solutions to the P&O network (Country Business Partners, Global Business Partners, and Country P&O Boards). Seeks to establish strong relationships with cross-divisional P&O community members to understand needs and challenges and drive continuous improvement.
• Coach leaders, managers and associates on P&O topics, local policies and key moments that matter, building manager capability and self-sufficiency.

Essential Criteria:

• At minimum 5+ years' work experience in P&O – with breadth of experience across P&O disciplines. At minimum 3+ years supporting a complex and metrics organization within the US.
• Strong hands-on experience using Workday (or comparable HR systems) to manage end-to-end P&O processes (e.g., talent moves, org changes, performance, recruitment), with a clear understanding of how system workflows translate into employee and manager experience
• Proven AI fluency, with practical experience applying AI tools to enhance day-to-day work (e.g., generating insights, improving processes, drafting communications), and a strong curiosity to continuously adopt new technologies
• Demonstrated ability to lead and advise on employee relations matters, ensuring compliance with local regulations and company standards, while building manager capability through coaching, guidance, and proactive issue resolution
• Ability to influence without authority and build capability in leaders through coaching, feedback, and strong relationships.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment by rapidly adapting to changing priorities, technologies, and organizational needs, while maintaining focus, performance, and alignment with business objectives.

Desirable Criteria:

• Actively contributes to a collaborative team environment by building trust, sharing ideas openly, and working inclusively with others to solve problems, drive outcomes, and foster a positive team dynamic.
• Ability to think and operate locally and globally by connecting across geographies, integrating diverse perspectives, and driving alignment across global and local stakeholders to achieve enterprise-wide outcomes
• Prior experience in the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry, with exposure to Research & Development (R&D) organizations and processes

Benefits & Rewards

The salary for this position is expected to range between $98,700 and $183,300 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.