Director of People

Helios Clinical Research is seeking a Director of People to lead our HR and training teams and support employees and managers across a multistate clinical research organization. This role combines HR leadership with hands-on execution, with a significant focus on full-cycle recruitment and direct candidate sourcing. You will partner with other Helios leaders on workforce needs, guide managers through employee matters, and oversee payroll, benefits, and learning and development. What You’ll Do Recruitment and Workforce Planning Personally manage full-cycle recruitment, from hiring intake and direct sourcing through screening, interviews, offers, and onboarding. Build candidate pipelines through professional networks, employee referrals, educational partnerships, and direct outreach. Partner with hiring managers to define requirements, assess candidates, and make timely hiring decisions. Track hiring progress, recruitment costs, and sourcing effectiveness. Employee Relations and Compliance Serve as a trusted resource for employees and managers across multiple states, including California. Conduct investigations and guide managers through coaching, performance improvement, corrective action, and separations. Manage leave and accommodation processes and maintain consistent, well-documented HR practices. Maintain policies and procedures that reflect applicable employment requirements, partnering with legal counsel as needed. Payroll and Benefits Oversight Oversee the Payroll and Benefits Administrator and ensure accurate, timely multistate payroll administration. Oversee all payroll-related tax obligations, including deposits, quarterly filings, reconciliations, year-end reporting, and resolution of tax notices. Oversee benefits administration, open enrollment, retirement plan coordination, and vendor relationships. Partner with Finance and service providers to resolve discrepancies and maintain effective controls. People Leadership and Development Lead, coach, and develop both direct reports, establishing clear priorities and accountability. Guide the Director of Learning and Development on training priorities, manager development, onboarding training, and program effectiveness. Lead performance management and support compensation reviews, employee engagement, retention, and succession planning. Support employee and HR integration following acquisitions. HR Systems and Reporting Administer and improve HRIS, payroll, and timekeeping systems, including UKG. Maintain reliable employee data, workflows, reporting, and system access. Provide leadership with practical insights on headcount, turnover, vacancies, overtime, and workforce costs. What You Bring Eight or more years of progressive HR experience, including leadership of a hands-on HR function supporting a multistate workforce. Direct experience supporting California employees and applying California employment requirements. Recent full-cycle recruiting experience, including direct candidate sourcing and building pipelines with limited agency support. Experience overseeing multistate payroll and payroll tax administration, including quarterly filings, reconciliations, and year-end reporting. Experience overseeing benefits administration, open enrollment, and vendor relationships. Experience leading or overseeing learning and development, including manager development, learning management systems, and training effectiveness. Strong HRIS administration skills and comfort working directly in systems. Experience managing direct reports, conducting investigations, and guiding managers through sensitive employee matters. Sound judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and the ability to balance competing priorities. A bachelor’s degree in HR, business, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

UKG experience. Clinical research, healthcare, or multisite service organization experience. Acquisition integration experience. SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification. Work Arrangement This is a remote position with travel to company locations as needed and flexibility to support employees across time zones. Salary Range: $140,000 to $150,000 based on experience