Director, HR Business Partner

Join us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.

Director, Business HR Consulting - Finance, Legal & Corporate Strategy/Development

This role serves as the primary strategic HR partner to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members leading Finance, Legal, and Corporate Strategy/Development, providing counsel on complex talent and organizational challenges that drive strategic and operational excellence. The Director partners closely with Senior Managers who support Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members within these organizations, creating an integrated approach to talent strategy, organizational design, and leadership effectiveness across these critical enterprise functions. This role requires deep HR expertise, strong analytical and strategic acumen, and the ability to operate as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders navigating the complexity of functions that manage risk, drive strategy, and ensure organizational integrity.

Job Responsibilities

• Facilitate talent reviews and succession planning conversations with Finance, Legal, and Corporate Strategy/Development ELT leaders, ensuring robust pipelines for critical leadership roles in these strategic functions.

• Advise on development moves, rotations, and proactive talent assessment to build bench strength for key roles in financial management, legal counsel, risk management, and strategic planning.

• Facilitate organizational design processes and advise on structure options that support financial strategy, legal and compliance objectives, risk management, and corporate development initiatives.

• Counsel leaders on organizational implications of strategic decisions including M&A activity, regulatory changes, financial transformation, legal reorganization, and strategic planning processes.

• Drive regular organizational hygiene reviews across Finance, Legal, and Corporate Strategy/Development (talent distribution, performance trends, retention risks) with particular attention to specialized expertise and critical technical roles.

• Advise on team effectiveness, leadership team dynamics, and cultural alignment within and across these strategic and operational functions.

• Partner with leaders to diagnose and address organizational barriers to strategic execution, risk management, and operational excellence.

• Serve as thought partner to Finance, Legal, and Corporate Strategy/Development ELT leaders on business decisions with significant people and organizational implications.

• Advise on talent implications of strategic initiatives and help leaders navigate organizational complexity inherent in functions that manage enterprise risk, drive strategy, and ensure compliance.

• Challenge thinking and offer alternative perspectives on how to achieve business objectives through people and organizational strategies.

Typical Qualifications

• Ten or more years of progressive HR experience with demonstrated breadth across multiple HR verticals (e.g., talent acquisition, talent management, total rewards, organizational development, employee relations).

• Proven track record as a strategic partner to senior leaders, with experience advising ELT-level stakeholders on complex talent and organizational challenges.

• Deep understanding of strategic and operational functions including finance, legal, risk management, and corporate development, with the ability to speak the language of these technical disciplines.

• Strong understanding of compensation strategy and structures for specialized professional roles, including executive compensation, equity arrangements, and retention mechanisms for critical technical talent.

• Exceptional judgment about people and organizational dynamics, with strong pattern recognition developed through diverse HR and business experience.

• Demonstrated ability to disagree productively with senior leaders in ways that strengthen relationships and improve decision-making.

• Comfort operating in ambiguity and complexity, with the ability to help leaders navigate uncertainty without premature resolution.

• Ability to understand how talent and organizational decisions in one area impact other parts of the business, anticipating downstream implications and unintended consequences.

• Experience managing scope and accountability across multiple major organizations simultaneously.

• Demonstrated curiosity and capability in leveraging AI tools to enhance HR effectiveness, with the ability to identify opportunities for AI application in talent and organizational work.

• Track record of building credible, trust-based relationships with senior stakeholders and influencing without formal authority.

• High standard of integrity, professionalism, and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to diverse audiences.

Expected Compensation

$153,000 - $261,000

The base salary range shown reflects the full range for this role from minimum to maximum. At athenahealth, base pay depends on multiple factors, including job-related experience, relevant knowledge and skills, how your qualifications compare to others in similar roles, and geographical market rates. Base pay is only one part of our competitive Total Rewards package - depending on role eligibility, we offer both short and long-term incentives by way of an annual discretionary bonus plan, variable compensation plan, and equity plans.

About athenahealth

Our vision: In an industry that becomes more complex by the day, we stand for simplicity. We offer IT solutions and expert services that eliminate the daily hurdles preventing healthcare providers from focusing entirely on their patients — powered by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.

Our company culture: Our talented employees — or athenistas, as we call ourselves — spark the innovation and passion needed to accomplish our vision. We are a diverse group of dreamers and do-ers with unique knowledge, expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives. We unite as mission-driven problem-solvers with a deep desire to achieve our vision and make our time here count. Our award-winning culture is built around shared values of inclusiveness, accountability, and support.

Our DEI commitment: Our vision of accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all requires addressing the inequities that stand in the way. That's one reason we prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of our business, from attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce to maintaining an inclusive environment for athenistas, our partners, customers and the communities where we work and serve.

What we can do for you:

Along with health and financial benefits, athenistas enjoy perks specific to each location, including commuter support, employee assistance programs, tuition assistance, employee resource groups, and collaborative workspaces — some offices even welcome dogs.

We also encourage a better work-life balance for athenistas with our flexibility. While we know in-office collaboration is critical to our vision, we recognize that not all work needs to be done within an office environment, full-time. With consistent communication and digital collaboration tools, athenahealth enables employees to find a balance that feels fulfilling and productive for each individual situation.

In addition to our traditional benefits and perks, we sponsor events throughout the year, including book clubs, external speakers, and hackathons. We provide athenistas with a company culture based on learning, the support of an engaged team, and an inclusive environment where all employees are valued.

Learn more about our culture and benefits here: athenahealth.com/careers