Director, Human Capital Partners

American Institutes for Research • Chicago, IL

2d • Remote

About The Position

The Director, Human Capital Partner, serves as a highly strategic and forward-thinking advisor to AIR’s senior leaders and executives. Operating at the enterprise level, this role helps shape workforce strategy, drive organizational effectiveness, and ensure long-term talent sustainability. The Director, Human Capital Partner, brings strong consulting capabilities, business acumen, and the ability to influence across a complex, matrixed environment. This role leads the Human Capital Partner (HCP) team as well as initiatives that support organization wide strategies, partnering with leaders to deliver innovative, data-informed solutions. As the lead of the HCP team, the Director models effective consulting practices, and plays a key role in elevating the impact of AIR’s Human Capital function. This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations . This does not include U.S. territories. About AIR: Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources , Business, Organizational Development, Psychology, or related field ; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• 10 + years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4 years partnering with senior leaders or executives.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing HR business partners or HR teams, including managing performance, setting goals, and fostering accountability.
• Proven track record of leading enterprise or division-level HR initiatives and delivering strategic outcomes.
• Experience developing and executing talent strategies, succession plans, and organizational design initiatives in complex, matrixed environments.
• Strong consulting skills with the ability to influence, guide, and partner with senior leaders.
• Strategic, data-savvy mindset with the ability to interpret workforce insights and align them to business needs.
• Ability to anticipate issues, identify root causes, and design systems-level solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity and lead through change with composure and effectiveness.
• Integrity and sound judgment in handling sensitive employee and organizational information.
• Proactive, resourceful, and collaborative mindset with a strong orientation toward results and continuous improvement.
• Proficiency with Dayforce and advanced use of Microsoft 365 tools for analysis and presentations.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Capability Building Lead the HCP team by fostering a culture of authenticity, accountability, collaboration, and continuous growth. Model talent management best practices by actively engaging in long-term career planning, active development, and on-going feedback within the HCP team. Drive continuous improvement efforts within the HCP practice and contribute thought leadership within the HR function by driving innovation, standardizing practices, and modeling AIR’s values in every interaction.
• Organizational Strategic Partnership Design and deliver strategic programs that address leadership development, people management, and employee engagement across functions and divisions. Guide senior leaders through complex challenges in change management, organizational design, workforce planning, leadership transitions, and cultural alignment. Build organizational resilience by helping leaders at all levels anticipate and prepare for future talent needs, structural shifts, and capability gaps. Align HCP approaches and strategies to organizational and HR strategic plans and objectives.
• Executive Coaching & Influence Provide high-impact coaching to executives and senior leaders to elevate leadership effectiveness, navigate ambiguity, and lead with inclusivity and accountability. Build strong, trust-based relationships with business leaders and cross-functional teams that lead to improved outcomes within the talent space and across the business.
• Succession Planning & Talent Strategy Lead the HCPs through the design and implementation of holistic talent and succession strategies, partnering with leaders to evaluate pipeline strength, identify readiness gaps, and inform development investments. Produce strategic deliverables such as organizational succession plans, workforce analytics summaries, and organizational health assessments that guide leadership decision-making. Partner with Talent Management and Learning & Development to ensure that development efforts align with enterprise capability needs and critical role succession.
• Data-Driven Insights & Workforce Optimization Partner with the Analytics and HR Technology team to design and deliver meaningful data that allows leaders to anticipate challenges and identify trends to proactively manage engagement throughout the organization. Translate data into actionable recommendations that influence organizational and people strategies at scale. Collaborate with Compensation, Recruitment, and HR Systems to ensure integrated, equitable, and data-aligned human capital decisions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees