People Advisor, Corporate Functions

Vertex Pharmaceuticals•Boston, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Vertex, the People Advisor delivers high-impact, manager-facing HR advisory support that helps leaders make effective people decisions, strengthen organizational health, and create a consistently positive employee experience. This role supports the Corporate Functions portfolio and will partner closely with managers through everyday people decisions, moments of change, and critical workforce cycles. Operating within Vertex’s HR service-based model, the People Advisor focuses on proactive coaching, early intervention, talent planning, program enablement, and people insights while partnering with People Experience, Employee Relations, HR Business Partners, HR Operations, and Centers of Excellence to route transactional, programmatic, or formal investigative work to the teams best positioned to deliver it.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to coach and influence managers through complex people decisions, early interventions, and sensitive employment situations
Strong knowledge of HR policies, employment practices, and service-based HR operating models, with the ability to apply guidance consistently and practically across geographies
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret workforce trends, identify organizational health themes, and translate insights into action
Ability to manage multiple priorities, navigate ambiguity, assess risk, and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced, matrixed environment
Strong consulting, communication, stakeholder management, and change enablement skills across business and HR partners
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
4+ years of experience in HR advisory, HR business partnering, employee relations, HR operations, or a related HR role

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting manager-facing advisory work across performance, employment lifecycle, workforce planning, organizational health, or talent program execution
Experience partnering with HR Business Partners, Employee Relations, People Experience, HR Operations, Legal, and Centers of Excellence

Responsibilities

Coach managers through day-to-day people challenges, performance concerns, conduct matters, and team effectiveness opportunities
Advise on policy interpretation and practical application, helping managers make consistent, values-aligned decisions
Support early intervention in difficult or sensitive employee situations by helping assess risk, clarify options, and prepare for appropriate next steps
Engage Employee Relations when formal action, independent fact-finding, or investigation support is required
Advise managers through complex employment moments, including workforce cycles, compensation cycles, performance, role changes, and promotion decisions
Support leave of absence and return-to-work planning by helping managers navigate timelines, decision points, and stakeholder coordination
Guide accommodation and workplace adjustment processes in partnership with the appropriate HR, Benefits, Employee Relations, and legal stakeholders
Support sensitive employment transitions, including involuntary separations, reductions in force, and other complex exits
Support rollout, adoption, and consistent execution of enterprise talent programs, workforce cycles, and manager-facing HR initiatives
Enable managers with clear guidance, practical tools, and timely communications that help translate programs into day-to-day action
Reinforce consistent application of standard processes and ways of working across functions and teams
Partner with Centers of Excellence and HR teams to standardize processes, support change adoption, and ensure scalable, business-relevant delivery
Advise managers on organization hygiene, role clarity, workforce planning, and headcount-related initiatives
Assess people implications of business and operating model changes across Corporate Functions and provide practical recommendations
Translate business needs into talent actions that balance near-term execution with longer-term workforce goals
Support restructures, role changes, work shifts, and related stakeholder coordination across HR teams as needed
Analyze workforce trends and patterns to help leaders understand what is changing, why it is happening, and where action may be needed
Monitor organizational health indicators, manager capability signals, and emerging workforce risks across the Corporate Functions portfolio
Conduct targeted diagnostics, highlight themes and opportunities, and guide managers toward appropriate actions rather than simply providing reports