Director, Human Resources

Visterra is a biotechnology company focused on discovery, pre-clinical research and clinical trial material manufacturing of biologic therapeutic candidates.  We are committed to developing innovative protein-based therapies for the treatment of patients with kidney, immune-mediated and other hard-to-treat diseases. We have a robust pipeline of discovery and preclinical-stage programs.  Several Visterra-originated assets are being studied in clinical trials by our affiliates or partners and one asset, VIS649 (sibeprenlimab), has received FDA approval. 

Visterra is an indirect wholly-owned, independent operating subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a global pharmaceutical and nutraceutical company headquartered in Japan.  As a member of the Otsuka family of companies, we are uniquely positioned as a small, nimble and innovative organization where individuals and teams are empowered to make big impacts – while benefiting from the support, strength, stability and long-term perspective of a 100-year-old global company. We have approximately 100 employees and are located in Waltham, Massachusetts.  For more information, please visit visterrainc.com.

ROLE 

We are seeking a Director of Human Resources to lead HR operations at Visterra and help ensure that we have the talent and culture to successfully execute our strategy and accomplish our goals.  Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role will partner closely with senior leadership and global Otsuka colleagues, and lead our small HR team to provide motivating and rewarding employee programs, compliant HR practices and maintain a compelling employee value proposition and experience.

IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES

• Complete a full annual HR cycle – performance reviews, compensation reviews, engagement survey, benefits enrollment – with sustained high-quality execution and timelines.
• Build partnerships with Executive Committee members and company leaders to become the trusted resource on HR-related matters.
• Establish effective collaboration with Otsuka global HR colleagues to continue to leverage parent-provided plans and programs without losing the speed, autonomy and fit that make Visterra work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Total Rewards 

• Ensure Visterra's compensation and benefits programs remain competitive and effective in retaining our talented employees.
• Partner with our Executive Committee on key compensation decisions, including merit increases, market adjustments, promotions and senior level new hire offers.
• Lead annual compensation review process, including survey data benchmarking and cross-department calibration.
• Collaborate with the Otsuka HR colleagues to coordinate and leverage global Otsuka plans and programs (health insurance, 401(k)).

Culture & Employee Relations

• Champion and reinforce Visterra’s positive, inclusive, and high-performance workplace culture aligned with our core values.
• Manage employee engagement surveys and develop and execute engagement-directed initiatives to maintain our high level of engagement.
• Oversee employee relations, providing direction and guidance on complex matters and escalation support to ensure fair, consistent and compliant resolutions.
• Oversee social media employer branding and coordinate intranet and website changes to support engagement, culture and talent.

Compliance

• Ensure HR policies, processes and procedures comply with applicable state and federal employment and labor laws and regulations.
• Collaborate with Otsuka HR colleagues to coordinate global compliance and ethics trainings.
• Coordinate and support employee immigration matters.

HR Strategy 

• Partner with senior leaders on workforce planning and talent strategy to drive organizational performance and employee engagement.
• Advise leadership on employment-related matters and developments.
• Coordinate and support leadership development and succession planning.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Oversee recruiting, hiring and onboarding efforts for open roles, ensuring close collaboration with hiring managers, management of external recruiters as needed and a great candidate and new employee experience.
• Promote an inclusive and diverse work environment.

Performance Management & Learning and Development

• Coach and advise managers on performance management and people management skills.
• Coordinate our performance management process, including goal-setting, feedback and reviews.
• Oversee learning and development programs that build organizational capability and support individual career growth.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field required.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior HR management or director-level or greater role.
• Experience in the biopharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences industry strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience performing compensation benchmarking using survey data (e.g., Aon/Radford, Mercer).
• Demonstrated experience as an HR Business Partner supporting senior/executive leadership teams.
• Proven experience developing and implementing HR initiatives, creating a positive and innovative corporate culture, and leading talent acquisition and performance review processes.
• Demonstrated experience leading sensitive personnel matters, employee relations inquiries and resolutions.
• Experience at an operating subsidiary of a larger parent organization is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep expertise across core HR disciplines: total rewards, employee relations, performance management, HR compliance, talent acquisition and L&D.
• Working knowledge of federal and Massachusetts employment laws, including immigration regulations.
• HRIS proficiency (Workday, ADP, BambooHR, Lattice) and comfort with HR analytics and reporting.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; ability to influence and partner at all levels of the organization.
• High level of discretion, integrity, and sound judgment in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and re-prioritize in an agile, dynamic environment.
• Collaborative leadership style with a proactive, solution-oriented approach.

WORK LOCATION

This role is an office-based (average 4 days/week onsite) role at our offices in Waltham, MA. Occasional travel (Otsuka US sites, Japan) may be required.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Visterra offers a highly competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including a base salary, annual performance bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, parental leave, and professional development support).

Salary Range: $205,000-$275,000

Visterra provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.