Senior Director, People and Culture

The Company:

FL85 is a Flagship-backed, privately held biotechnology company on a mission to transform the current approach to information molecule therapeutics to unlock their full therapeutic potential. In recent years, we have begun to experience the power of information molecules in treating historically undruggable diseases and in designing therapies with unprecedented turnaround times. FL85’s platform integrates nanoparticle development with world-class informatics technologies and a novel pipeline of experimentation and discovery to drive a new generation of highly effective, therapeutically relevant information molecule therapies. We are seeking collaborative, relentless problem solvers that share our passion for impact to join us!

Role Summary:

The Senior Director of People and Culture will be the first full time HR hire at FL85 (approx. 50 employees) and will be an integral member of the FL85 Leadership Team, enhancing and scaling existing HR capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the organization. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on responsibilities, aimed at building an inclusive, high-performance culture and ensuring scalability and compliance in all HR operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic HR Leadership: Enhance and scale the HR infrastructure for ongoing growth. Design and implement people strategies that align with and enable FL85’s vision, company goals, and operational requirements.
• Employee Experience and Culture: Actively develop and nurture a dynamic organizational culture that fosters innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. Embed culture principles throughout the employee experience, starting with onboarding through to offboarding.
• Performance Management: Modernize performance management process to support continuous improvement and goal alignment, focusing on rapid feedback cycles and fostering a growth mindset.
• Learning and Development: Build and deliver a holistic employee development strategy, including management training to enhance leadership capabilities across the organization.
• Employee Relations and Advisory: Strengthen employee relations through effective resolution strategies and open communication channels; coach and advise leaders on management and organizational best practices.
• HR Operations: Partner with Flagship HR Operations and Total Rewards teams to optimize benefits, systems, processes, and compensation frameworks to meet the needs of our business.  Ensure all HR practices adhere to legal standards and are operationally efficient.

Pivotal Skills:

• Ability to parallel process multiple projects and workstreams
• Entrepreneurial and comfortable operating in ambiguity where there is no precedent for doing things
• Unmatched sense of urgency
• Optimistic and innovative; solution-oriented; shows no signs of cynicism
• Values, communicates, and interacts with others with high levels of transparency and respect with the acumen to engage and influence at all levels within the company.
• Proven competency in navigating complex, matrixed environments with a penchant for strong stakeholder management and influencing skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; additional certification in Human Resources (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience, preferably in the pharma, biotech, or technology industries.
• In-depth knowledge and proven track record across the spectrum of HR offerings including talent acquisition, talent management, compliance, employee relations, and leadership coaching.

What FL85 Offers:

• A critical role in a leading-edge biotech company set for its next phase of growth.
• The unique opportunity to be a part of the expansive Flagship ecosystem.
• A collaborative, purpose-driven culture that promotes innovation and continuous learning.
• Competitive compensation package including equity options, comprehensive health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.

About Flagship

Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation company that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than $90 billion in aggregate value. Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving huma