Director, HR Business Partner

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to eliminate the back row in education – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world-class digital education at scale. As the parent company of edX, the world’s leading online learning platform, 2U powers more than 4,000 online higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporate partners, we are helping to unlock human potential.

What We’re Looking For:

We are looking for individuals passionate about transforming higher education and joining an innovative team dedicated to disrupting the existing education model.  We don’t have average HR Business Partners here, so we’re looking for a more than average Director of HR to manage, mentor and coach our HR Business Partners.

2U’s incredible company culture is driven by leaders in every area of our company, and it starts right here with the HR team.  We’re looking for the atypical: a non-HR HR candidate who will oversee employee relations, performance management and special projects as assigned. 

Key Role and Responsibilities: 

• Develop strategies to meet the demands of a fast paced, growing organization by developing expertise within their client groups, identifying the needs of the business and aligning HR to address those needs.
• Lead and actively engage in the development of a growing team of HR Business Partners
• Advise and support managers to support employee relations matters
• Recommend and deliver disciplinary action to employees in conjunction with the manager, when applicable
• Guide managers through the performance improvement process and coaching opportunities
• Provide ongoing coaching to employees on documented performance management concerns
• Conduct formal investigations, personally handle or guide resolution on a variety of complex ER matters
• Enhance existing performance improvement initiatives across the organization
• Implement a performance management system to cascade company goals through the departments to individual goals
• Advocate for our company culture.  Ensure culture is the central tenet in the choices we make and the advice HR provides to the company in maintaining a culture of accountability and trust
• Implement company policies and procedures to ensure best practice and compliance with company and the operations of partner universities

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in HR, Business or Communications preferred
• 7 - 10 years’ experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified
• 5 years’ experience conducting formal investigations and handling complex ER issues
• Proven ability to work in a fast paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Strong customer service background
• Familiarity with HRIS systems or reporting tools
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office, inclusive of Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in an atmosphere of constant change
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong communication skills with the ability to relate to people at all levels
• Ability to approach each scenario from all perspectives
• Focused on achieving defined results and exceeding goals and objectives
• Ability to bring out other people’s potential and talents
• Ability to work with a diverse team in a fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to challenge and motivate management teams to foster innovation in an atmosphere of mutual respect
• Ability to assist in goal accomplishment, effectively relating human and non-human resources to the HR processes for the corporation
• Highly creative/influencer
• Success developing leaders within an organization

 

While this position is open to remote candidates across the U.S., we will prioritize those who live in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area and who are available to come into our Headquarters in Arlington, VA two days a week.

Benefits & Culture

Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide over 40 million learners and counting with access to world-class online higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. #NoBackRow

We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
Full-time, U.S.benefits include: