Sr. Human Resources Director, HR Operations

Job Description

Ready to make a difference? Our employees design, integrate, and test the world’s next generation communication and electronic warfare systems for the United States DoD and international customers. You will be among the brightest minds, working on the aerospace and defense industry’s most difficult problems. Drawing strength from our differences, we’re innovating for the future. We put our customers first – exemplified by our mission: “We Protect Those Who Protect Us®.” Sound like a team you want to be a part of? Come build your career with us.

The Senior Director, HR Business Partner – Operations is a strategic executive partner responsible for driving the human capital strategy across a complex, multisite Operations and Manufacturing organization. This role serves as a catalyst for organizational effectiveness, partnering directly with senior operational leaders to build an adaptable, scalable workforce, optimize operating models, and cultivate an engaged, capable, and agile frontline and leadership population.

This leader serves as a trusted advisor and architect of talent systems, including workforce planning, capability building, and cultural transformation—to ensure Operations is positioned to deliver on current and future business commitments. The role also leads and mentors a team of HR Business Partners, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

This HR leader will need to work 50 percent or more on site near one of our major BAE locations and local talent is highly desired.

Locations: Nashua, NH; Austin, TX; Endicott, NY; or Fort Wayne, IN; Cedar Rapids, IA

Strategic Responsibilities

Executive Partnership & Organizational Design

• Strategic Counsel: Serve as a trusted advisor to the VP of Operations and leadership team, providing high-level coaching on leadership effectiveness, organizational health, and business scaling.
• Org Effectiveness: Lead the evaluation of organizational structures, spans, and layers to ensure alignment with business goals. Facilitate strategic workshops to redesign workflows and implement scalable operating models across multiple sites.
• Change Leadership: Direct the assimilation of new leadership and guide the organization through large-scale transitions, including site expansions and operating model shifts, to maintain stability and productivity.

Talent Strategy & Lifecycle Management

• Agile People Strategy: Develop and execute a forward-looking people strategy aligned to growth, operational performance, and future capability needs, ensuring the organization remains competitive in attracting and retaining top-tier technical and operational talent.
• Talent Orchestration: Drive end-to-end talent strategies in partnership with Centers of Excellence (COEs) to strengthen succession depth, internal mobility, and leadership effectiveness.
• Capability Building: Champion upskilling and reskilling initiatives to support technology shifts, process redesign, and evolving manufacturing requirements.

Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of HR Partners, setting priorities and elevating HRBP capability through a culture of trust and innovation.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize advanced analytics and workforce insights to diagnose organizational needs, anticipate the effects of organizational changes, and present data-backed solutions to senior executives.
• Operational Rigor: Ensure high standards of HR process discipline and compliance with company policies and federal contracting obligations.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Education/Experience: Bachelor’s Degree and 14 years of relevant experience OR Advanced Degree and 12 years of relevant experience OR 18 years of relevant experience in the absence of a degree.
• Extensive HR leadership experience supporting large, complex, multisite operational, manufacturing, engineering, or technical organizations. Proven track record of aligning human capital initiatives with business goals and coaching senior leaders at the executive level. Proficiency in organizational design and change management.
• Strategic HR Business Partnering: Proven track record of aligning human capital initiatives with overarching business goals within large, complex, multisite operational, manufacturing, or technical environments.
• Executive Presence: Ability to communicate with confidence and credibility at the VP and Executive level, providing challenging yet constructive feedback to drive leadership effectiveness.
• Organizational Design: Deep proficiency in workforce planning and the ability to design structures, spans, and layers that optimize efficiency, scalability, and operational throughput.
• Conflict Resolution: Advanced skills in managing complex employee relations issues and facilitating resolution between senior stakeholders, particularly within high-pressure production environments.
• Change Management: Extensive experience leading large-scale organizational shifts, including site expansions, operating model transformations, and the assimilation of new leadership.
• HR Fundamental Expertise: Deep mastery of HR core competencies, including total rewards, job architecture, performance management, and regulatory compliance.
• Data-Driven Leadership: Proven ability to use advanced analytics to diagnose organizational health and present data-backed solutions to executive leadership.
• Team Development: Demonstrated success in leading, coaching, and elevating the capability of a professional HRBP team.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Experience in government contracting environments (citizenship, export control).
• Background supporting union or mixed labor environments.
• Experience scaling talent with multisite operational expansion.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $200222 - $340378

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.
About BAE Systems Electronic Systems BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it’s what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts – defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team—making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you’ll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference. Electronic Systems (ES) is the global innovator behind BAE Systems’ game-changing defense and commercial electronics. Exploiting every electron, we push the limits of what is possible, giving our customers the edge and our employees opportunities to change the world. Our products and capabilities can be found everywhere – from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of space. At our core are more than 14,000 highly talented Electronic Systems employees with the brightest minds in the industry, we make an impact – for our customers and the communities we serve.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.