Sr Director, People Business Partner - North America

Applied Systems, Inc., a global leader in insurance technology, is seeking a Sr Director, People Business Partner – North America to help shape the future of work at Applied and strengthen the experience of ~2,200 team members across the region. This strategic leader will oversee a team of five Senior People Business Partners. This role is key in ensuring our people strategies enable our business strategy.

As a member of the People Leadership Team, you will empower leaders, elevate organizational capability, and build an environment where talent thrives and teams can do the best work of their careers. You will guide the North America PBP operating model and ensure our people practices fuel performance, scalability, and long‑term company success.

You’ll partner with COEs and collaborate with regional People leaders globally to deliver solutions that enhance growth, belonging, leadership effectiveness, and cultural evolution. This role plays a central part in shaping how our organization grows—removing barriers, building high‑trust relationships, and enabling Applied’s transformation through its people.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Business Partnership

• Drive people strategies that enable growth, operational excellence, and cultural strength
• In partnership with our Organizational Design Practice Lead, translate business strategy into workforce plans (org design, headcount and skills, succession) and measure impact using clear, leader-friendly success metrics
• Anticipate talent risks and opportunities; advise on organizational effectiveness, change management, and leadership capability building

Team Leadership & Operating Excellence

Set the overall strategy, vision, and operating model for the People Business Partner function in alignment with the company’s business strategy and People strategy

• Lead, develop, and coach a team of Senior PBPs; set priorities, remove obstacles, and ensure excellence in execution and stakeholder experience
• Establish a consistent operating rhythm (talent reviews, headcount/skills planning, engagement actions) aligned with global practices
• Lead continuous improvement of PBP processes, structures, and tools, including redesigning work for human-AI collaboration

Talent & Leadership

• Participate in planning and decision-making processes with the talent acquisition team to align recruitment goals with business needs; collaborate with the team to assess effectiveness of recruitment strategies and suggest alternatives as necessary

• Partner with L&D COE to embed high-quality performance management, talent review, and leadership development; ensure fair, consistent talent processes and calibration
• Build and maintain external networks to stay current on People and organizational trends, best practices, and innovations, and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Model Applied’s Values in Action and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and learning within the PBP organization and across the People function

Rewards, Workforce Analytics & Operations

• Collaborate with Compensation COE on market-aligned pay practices, pay-for-performance, and job architecture; ensure compensation decisions are consistent and well-governed
• Leverage People analytics and HRIS data to guide decisions; translate insights into simple narratives and actions

Global Collaboration

• Work in lockstep with regional People Directors in India, Europe, and Israel to ensure consistency of standards adapted for local context
• Share best practices and act as a connector across regions, COEs, and the North America business

What You’ll Need to Succeed

We’re looking for someone who:

• Holds a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably in business, human resources, or related fields

• Has 15+ years of progressive People experience, with deep experience in People Business Partnership or related strategic People roles in complex, matrixed organizations, including 7+ years of direct experience managing People Business Partners

• Excels at advising C-level or executive leaders on organization and people strategy
• Is able to travel up to 10-15%

Your experience should include some or all of the following:

• Skilled at simultaneously managing both strategic initiatives and the execution of day-to-day deliverables
• Working knowledge of multiple human resource disciplines, including talent acquisition, talent development, compensation practices, organizational development, performance management, employee relations, and federal and state respective employment laws
• Successful track record of working and thriving in a dynamic, fast-paced and changing environment that is results oriented and collaborative
• Proven ability to influence and challenge senior executives constructively and to shape decisions that balance short-term performance with long-term organizational health
• Exceptional leadership skills; able to set vision, drive alignment, and develop high-performing teams
• Outstanding communication and executive presence; able to simplify complexity, tell compelling stories with data, and engage effectively with diverse audiences
• Strong partnership and collaboration skills with a track record of effective cross-functional work with Finance, Legal, People COE, and other key functions
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy, navigate ambiguity, and make sound, timely decisions
• Experience with one or more HRIS systems, experience with UKG/UltiPro a plus
• Intermediate to advanced MS office skills, including PowerPoint

Additionally, you may have:

• Experience in a software or tech firm
• Advanced degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or related field

Key Performance Outcomes (examples)

• PBP function is recognized by executive leadership as a critical strategic partner in achieving business goals and shaping organizational health
• Enterprise-level people and organizational strategies (e.g., workforce, leadership, talent management) are clearly articulated, aligned with long-term business plans, and delivering measurable outcomes
• High engagement, strong performance, and robust succession pipeline within the PBP team
• Major organizational and cultural transformation initiatives are executed effectively, with strong change adoption, managed risk, and positive employee experience
• Exhibits behaviors that exemplify Applieds’ Values in Action and reinforces those expectations across the People function and the business

When You Join Team Applied, You Can Expect

A culture that values who you are and recognizes that you aren’t just an employee; you are a teammate, and you matter. We thrive on the benefits of our different experiences and celebrate the uniqueness our teammates bring to work with them every day.  

We flex our time together, collaborating remotely and in-person to empower our teams to work in the ways that work best for them.