Sr. Director, HR Business Partner - R&D

About the role

You will own the end-to-end people strategy for Klaviyo's R&D organization, operating as a strategic partner directly to the VP-level leadership including the CPO, CTO, and CIO. In this role, you will interpret complex business shifts and translate them into clear people strategies that support sustainable growth. You will navigate the tension between speed and durability, ensuring that people programs are both agile and built to last. This position requires you to challenge leaders on organizational design while simultaneously coaching first-time managers on day-to-day people issues. You will redesign roles and team structures to reflect an AI-first reality, helping R&D professionals work effectively alongside intelligent systems. You will also lead the development of an HRBP team that models best-in-class strategic partnership. Ultimately, your work will be measured by the clarity, coherence, and long-term health of the R&D organization.

Key facts

What you'll do

Partner at the top as the primary HRBP for the R&D organization, advising the CPO, CTO, and CIO on the hardest people and organizational design questions.

Shape how R&D runs in the context of AI transformation, redesigning roles, structures, and capabilities so people can work effectively alongside intelligent systems.

Translate business strategy into people strategy, owning org design, succession planning, hiring strategy, and leadership development that scales with the business.

Lead with advanced people analytics and data signaling tools to identify trends, make the case for investment, and measure the impact of HR initiatives.

Build and coach a team of HRBPs, setting a high bar for strategic partnership and enabling them to do their best work.

Work cross-functionally with Talent Acquisition, People Operations, Total Rewards, and Employment Legal to create efficient, automated processes and execute on cross-functional initiatives.

Own complex employee lifecycle situations within R&D, providing counsel on org design, role mapping, and succession decisions.

Champion data-informed decision-making by defining metrics, dashboards, and signals that clarify the health and trajectory of the R&D organization.

Drive the design and implementation of leadership development and capability programs that prepare R&D leaders for AI-augmented futures.

Act as a candid thought partner, challenging leaders in the moment and providing coaching to first-time managers throughout the day.

Connect the dots between HR programs and business outcomes, ensuring that R&D people initiatives are grounded in strategy and measurable impact.

Serve as a change agent within the R&D organization, helping the team adapt to new ways of working driven by AI and evolving product priorities.

Maintain a high level of discretion and judgment when handling sensitive people issues at the executive level.

Requirements

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or at any time during the tenure of this role.

Must reside in the United States at the time of hire.

Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any boost currently recommended by the CDC at the time of hire.

Must be able to provide proof of vaccination status prior to starting employment.

Must have at least 10 years of total people experience, with at least 5 years in a People Business Partner role.

Must have at least 3 years of experience managing and developing HRBP teams.

Must have a track record of working in fast-growth, high ambiguity environments.

Must be comfortable using data, metrics, and analytics to drive decision-making and demonstrate business impact.

Must be able to operate independently at the executive level and exercise sound judgment with minimal guidance.

Practical notes

Work is full-time.

Employment Type: Full-time.

Hours: 40 per week.

Travel: None.

Visa: Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or at any time during the tenure of this role.

Application Deadline: None.

The role reports to Sr. Director, HR Business Partners.