Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Head of Reward and HR Operations (US) who is strategic, delivery-focused, and digitally curious to join us in our Talent & Reward Operations team, based in our UCB office in Atlanta, GA

About the role

In this senior leadership role, you will be accountable for the end-to-end reward and HR operations agenda in the United States, UCB's largest market. You will ensure reliable delivery of core people processes while shaping and implementing a future-focused reward and HR operating model. The role balances operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and employee experience, while supporting growth, transformation, and integration activities across the US business.

Who you'll work with

You will work closely with US HR business partners, senior business leaders, and functional teams, including Finance, Legal, IT, and Global HR. You will also collaborate with global reward experts and HR operations leaders to ensure global frameworks are applied consistently and effectively in the US context. As part of the US HR leadership community, you will act as a trusted advisor on reward and HR operations topics.

What you'll do

• Lead US reward and HR operations with reliable execution and strong service quality
• Serve as a strategic partner to the Global Head, ensuring US market needs influence and reflect the broader global people strategy
• Drive the adoption of global HR operating standards within the US while maintaining the agility required for a high-growth company.
• Prepare and present US-specific compensation and benefits data for US leadership review
• Ensure regulatory compliance, governance, and effective risk management
• Oversee compensation, incentives, benefits, and employee lifecycle processes
• Implement simplified, scalable, and digitally enabled reward solutions
• Use data and insights to improve decision-making and employee experience
• Build, develop, and engage a high-performing operational team

Interested? For this role we're looking for the following

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, finance, or related field
• 15+ years' experience in reward, total rewards, or HR operations
• Deep knowledge of US compensation, incentives, benefits, and employment practices
• Demonstrated ability to influence global stakeholders and navigate cross-cultural organizational dynamics.
• Expertise in harmonizing local US compensation, benefits and pay equity standards within global governance frameworks.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed, global organizations
• Exceptional relationship management skills, with demonstrated ability to build, manage, and sustain strong relationships with senior business leaders and other stakeholders
• Exposure to organizational growth, restructuring, and M&A activities
• Ability to translate complex data sets into actionable business insights for executive-level decision-making.

Preferred requirements

• Advanced degree in HR, business, or a related discipline
• SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP Certification
• Experience driving HR reward transformation and digital enablement
• Experience in biopharma or a related regulated industry

Internal applicants should be in their current job for at least 12 months, must meet performance standards and are not on formal corrective/disciplinary process (PIP), warning, final warning, or compliance warning letters within the last 12 months. Please inform your Manager or your Talent Partner before applying to any internal job opportunities.

Unless explicitly stated in the description, this role is hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office, regardless of your current contractual agreement. If your current working arrangements differ, please contact your Talent Partner to discuss before submitting your application.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. UCB invites you to voluntarily self-identify during the application process. Provision of self-identification information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your application for employment, your employment with UCB, or otherwise subject you to any adverse treatment. Any information you provide will be considered confidential and will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders, and regulations.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on [email protected] for application to US based roles. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.

Requisition ID: 92900

Recruiter: Lori Hanchett

Hiring Manager: Ann Gudiens

Talent Partner: Natacha Tassier

Job Level: SM I

Please consult HRAnswers for more information on job levels.