Vice President, People

AIRNA is a biotechnology company with a mission to be the leading RNA editing company delivering precision therapies to patients with rare and common diseases.

AIRNA is pioneering the discovery and development of RNA editing therapeutics to realize the therapeutic potential of base editing for patients with rare and common diseases. RNA editing is poised to lead the next generation of RNA therapeutics by delivering the precision of gene editing with a potent and safe medicine that can be conveniently re-dosed and manufactured. Our RESTORE+? platform is based on groundbreaking research by academic co-founders Thorsten Stafforst (University of Tübingen) and Jin Billy Li (Stanford University), who were the first to elucidate a therapeutic approach for precise editing of RNA.

AIRNA has received $90 million in Series A financing from world class venture capital firms, including Forbion and Arch Venture Partners, and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA with research operations in Tübingen, Germany.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team the Vice President, People will drive optimal organizational performance of AIRNA’s human capital function across sites in Cambridge, MA and Tübingen, Germany. The successful candidate will be a key culture champion within the organization, and will lead all areas of human resources including strategic recruitment and on-boarding, compensation, wellness programs and benefits, performance management, rewards & recognition, learning & development, compliance, employee relations and organizational development. Specific responsibilities include:

Strategy

• In collaboration with the CEO and leadership team, evaluate, plan, develop, and implement AIRNA’s human capital strategy to support achieving the company’s mission.
• Champion ONE AIRNA culture throughout organization and encourage a diverse workplace embracing applicants and employees of all backgrounds.
• Work with the leadership team as a strategic thought partner to build a distinctive, and best-in-class team and culture, with high internal feedback on surveys.
• Work with the AD People & Finance in Germany to ensure cohesion and collaboration across sites for all people elements with a ONE AIRNA philosophy.

HR operations

• Enhance and/or develop, implement and enforce human resources policies, procedures and systems to improve the overall operation and effectiveness of the corporation.
• Design, lead, and execute a comprehensive onboarding experience for new employees at the US site in all aspects (onboarding with team, facilities, payroll and benefits).
• Work in partnership with the finance function on cross-functional topics such as payroll and benefits administration, travel and expense policies
• Collaborate with the finance function on equity compensation for all employees, including providing industry benchmarks, equity trainings and communication.

Talent:

• Develop and implement comprehensive staffing strategies, plans and programs to identify, develop and retain talent, as per the strategic hiring plan, including hiring and managing the engagement of external recruiting agencies.
• Contribute to AIRNA’s employer branding strategy, including creating and posting on LinkedIn for new hires, work anniversaries, and other events, and collaborate with external web designer to ensure that AIRNA’s website is up to date on all HR topics

Compensation

• Collaborate with CEO to develop comprehensive compensation philosophy and proposals, and present recommendations to the Compensation Committee of the Board, with relevant rationale and data, to gain approval for recommendations.
• Continually assess the competitiveness of compensation, programs and practices against the relevant comparable organizations (companies, academic institutions, etc.), and make recommendations for changes that ensure AIRNA is competitive.

Organization effectiveness

• Design and implement a comprehensive organizational talent review, succession planning, and comprehensive trainings or professional development programs.
• Oversee and interact with internal and outside counsel with respect to employment and HR issues.
• Work with CEO to lead regular all company meetings, with relevant agendas, speakers, and materials that ensure desired topics and communication within the company.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc/BA in business, HR, social sciences or related field; MSc/MA/MBA is preferable
• Minimum of 10+ years in human resources, proven experience as VP of HR or other senior HR role, in a biotech company
• Experience with a cap table and equity for a private biotech company
• Experience in strategic planning, compensation planning
• Deep knowledge of HR functions (talent management, performance, benefits, employee relations, etc.)
• Knowledge of local HR law
• Working knowledge of MS Office
• Aptitude in communicating and public speaking
• Well-organized with excellent leadership qualities and the ability to be an ambassador