Back to jobs
New

Director, HR Business Operations

Boston, Massachusetts

Are you ready to join a team committed to making a meaningful impact on cancer treatment through the discovery and development of precision medicines? At Kura Oncology, you have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger, with a lasting impact that you can be proud of.

At Kura Oncology, we are working to change the paradigm and improve the science of cancer treatment. As an organization, we strive to cultivate a diverse and talented professional culture driven to develop precision medicine therapeutics.

As we continue to build a leading biotech organization with a strong culture, a patient-focused mindset and a team focused on relentless execution, we are looking for innovative, passionate professionals to join us and make our vision a reality.

To succeed at Kura, you will need to have a demonstrated ability for excellence in drug discovery and development and a roll-up your sleeves attitude. The ideal candidate will possess a values-driven work style where integrity and grit drive all behaviors, decisions, and actions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Come and join the 2023 HR Team of the year!  The Human Resource Operations Director will lead and manage the strategic and operational aspects of HR Operations, including compensation, benefits, HRIS oversight, compliance and reporting, and HR budgeting. This is a critical role in supporting Kura’s growth as we prepare for commercialization, taking our existing strong foundation to the next level. The director will focus on developing best-in-class practices, optimizing current process, and ensuring scalability to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving organization. This role is integral to our commitment to building a best-in-class employee experience, aligning our HR operations with organizational goals, and ensuring compliance across all HR functions. This position reports to the VP of HR and will work closely with the entire HR team.

Compensation Management

  • Optimize and oversee competitive compensation programs that attract and retain top talent.
  • Conduct regular market analysis and benchmarking to ensure compensation programs are scalable for growth, equitable, competitive, and aligned with company goals.
  • Manage salary reviews, incentive programs, and merit-based adjustments.
  • Work closely with finance and legal to support equity compensation programs.

  Benefits Administration

  • Manage benefits programs that align with the organization’s mission and evolving employee needs and support employee well-being.
  • Oversee open enrollment, benefits renewals, and vendor relationships to ensure cost-effective, comprehensive benefits offerings.
  • Monitor benefits utilization and employee satisfaction, continuously improving offerings to meet evolving workforce needs.

HRIS Oversight

  • Ensure optimization of HRIS operations, focusing on system efficiency, minimizing manual processes and ensuring scalability, and readiness for growth. Lead system implementations, upgrades, and integrations to streamline HR processes and improve employee access to HR services.
  • Partner with IT to troubleshoot and resolve system issues, as well as enhance data security and reporting capabilities.

 Compliance, Auditing, and Reporting

  • Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including EEO, FMLA, ADA, and other HR-related legislation.
  • Lead HR-related audits and reporting efforts in partnership with the Compliance department, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions as needed.
  • Develop and maintain HR policies, ensuring they are current, legally compliant, and effectively communicated across the organization.
  • Oversee the preparation and submission of required HR compliance reports, audits, and filings.

HR Operations

  • Lead the integration and implementation of AI-driven tools and technologies to streamline HR operations, enhance decision-making, and improve employee experiences across the talent lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and workforce planning.
  • Develop and lead process improvements to optimize HR operations and drive a seamless employee experience.
  • Ensure high standards in HR service delivery, overseeing day-to-day HR functions including onboarding, offboarding, and employee lifecycle management.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support HR projects, employee engagement initiatives, and process enhancements.
  • Manage and develop the HR Manager, providing mentorship, performance feedback, and opportunities for growth.

HR Metrics, Dashboards, and Insights

  • Develop and maintain HR Dashboards and reporting tools to track key metrics, providing actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making.
  • Leverage data analytics to identify trends, support workforce planning, and enhance HR Strategies.
  • Support design and implementation of employee engagement surveys.

HR Budget Management

  • Prepare and manage the HR budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources to support strategic initiatives and operational efficiency.
  • Monitor HR expenditures, track budget variances, and make recommendations for cost-saving opportunities.
  • Provide regular budget updates to VP, HR and suggest adjustments to meet changing organizational needs.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; advanced degree or HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) preferred.
  • Minimum of 8 years of progressive HR experience with a focus on HR operations, compensation, benefits, and compliance.
  • Proven experience in HRIS management, with expertise in UKG strongly preferred.
  • Strong knowledge of HR laws and regulations, with demonstrated success in HR compliance, auditing, and reporting.
  • Experience leveraging AI solutions for HR Optimization a plus
  • Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience working in biotech required, Commercial stage experience a plus.

The base range for a Director is $194,063 - $215,000 per year. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location, and relevant education or training. Kura's compensation package also includes generous benefits, equity, and participation in an annual target bonus.

Kura’s Values that are used for candidate selection and performance assessments:

  • We work as one for patients
  • We are goal-focused and deliver with excellence
  • We are science-driven courageous innovators
  • We strive to bring out the best in each other and ourselves

The Kura Package

  • Career advancement/ development opportunities
  • Competitive comp package
  • Bonus
  • 401K + Employer contributions
  • Generous stock options
  • ESPP Plan
  • 20 days of PTO to start
  • 18 Holidays  (Including Summer & Winter Break)
  • Generous Benefits Package with a variety of plans available with a substantial employer match
  • Paid Paternity/Maternity Leave
  • In-Office Catered lunches
  • Home Office Setup
  • Lifestyle Spending Stipend
  • Commuter Stipend (Boston Office)
  • Regular employee social activities, including happy hours, monthly birthday celebrations, Kura Koffee Talks, and much more!

Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing personalized therapeutics for the treatment of blood cancers and solid tumors. The company’s diverse pipeline consists of small molecules that target cancer signaling pathways where there is a strong scientific and clinical rationale to improve outcomes by identifying those patients most likely to benefit from treatment. Kura Oncology’s approach to drug development is focused on rapidly translating novel science into life-saving medicines. Our goal is to help patients with cancer lead better, longer lives. Kura Oncology has offices in San Diego, California, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Kura’s pipeline consists of three investigational drug candidates: ziftomenib, tipifarnib and KO-2806. Ziftomenib, a once-daily, oral drug candidate targeting the menin-KMT2A protein-protein interaction, has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of R/R NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Kura has completed enrollment in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial of ziftomenib in R/R NPM1-mutant AML (KOMET-001). The Company is also conducting a series of clinical trials to evaluate ziftomenib in combination with current standards of care in newly diagnosed and R/R NPM1-mutant and KMT2A-rearranged AML. Tipifarnib, a potent and selective farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI), is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with alpelisib for patients with PIK3CA-dependent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (KURRENT-HN). Kura is also evaluating KO-2806, a next-generation FTI, in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial as a monotherapy and in combination with targeted therapies (FIT-001). For additional information, please visit Kura’s website at www.kuraoncology.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Kura Oncology is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Kura Oncology’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.