Director, HR Business Partner

Company: Suffolk Construction
Location: Herndon
Posted on: January 26, 2026

Job Description:

Suffolk is a national enterprise that builds, innovates, and invests. Suffolk is an end-to-end business that provides value throughout the entire project lifecycle by leveraging its core construction management services with vertical service lines that include real estate capital investment, design, self-perform construction services, technology start-up investment (Suffolk Technologies), and innovation research/development. Suffolk – America’s Contractor – is a national company with more than $5.0 billion in annual revenue, 2,600 employees, and main offices in Boston (headquarters), New York City, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Estero, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Suffolk manages some of the most complex, sophisticated projects in the country, serving clients in every major industry sector, including healthcare, life sciences, education, gaming, transportation/aviation, government, mission critical and commercial. Suffolk is privately held and is led by founder, chairman and CEO John Fish. Suffolk is ranked 8 on ENR’s list of “Top CM-at-Risk Contractors.” For more information, visit www.suffolk.com and follow Suffolk on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. The Position: The Director, People & Culture serves as a regional HR Business Partner, providing strategic support to Mission Critical project teams across Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in areas of performance management, employee engagement, and talent development. This position reports to the Senior Director of People & Culture for our Mission Critical Center of Excellence. As data center construction represents the fastest-growing sector at both Suffolk and within the industry, this role is essential for sustaining Suffolk’s culture on our largest project. This role supports strategic HR planning and operations, providing a broad range of HR consultation, advice, solutions, and services. Additionally, the role ensures a strong focus and commitment on employee experience & engagement, project standards, retention, and a high-performance culture that embodies Suffolk’s core values. Suffolk is seeking people who are bold. Curious. Innovative. Caring. Looking for the career opportunity of a lifetime. We’ll challenge and inspire you to be your very best. We’ll embrace what makes you unique and lift you up as you take chances. Here, you’ll find a place where you can act with purpose and integrity, bringing intelligence and grit to every aspect of your job. Join us for the chance to leverage your inherent curiosity and proven capabilities to catapult you to the next level. Responsibilities Serve as a strategic partner and build strong relationships with the project team, effectively using influence and negotiation strategies to secure support from stakeholders of key initiatives. Maintain excellent customer service standards for the P&C department by responding to employee inquiries and requests for client group, escalating to Business Partner, P&C Ops Manager or other appropriate P&C team members as needed. Be an integral part of the employee experience by owning onboarding and offboarding tasks for the project site. Ensure new hires are equipped with Company technology and understand training tools. Support the relocation process with the Mobility team as required, ensuring new hires and transfers have the resources needed to ensure a smooth transition. Be a trusted advisor, coaching project leadership on leadership effectiveness and performance. Drive and execute the annual Performance Management and Talent Review process on-site. Support the Regional HRBP with the annual and quarterly compensation planning process. Effectively use influence and negotiation strategies to secure support from stakeholders for support of key initiatives. In line with Suffolk’s vision and strategic priorities, drive employee engagement through the entire employment life cycle. This includes supporting the engagement survey process, conducting new hire check-ins and stay interviews, and exit interviews. Use insights to support managers in enhancing and improving the employee experience. Lead on-site employee relations resolutions, minimizing risk to the organization by actively responding to and addressing employee concerns in a timely, cost-efficient manner, escalating to Regional HRBP and legal as necessary. Conduct complete investigations and make recommendations based on findings/facts, partnering with Regional HRBP and legal counsel. Lead and manage change across client group to influence project site culture. Implement change programs as business needs dictate. Support the broader HRBP team as a trusted colleague and sounding board for new and improved company-wide programs and initiatives. All other duties as assigned. Qualifications Bachelors Degree preferred 7-10 years of successful business partnership, with proven success in linking HR strategies to the business. Strong employee relations experience supporting a diverse workforce Ability to manage enterprise-wide projects/initiatives independently. Experience working effectively across all levels of an organization. Hands-on approach willing to roll up sleeves to deliver results. Successful implementation of operational and strategic programs and processes across a geographically dispersed region with multiple jobsites. Ability to assess an organization, identify gaps, and develop solutions. Possess strong influencing and interpersonal skills, particularly in a high performing work environment. Availability for field travel, ranging from 25% to 50% of the time, to nearby project sites, as well as weekly trips to a client site in Philadelphia, PA. Critical Competencies for Success: Relationship Building / Influencing: Demonstrate effective and appropriate influencing skills with senior management/partners, combining strategic HR knowledge with deep organizational understanding. Build strong relationships with solid trust and mutual respect as the foundation. Leverage strong judgment skills to make decisions. Instinctively know when and how to introduce change so that it is broadly accepted and institutionalized. Strong Intellect: Ability to combine analytical reasoning, creativity, and judgment. Quick study, handle complex matters and have multiple initiatives going on simultaneously. Able to deal effectively with strategic issues and tactical operational details. Highly Ethical: Can be trusted to do only the “right thing” for our associates and key stakeholders. Follows a balanced approach without compromising integrity. Values and Leadership: Demonstrates alignment to our Values. Results Oriented: Energetic, resourceful, strong service orientation, and a positive can-do attitude. Fully committed to the job and delivering outstanding work. Never satisfied with the status-quo, continually striving for excellence. Enjoys working hands-on. Change Agent: Comfortable designing for the future while managing day-to-day HR matters. Able to anticipate risks and propose practical plans to mitigate them. Appreciates HR’s impact and how HR is an integral part of the company’s business strategy. Low Ego: Puts needs of the business ahead of themself. Operates in a transparent fashion without a personal agenda. Self-starter: Able to challenge the status quo sensitively and constructively. Intellectually agile, self-confident, and highly articulate. Working Conditions While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time; talk or hear; perform fine motor, hand and finger skills in the use of a keyboard, telephone, or writing. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; and reach with arms and/or hands. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The employee will spend their time in an office environment with a quiet to moderate noise level. Job site walking. EEO Statement Suffolk provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, national origin, citizenship, genetic information, disability, protected veteran, gender identity, age or any other status protected by law. This policy applies to recruiting, hiring, transfers, promotions, terminations, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment. Suffolk will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination toward, or harassment of, applicants or employees by anyone at Suffolk, or anyone working on behalf of Suffolk. Compensation Information Base Salary for this position is just one component of Suffolk’s total compensation package for employees. Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidates skill set, experience, education and other qualifications. Suffolk offers a comprehensive benefits package as part of its overall compensation strategy.

Keywords: Suffolk Construction, Olney , Director, HR Business Partner, Human Resources , Herndon, Maryland