People Partner

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team advancing the state of the art in AI, robotics, driving, and material sciences.

Responsibilities

• Partner with all leaders as a trusted advisor to understand business priorities and develop people strategies that drive organizational goals.
• Guide organizational design decisions, including team structures, spans and layers, and headcount planning.
• Coach managers and leaders on team dynamics, communication, employee development, and retention strategies.
• Lead or support the execution of performance management, employee engagement, and succession planning initiatives.
• Identify and assess workforce risks or gaps and develop proactive solutions in collaboration with the wider People organization. 
• Assess external trends (e.g., macroeconomic shifts, DEI benchmarks, regulatory changes) and advise on implications for talent strategy.
• Help drive and support change management efforts that ensure smooth transitions and consistent adoption of new programs or structures.
• Partner cross-functionally with other People team members (e.g., People Operations, Compensation, Talent Acquisition) to ensure aligned and scalable solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Industrial & Labor Relations, Human Resources Management, Human Resources Development, Psychology, Business, etc.) preferred.
• 3+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally with a mix of both big tech and startup, including business partnering responsibilities.
• Proven expertise in resolving complex interpersonal and team misalignments, using empathy and assertiveness to address issues quickly and effectively.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and adapting to frequent change with strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to build credibility among senior executives and influence key collaborators to drive alignment across cross-functional teams.
• Builds trust, helping to create a positive, collaborative work environment that fosters open communication and mutual respect.
• Operates at the highest level of professionalism, confidentiality, and personal integrity.
• Detailed, organized, and communicative, and thrives in a multi-tasking, hands-on, collaborative environment.
• Willingness to work in the office 2 days a week on a hybrid model.
• Authorization to work in the USA.

Bonus Qualifications

• Familiarity with organizational effectiveness tools and frameworks (e.g., engagement surveys, span/layer analysis).
• Knowledge of California and/or Massachusetts employment law.
• HR certifications (e.g., SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR) are a plus.