Senior HR Director - Americas at Scaling SaaS Company

Cognite is a leader in industrial digitalization, developing AI and data solutions to tackle significant global challenges. They are seeking a Senior Human Resources Director for the Americas to act as the principal employee relations partner and HR advisor, focusing on policy development, employee relations, and compliance across a multi-state footprint.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the principal employee relations leader for the Americas, acting as trusted advisor to regional and global leadership while aligning business priorities with compliant, scalable people practices across a multi-state footprint
• Drive organizational synergy by partnering with global counterparts (Norway/India) and local specialists (PBPs, OD, and People Ops). You will ensure that global standards for leadership and policy are translated into seamless, accountable workflows that enhance the local employee lifecycle
• Scale global People initiatives within the Americas by balancing execution rigor with a deep understanding of the U.S. landscape. You will act as a strategic contributor to the global People function, ensuring that regional nuances enhance—rather than hinder—organization-wide alignment and excellence
• Review, assess, and continuously improve existing People policies and the U.S. employee handbook, ensuring clarity, accessibility, compliance, and alignment with Cognite's culture and values
• Design and implement pragmatic, user-friendly policies that are simple to understand and straightforward to execute—avoiding unnecessary complexity while maintaining legal rigor and business relevance
• Translate complex employment law and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for managers and employees
• Drive consistency and scalability in policy application across geographies, partnering with global peers to harmonize where appropriate while respecting local legal requirements
• Partner with Legal to ensure policies effectively mitigate risk while supporting a high-trust, high-performance culture
• Own employee relations across the Americas, including complex investigations, corrective actions, performance management, and terminations, ensuring fairness, consistency, and compliance with local legislation
• Maintain deep, current expertise in U.S. federal employment law and multi-state regulations, with emphasis on Texas and Arizona compliance requirements
• Design and continuously refine risk-mitigation frameworks and investigation protocols to proactively address compliance risks across jurisdictions
• Partner strategically with Legal on sensitive employee matters, litigation prevention, and regulatory compliance initiatives
• Execute terminations and sensitive HR interventions with composure, discretion, and alignment with legal requirements
• Oversee immigration matters, and compliance with Department of Homeland Security requirements in partnership with internal and external Legal where required
• Manage global mobility arrangements for U.S.-based employees on international assignment
• The ideal candidate brings the credibility, judgment, and perspective of a senior HR leader, paired with the agility and curiosity of a practitioner who values being close to the work. You will play a pivotal role in scaling the HR foundation for the Americas, strengthening alignment with Cognite's global People strategy, and reinforcing Cognite's mission and values across every stage of the employee lifecycle
• You are equally comfortable crafting strategy for leaders and rolling up your sleeves to design a simple, elegant employee handbook. You understand that the best policies are the ones people actually use—and you know how to balance legal rigor with practical simplicity
• Trusted Advisor Status: Recognized as a proactive, trusted advisor to senior leaders, line-level managers, and global People Business Partners—providing sound judgment and practical solutions to complex people challenges with credibility across the organization
• Compliance & Operational Excellence: A robust compliance and employee relations foundation established across multiple U.S. states, ensuring operational excellence, reduced risk exposure, and consistent application of policies
• Policy & Infrastructure Excellence: Modernized, simplified employee handbook and policy suite that employees and managers find clear, accessible, and easy to apply—resulting in reduced ambiguity, improved compliance, and enhanced manager confidence
• Leadership Development: Enhanced leadership capability across the organization through coaching, feedback, and development partnerships with people managers