Director – HR Enablement

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to eliminate the back row in education – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world-class digital education at scale. As the parent company of edX, the world’s leading online learning platform, 2U powers more than 4,000 online higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporate partners, we are helping to unlock human potential.

What We’re Looking For:

The Director, HR Enablement will serve as a strategic partner to the Chief People Officer (CPO) and the People Senior Leadership Team, ensuring the People function delivers on its most important priorities. This role will turn strategy into action by focusing efforts, aligning resources, and driving progress on initiatives that advance both business and People goals.
With significant visibility across the People team and executive leadership, this role will enhance the impact of the CPO and leadership team by setting clear direction, measuring outcomes, and enabling the department to operate with greater speed and effectiveness.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

Strategic Alignment & Execution

• Translate the CPO & People Leadership Team’s vision into actionable priorities across all People Centers of Excellence (COEs).
• Ensure initiatives are on track, aligned with organizational goals, and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Drive alignment and accountability across all People Team COEs to ensure delivery of both cyclical priorities (e.g., performance reviews, merit cycle, open enrollment) and emerging business needs.
• Ensure the CPO and Senior Leadership Team are positioned for impact by providing the right context, insights, and preparation for key decisions, projects, and engagements.
• Partner with leaders across the business to advance the People Team’s strategic goals, addressing critical needs and enabling organizational success.
• Maintain a clear, enterprise-wide view of People priorities—monitoring progress, surfacing barriers, and ensuring outcomes are communicated effectively to stakeholders.
• Anticipate opportunities to strengthen business impact by identifying gaps, recommending solutions, and driving initiatives that advance organizational performance.
• Build scalable systems and processes that enhance how the People Team captures, shares, and delivers on strategic work.

Executive Communications & Board Presentations

• Support the development of communications and presentations on behalf of the CPO, in partnership with the corporate Communications team and People team leaders.
• Prepare and synthesize content for board and executive presentations, both recurring and ad hoc, ensuring clarity, alignment, and impact.
• Ensure the CPO’s priorities are effectively communicated to the appropriate stakeholders, working closely with the CPO to ensure consistent and clear communication to team members.

Budget & Operations

• Lead & manage the annual budget process by partnering with People SLT to ensure that business needs are accounted for and aligned with finance.
• Manage the monthly and yearly budget process including accruals, budget management, resource allocation, and planning.
• Manage the hiring approval process for the CPO.

People Team Meetings & Engagement

• Develop and oversee a strategic engagement cadence between the CPO, People Senior Leadership Team, and broader People team to drive alignment, focus, and informed decision-making across all COEs.

Things That Should Be In Your Background:

• 5-7 years of relevant work experience, with a background in strategic project management or a chief of staff-like role.
• Experience working in a fast-moving, global, matrix organization.
• Broad HR experience spanning key functional areas, with a strong track record of enabling People teams to operate efficiently, strategically, and with high impact.

Other Attributes That Will Help You In This Role:

• Strong project management, communications, and change management skills.
• Strong bias to action, self-motivated to deliver results quickly & effectively
• A data-driven mindset with the ability to apply success metrics to key work
• Authentic focus on the importance of people and culture.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to communicate with executives
• Flexible and able to multitask, switching priorities as needed within a collaborative environment.

While this position is open to remote candidates across the U.S., we will prioritize those who live in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area and who are available to come into our Headquarters in Arlington, VA two days a week.

Benefits & Culture

Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide over 40 million learners and counting with access to world-class online higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. #NoBackRow

We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
Full-time, U.S.benefits include: 

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Life insurance, disability, and 401(k) employer match
• Free snacks and drinks in-office
• Generous paid holidays and leave policies, including unlimited PTO
• Additional time off benefits include: volunteer days, parental leave, and a company-wide winter break

The anticipated base salary range for this role is ($146,000.00 - $165,000.00), with potential bonus eligibility.  Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, budget for the position and cost of labor in the market in which the candidate will be hired.

2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At 2U, we are committed to building and sustaining a culture of belonging, respect, and inclusion. We are proud of the steps we’ve taken to bring together an employee base that embodies diverse walks of life, ideas, genders, ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities and other unique qualities. We strive to offer a workplace where every employee feels empowered by what makes us different, as well as by how we are alike. 

2U is committed to providing reasonable accommodations during our recruitment process. If you need assistance or accommodations, please reach out to us at: [email protected].

About 2U LLC

For more than a decade, 2U, Inc. has been the digital transformation partner of choice to great non-profit colleges and universities delivering high-quality online education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading global online learning platform, 2U provides over 45 million learners with access to world-class education in partnership with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporations. Our people and technology are powering more than 4,000 digital education offerings — from free courses to full degrees — and helping unlock human potential. To learn more: visit 2U.com.

About edX

edX is the education movement for restless learners and a leading global online learning platform from 2U, LLC. Together with the majority of the world’s top-ranked universities and industry-leading companies, we bring our community of over 45 million learners world-class education to support them at every stage of their lives and careers, from free courses to full degrees. And we're not stopping there — we're relentlessly pursuing our vision of a world where every learner can access education to unlock their potential, without the barriers of cost or location. Learn more at edX.org.

Learn more at https://2u.com/careers/#NoBackRow

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position, and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

2U is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against applicants or employees and ensures equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age, marital status, disability, citizenship, military or veterans’ status, or any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. 2U’s equal opportunity policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, job benefits and pay.