Barbados Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description General Summary

The Director, Human Resources – MEDVET Caribbean Operations is a key HR leadership role responsible for advancing the people strategy for MEDVET’s Caribbean and US-based operations. Based in South Florida, this leader serves as a visible, hands‑on HR partner to institutional and segment leadership while directly leading HR Generalists across St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and Barbados.

This is a relationship‑intensive, culturally nuanced leadership role supporting three distinct academic institutions across Barbados, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten. Success requires a leader who values and embraces the unique culture, traditions, and operating environment of each institution, builds strong relationships with campus leaders, faculty, and HR teams, and effectively translates enterprise HR strategies into locally relevant and sustainable solutions.

Under the leadership of the VP, HR Strategic Talent Consultant, this role partners closely with Home Office HR Centers of Excellence to execute enterprise HR priorities, strengthen leadership capability, and support the MEDVET operating model. The Director will help translate Covista’s HR initiatives into practical, measurable actions across the business, including Organizational Health Index (OHI) action planning, Connected Performance, total rewards partnership, talent planning, culture‑building, HR service model alignment, and adoption of AI‑enabled and technology‑driven process improvements.

The ideal candidate is a credible, business‑minded HR leader who can operate strategically while remaining close to the work. This individual must be comfortable traveling periodically to Caribbean campuses, facilitating leadership and management training, supporting cultural and engagement initiatives, and helping build internal capability in the absence of a centralized Learning and Development function.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities HR Strategy and Business Partnership

• Implement practical and measurable HR strategies aligned with MEDVET’s institutional priorities, Covista’s enterprise‑first operating model, and the MEDVET future‑state organizational direction.
• Develop trusted partnerships with institutional leaders, faculty, and HR teams across multiple campuses, serving as a visible and strategic HR partner while recognizing and adapting to the unique culture, operating environment, workforce dynamics, and leadership priorities of each institution.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to institutional leadership, academic leaders, faculty managers, and HR teams on talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, employee relations, leadership development, and colleague engagement matters.
• Demonstrate cultural awareness, organizational sensitivity, and sound judgment when translating enterprise HR initiatives into locally relevant execution plans, balancing enterprise consistency with the distinct needs of individual campuses, jurisdictions, and stakeholder groups.
• Partner with leaders to identify organizational barriers, clarify roles and accountabilities, and support effective collaboration across matrixed teams and centralized functions.

Organizational Health, Culture, and Engagement

• Lead local execution of OHI action planning, including evaluating survey results, identifying priority themes, partnering with leaders on action plans, and supporting accountability through ongoing follow‑up.
• Advance culture and engagement initiatives that reinforce strategic clarity, role clarity, performance transparency, accountability, and enterprise mindset across MEDVET teams.
• Facilitate leadership conversations, colleague engagement sessions, cultural events, and campus outreach activities that strengthen connection, trust, and visibility across locations.
• Use feedback channels and workforce insights to help leaders understand employee sentiment and respond with practical, sustainable actions.

Performance, Talent, and Rewards

• Drive execution of Covista’s Connected Performance process, including the 70/30 What/How framework, performance calibration, leader coaching, and quality review of performance narratives and ratings.
• Provide consultation on job design, role scope, workforce planning, and organizational structure to ensure positions are aligned with business needs and organizational design principles; partner with Talent Acquisition and local HR teams throughout the recruitment, selection, and hiring process.
• Partner with institutional Finance teams, business leaders, and Total Rewards to support salary planning, promotional increases, recruitment compensation recommendations, workforce budgeting, and strategic talent investment decisions, balancing market competitiveness, internal equity, and budget stewardship.

Learning, Development, and Leadership Capability

• Design and facilitate practical leadership and management training across Caribbean campuses and US‑based MEDVET teams.
• Build local manager capability in performance management, feedback, coaching, employee relations fundamentals, change leadership, and enterprise‑first decision‑making.
• Partner with leaders and HR colleagues to identify learning needs and develop scalable tools, guides, and facilitation approaches that strengthen leadership consistency.
• Support development of HR Generalists and business leaders by modeling effective facilitation, coaching, and consultative HR practices.

HR Operations, Process Improvement, and Technology Adoption

• Partner with HR Centers of Excellence and HR Operations to ensure major enterprise processes are executed consistently and effectively across MEDVET.
• Promote use of Covista HR tools, systems, and service channels, including askHR resources, HR technology platforms, and standardized processes.
• Identify opportunities to simplify and improve HR workflows, reduce ambiguity, and strengthen process integrity across local and centralized HR support models.
• Support responsible adoption of AI‑enabled resources and technology‑driven practices that improve efficiency, communication, and manager self‑service while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and governance.

Employee Relations, Compliance, and Change Leadership

• Provide sound HR guidance on complex employee relations matters, policy interpretation, performance concerns, and workplace issues in partnership with Legal, Employee Relations, and HR Centers of Excellence as appropriate.
• Ensure HR practices comply with applicable policies, standards, and employment requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead and support change initiatives, including organizational restructuring, role clarity efforts, leadership transitions, and communications that require thoughtful people planning and execution.
• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality, judgment, and professionalism when managing sensitive colleague, leadership, and organizational matters.

Management/Supervisory Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop three HR Generalists supporting MEDVET operations in St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and Barbados, fostering a collaborative and high‑performing regional HR team.
• Set clear expectations, priorities, and operating rhythms for the regional HR team, ensuring strong alignment with MEDVET priorities and Covista HR standards.
• Assess team performance and potential, provide timely coaching and feedback, and build capability and accountability through ongoing development, partnership and succession planning efforts that strengthen HR capability and service delivery.
• Ensure HR initiatives, communications, and processes are coordinated across Caribbean and US‑based MEDVET teams with consistency, clarity, and accountability.

Required for All Jobs

• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies, standards, and applicable employment requirements.

Qualifications Education and Experience Education

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Licenses and Certifications

• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) or SHRM‑SCP preferred.

Work Experience

• 8–10+ years of broad‑based HR experience across multiple HR disciplines required.
• Experience leading HR support in multi‑site, matrixed, and multi‑jurisdictional environments required.
• People leadership experience required, including coaching and developing HR team members.
• Demonstrated experience in Learning and Development, training facilitation, leadership development, and culture or engagement initiatives strongly preferred.
• Experience partnering with Centers of Excellence, HR Operations, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, Legal, and Employee Relations preferred.
• Experience using HR systems, data, dashboards, and technology‑enabled tools to improve HR execution preferred.

Technical, Managerial, and People Skills Required

• Demonstrated ability to build credibility, influence decision‑making, and establish strong trust‑based relationships across diverse cultural, academic, and geographic environments while balancing enterprise priorities with local institutional needs and operating realities.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand operational priorities, financial drivers, and workforce implications across MEDVET.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a complex, matrixed organization while maintaining a client‑facing, hands‑on approach.
• Strong facilitation, training, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with leaders, colleagues, HR partners, and campus teams across multiple locations.
• Proficiency in using HR metrics, workforce data, and colleague feedback to identify trends, evaluate program effectiveness, and recommend practical actions.
• Strong judgment and sound decision‑making in complex employee relations, compliance, and change management matters.
• Ability to influence leaders, build commitment, and drive follow‑through without relying solely on formal authority.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to develop practical, balanced, and sustainable solutions.
• Comfort with ambiguity, evolving priorities, and the need to move between strategic planning and tactical execution.
• Passion for talent development, culture building, leadership accountability, and visible field‑based HR partnership.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The strongest candidate will be an experienced HR leader who brings credibility, warmth, operational discipline, and a strong service mindset. This leader will be equally comfortable advising institutional leaders, academic leaders, and faculty managers; coaching and developing HR team members; facilitating training; resolving complex HR matters; and supporting the day‑to‑day needs of campus‑based teams. Experience partnering within complex academic, healthcare, medical education, or professional education environments is highly valued.

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $100,171.61 and $154,080. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job‑related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits.

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Covista’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays; for more information related to our benefits please visit https://careers.covista.com/benefits

Equal Opportunity – Minority / Female / Disability / V / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation