HR Governance and Portfolio Management Lead

US-CA-Santa Clara; Option to Work Remote in United StatesSenior$143,760 - $269,550

Job Description

The HR Governance and Portfolio Management lead role reports to the Head of Global HR Operations and is a member of the HR Operations Leadership Team. This role is based in the United States and is a senior-level individual contributor.

About HR Operations

HR Operations is the engine room of the employee experience. We own the systems, processes, and service delivery that make employment work day to day — payroll, time and attendance, employee data, HR service delivery and case management, global mobility, HR digital platforms, and the governance and controls that sit beneath all of it.

We are also central to the broader HR transformation. As HR has shifted to more strategic, consultative work with the business, that shift only holds if the operational foundation is simplified, standardized, digitized, and increasingly automated. Our mandate is to consolidate fragmented systems and processes into a coherent global platform, and replace manual effort with intelligent automation.

Role summary

The HR Governance and Portfolio Management Lead is the connective tissue of that transformation. This role builds and runs the frameworks that let HR decide what to work on, fund it, track it, and prove it worked — HR portfolio management, the HR budget and long range plan, Workforce Management (WFM) program management, the HR scorecard and the Agilent Balanced Scorecard, the HR service catalog, compliance oversight, and the vendor and project management frameworks.

It is a high-level individual contributor role with enterprise-wide visibility. Success depends on influence rather than headcount: the ability to bring rigor and transparency to how HR invests its money and attention, and to hold senior leaders to a shared operating discipline without owning their teams.

Key responsibilities

HR portfolio management

Establish and run the HR portfolio management framework — intake, prioritization criteria, stage gates, and quarterly HRLT review.

Partner with HR leadership to translate approved LRP investments into a prioritized, sequenced portfolio of projects.

Maintain the overall portfolio status and the RAID log; surface risks, issues, dependencies, and decisions early and clearly.

Work with project teams to keep status honest, identify mitigations, and escalate when timelines or benefits are at risk.

Own and enable the project management framework, setting consistent standards for how HR projects are planned, run, and closed.
Own and manage the Workforce Management (WFM) program working across HR and enabling functions on its smooth execution.

Budget, LRP, and financial governance

Establish the framework and process for setting the annual HR budget.

Maintain and monitor the HR budget monthly, tracking spend against plan and flagging variances with recommendations.

Partner with HRLT and Finance during year-end to develop the long range plan and align investment to strategic priorities.

Scorecards and performance reporting

Update the monthly HR Scorecard and present results and insights to HRLT.

Maintain the quarterly Agilent Balanced Scorecard contribution for HR.

Partner with HRLT at year-end to refresh scorecard metrics so they reflect current strategy and remain measurable.

Turn portfolio and operational data into a clear narrative on progress, risk, and value delivered.

Service catalog and compliance

Own and govern the HR Service Catalog, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with HR policies and local requirements.

Oversee day-to-day HR compliance activity and continually monitor regulatory and policy changes that affect HR operations.

Coordinate with Legal, Privacy, Internal Audit, and regional teams to keep controls current and audit-ready.

Vendor management framework

Own and enable the HR vendor management framework — governance cadence, performance standards, contract and renewal discipline.

Partner with Procurement and process owners on vendor selection, onboarding, and ongoing performance review.

AI, automation, and continuous improvement

Apply AI and automation to governance work itself — reporting, portfolio and budget tracking, compliance monitoring, and scorecard production — reducing manual assembly and improving timeliness.

Ensure AI and automation initiatives across HR are represented in the portfolio with clear business cases, benefit tracking, and responsible-use guardrails.

Build the data foundation and reporting standards that make HR performance visible and comparable across functions.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

[10]+ years in HR, business operations, strategy, transformation, or portfolio and program management, including experience at enterprise scale.

Demonstrated ownership of a portfolio, PMO, or governance function — building the framework, not just operating within one.

Strong financial acumen: budget development and management, long range planning, business case construction, and benefit tracking.

Experience designing and reporting performance metrics or scorecards for a senior leadership audience.

Proven ability to influence and hold accountable senior stakeholders without formal authority.

Excellent executive communication — able to distill a complex portfolio into a clear, honest one-page story.

Working knowledge of compliance and control environments and of vendor governance practices.

Practical fluency with AI and automation applied to reporting and operational work, including sound judgment on where it fits and where it doesn't.

Preferred qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Experience within HR or supporting an HR function, including familiarity with HR service delivery models and service catalogs.

Experience in a large HR or enterprise transformation program.

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Additional Details

This job has a full time weekly schedule. It includes the option to work remotely. Applications for this job will be accepted until at least September 7, 2026 or until the job is no longer posted.

The full-time equivalent pay range for this position is $143,760.00 - $269,550.00/yr plus eligibility for bonus, stock and benefits. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. During the hiring process, a recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for a preferred location. Pay and benefit information by country are available at: https://careers.agilent.com/locations

Agilent Technologies, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity and merit-based employer that values individuals of all backgrounds at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, religion or religious creed, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, local law, ordinance, or regulation and will not be discriminated against on these bases. Agilent Technologies, Inc., is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive in the workplace where everyone is welcome, and strives to support candidates with disabilities. If you have a disability and need assistance with any part of the application or interview process or have questions about workplace accessibility, please email job_posting@agilent.com or contact +1-262-754-5030. For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please visit www.agilent.com/en/accessibility.