Director of Research - HR Business Partner Development and AI-Enabled Workplace

Director, Research (HRBP Personal Development & Evolving Role in AI-enabled Workplace) About the role: Gartner experts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights, market predictions and best practices for a broad range of world-leading organizations. A Director serves as a leader within Gartner’s Business and Technology Insights (BTI) group, establishing oneself as a credible voice within their designated market at local, regional and global levels. Utilizing exceptional research and analytical skills, a Director plays a significant role in producing pragmatic and provocative insights which Gartner clients consume and apply to propel their business toward key objectives. They are a trusted source of advice for clients, reinforcing Gartner’s value every day by engaging them via virtual meetings and sales support meetings to discuss complex client challenges and offer appropriate recommendations. This role is an opportunity to join Gartner’s growing Human Resources Practice with a specific focus on HR Business Partners (HRBPs). A team of experts within this group is dedicated to advising Head of HRBPs and HRBPs on their Personal Development and evolving role of HRBPs in an AI-enabled Workplace. Directors are expected to offer flexibility in what they can cover and how they channel their expertise. Please note that this position is an individual contributor role. NOT a role with direct reports. What You Will Do Create high-quality, actionable, must-have research for HR Business Partners and Leaders of HR Business Partners, with a focus on: HRBP Role in an AI-Enabled Workplace and HRBP Personal Development Develop original research, insights, frameworks, and tools that help HRBPs enhance business impact,
navigate organizational change, build strategic influence, and adapt their role in an increasingly AI-enabled workplace. Serve as the research portfolio owner for these topic areas, ensuring Gartner's body of research remains relevant, differentiated, commercially impactful, and aligned to evolving client priorities. Own annual and quarterly content planning for the portfolio by identifying emerging client needs, market shifts, research gaps, and business opportunities. Establish strong and differentiated points of view on the future of HR Business Partnering, leveraging primary research, client interactions, practitioner experience, and marketplace trends. Review and provide developmental feedback on content produced by other authors within the topics to ensure consistency of quality, messaging, evidence, and positioning. Monitor portfolio performance through client engagement, content consumption, diagnostic usage, retention indicators, and other business metrics, using insights to continuously improve the portfolio. Conduct and synthesize research interviews with HR leaders, HRBPs, consultants, academics, and other subject matter experts to uncover emerging practices and challenges. Partner with other Gartner analysts and research leaders to integrate HRBP perspectives into broader CHRO and HR functional research. Create and deliver high-value presentations, keynotes, webinars, conference sessions, and client-facing materials. Lead virtual research briefings, diagnostic walkthrough result discussions, and research interviews with clients and prospects. Support sales, service, product, and marketing teams by serving as Gartner's expert on HRBP effectiveness, HRBP development, and the impact of AI on the HRBP role. Identify opportunities to improve research processes, content planning approaches, and portfolio management practices. Act as a mentor and thought partner to researchers and analysts by sharing expertise, reviewing work, and helping build research capabilities across the team. Build credibility as a recognized expert on HR Business Partner effectiveness, capability development, and the future of HR work. What You Will Need Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; Master's degree, PhD, or advanced study in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behaviour, Business, or related fields preferred. 10+ years of experience in one or more of the following: Senior HR Business Partner role, Consulting role with specialization in HR Function Effectiveness, HR Team Development, Talent Assessment & Development, Organizational effectiveness consulting and Workforce transformation consulting, Organization design and change consulting HR or Organizational psychology research Deep understanding of HR Business Partner responsibilities, capabilities, career paths, operating models, and business impact. Knowledge of how AI, automation, analytics, and evolving workforce models are reshaping HR work and the HRBP role. Experience creating evidence-based recommendations through primary research, practitioner experience, consulting engagements, or applied organizational research. Demonstrated ability to develop frameworks, methodologies, models, or intellectual property that guide business decisions. Strong executive presence with the ability to establish credibility with senior HR leaders. Excellent written communication skills and demonstrated ability to create compelling, clear, and actionable content.