SUMMARY:

The HR Manager serves as a business partner to plant leadership, driving a high-performance culture and aligning people initiatives with business objectives. This role is responsible for fostering an engaged, inclusive, and accountable workforce through proactive relationship-building, leadership coaching, and collaboration across departments for the plant.

Key responsibilities include managing recruitment, employee relations, training and development, employee safety, performance management, and ensuring compliance with labor laws and food safety standards. The HR Manager leads efforts that support workforce planning and talent development, while implementing best-in-class HR practices that enable operational excellence and business growth.

This role emphasizes preventing employee concerns and investigations by cultivating strong partnerships with plant leadership, promoting clear communication, and creating a workplace culture rooted in trust, respect, and continuous improvement. While ensuring compliance with labor laws, food safety standards, and company policies remains essential while guiding the HR Generalist, the focus of this role is on preventing issues before they arise—through thoughtful leadership, employee development, and a HEART-based culture.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:       

•  Recruitment & Staffing
  • Oversee full-cycle recruitment for salaried, and skilled trade roles.
  • Partner with the plant manager, supervisors and department heads to identify staffing needs and develop workforce plans.
  • Own the site-level execution of onboarding, training books, and orientation programs for new hires, ensuring alignment to all standards and program guidelines provided by the Workforce Development manager.
• Employee Relations
  • Serve as a trusted resource for employees and supervisors regarding workplace concerns, including escalation.
  • Lead conflict resolution, employee complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions fairly, consistently and confidentially.
  • Develop and manage an employee-oriented company culture by championing HEART, emphasizing quality, continuous improvement, and high performance of work in the plant.
• Compliance & Labor Law
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws (e.g., FLSA, ADA, FMLA, EEO) by partnering with plant leadership to uphold standards.
  • Maintain oversight of policy adherence, supporting managers and supervisors in executing disciplinary actions appropriately, and ensuring consistent application of the employee handbook and safety protocols.
  • Support and respond to labor audits, wage/hour investigations, and other regulatory matters.
  • Coach plant leaders and HR Generalist on understanding workplace policies, safety regulations and legal obligations.
• Compensation & Benefits 
  • Facilitate open enrollment, new hire benefits orientation, and ongoing employee education around available benefits.
  • Serve as the primary contact for employee questions related to pay, benefits, and leave programs, escalating complex issues to the appropriate teams.
  • Support the administration of company compensation and benefits programs at the site level, ensuring alignment with company policies and compliance with applicable laws.
  • Monitor compensation practices for hourly roles to ensure internal equity and market competitiveness, and provide input as needed.
• Training & Development
  • Partner with Workforce Development Manager to develop programs that address talent pipeline gaps and shortages.
  • Support cross-training and skill development to improve workforce flexibility and performance.
• Performance Management
  • Facilitate performance review processes for both hourly and salaried staff at plant.
  • Support supervisors in coaching and documentation of performance issues.
  • Assist in succession planning and career development initiatives.
• Budget & Cost Optimization
  • Partner with plant leadership and finance to manage HR-related budgets, including staffing, training, and employee programs.
  • Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities through efficient workforce planning, vendor management, and process improvements.
  • Monitor labor costs and staffing levels to ensure alignment with operational needs and financial targets.
• HR Data & Reporting
  • Maintain accurate employee records in HRIS systems.
  • Track and report on key HR metrics, such as turnover, headcount, attendance, and safety-related incidents, and lead action plans/strategies to improve results.
  • Ensure confidentiality and integrity of all personnel data.
• Health, Safety & Food Manufacturing Support
  • Partner with Safety and QA teams to reinforce safe behaviors and regulatory training (e.g., PPE, sanitation, allergen control).
  • Participate in safety walks and other safety improvement activities, including supporting the injured employee and return-to-work processes.
  • Support employee communications during food and employee safety events, inspections, or shutdowns.
• Community & Culture
  • Champion adoption and reinforcement of HEART values.
  • Support a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace culture.
  • Foster relationships with community partners, staffing agencies, and schools/training centers.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field and at least 8 years of progressive HR leadership experience in a Manufacturing/Plant environment or equivalent combination of both. 
• Knowledge of group benefit plans, and how to remain compliant with regulations such as ACA, ADA, ERISA, FMLA, GINA and COBRA.
• Highest degree of integrity and personal ethics required
• Hands-on experience in recruiting and leading a world-class HR organization
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple, high-priority projects with a keen attention to detail 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to present in both small and large group setting
• Creative thinker and passion for excellence 
• Hands-on, energetic, and motivated self-starter
• Excellent critical thinking and decision-making skills
• Ability to listen well, comprehend and analyze situations
• Ability to develop effective working relationships within all areas of the company
• Experience with strategic recruiting, employee relations and engagement, benefits administration, payroll, policy communication and administration, HR compliance, etc.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to fingers, handle controls; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms, stand; walk; and occasionally stoop.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, which can be accommodated. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.