Manager, Human Resources Business Partner

About the role

Join us as the Manager - HRBP for Kansas City Assembly Plant – where you will lead a high performing HR team and shape the future of talent and culture in a high-volume vehicle manufacturing facility proudly building the iconic Ford F-150 and Transit van in a unionized environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR leadership as the trusted advisor for the manufacturing facility, owning the full scope of HR functions including employee relations, union relations, benefits, compensation, training, organizational development, and communications.
• Build strong relationships with manufacturing operations leadership to provide valuable consulting and strategic guidance on HR matters that drive sustainable cultural change and support production objectives.
• Establish and maintain strong operator relationships grounded in respect for people to prevent small issues from becoming costly escalations while building the engagement and trust essential for operational excellence.
• Partner with leadership to implement standardized recruitment processes with thorough background checks and cultural fit assessments, while designing comprehensive onboarding programs that include structured manager meetings and enhanced support during adjustment periods.
• Coach manufacturing leaders on effective communication practices, visibility, accessibility, and maintaining consistent leadership practices that demonstrate reliability and promote honest, timely dialogue with employees.
• Apply lean methodologies with progressive HR practices to drive operations to best-in-class levels while establishing equitable practices in wages, PTO, overtime, job postings, and management attention across all employees.
• Implement comprehensive recognition and reward systems, workforce planning strategies, and initiatives that promote employee engagement, diversity, and professional development in an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Lead and inspire a diverse HR team by fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment that emphasizes continuous development and strategic alignment with organizational and HR-specific goals while modeling visibility, accessibility, and consistent leadership practices.
• Champion HR initiatives that drive performance excellence, employee engagement, and organizational culture. Ensure open communication and innovation, empowering team members to contribute effectively as strategic business partners in advancing the company's success.
• Enhance collaborative communications by developing and maintaining a robust communication framework that facilitates regular, transparent, and constructive dialogue between union representatives and management while fostering respectful relationships and correct implementation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintain regular floor presence to proactively identify and address employee concerns before they escalate, seeking opportunities to improve overall employee experience through methodical uncovering of root causes and corrective actions by starting at Gemba to uncover issues at their point of origin and preventing small problems from becoming larger organizational challenges through rigorous PDCA implementation and early intervention.
• Collaborate closely with Operations Leadership and union representatives to ensure correct implementation and accurate interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, addressing inquiries, grievances, and other union-related issues for consistent application.
• Oversee resolution of employee and union issues including conflicts, disputes, and disciplinary matters, ensuring fairness, consistency, and proportionate responses while maintaining follow-through on commitments.
• Respond to and resolve all types of discrimination charges and complaints and works with legal counsel on lawsuit discovery and litigation preparation.
• Co-create and manage innovative labor agreements to ensure the evolving needs of the workforce and business are met, including overseeing and conducting investigations, ensuring that all disciplinary issues, grievances, and arbitration matters are handled in a timely and effective manner.
• Affirmatively assess the severity of each case and escalate significant concerns to the HR Director and/or the Regional HR Sr. Director, as required.
• Prepare reports and analytics to monitor employee relations trends and identify areas for improvement or intervention.
• Executes corporate designed products and services impacting both the hourly and salaried populations.
• Fosters a positive and inclusive hourly and salaried employee experience through proactive initiatives based on feedback through employee opinion surveys, suggestions, and open-door policies to boost engagement and address areas for improvement.
• Works closely with health and safety leads to address employee health and wellness concerns, implement wellness programs, and partner to improve safety performance for a healthy and safe work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience.
• 8-10 years of progressive or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Even better, you may have... Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience.
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification.

Qualifications

• Even better, you may have... Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience.
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification.

Skills

• Strategic HR leadership
• Employee relations and union relations
• Benefits, compensation, and training
• Organizational development and communications
• Lean methodologies
• Recognition and reward systems
• People leadership and team management
• Employee engagement and diversity
• Union negotiations and collective bargaining
• Employee health and wellness

Benefits

This position offers immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage, flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare, and more. Family building benefits include adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more. Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases. Tuition assistance is also provided. Paid time off for individual and team community service is available, along with a generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time are also offered.

Pay

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: New Hire Benefits.

Schedule

This position is a leadership level 6.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status.