Manufacturing, HR Business Partner

About the role

The Manufacturing HR Business Partner serves as a critical strategic partner and hands-on HR leader, deeply embedded within our automotive manufacturing plants and parts depots. This role is responsible for supporting the hourly and salaried workforce, collaborating closely with leadership to drive business objectives through a comprehensive HR lens.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership, translating business strategy into impactful HR initiatives that optimize organizational effectiveness and elevate the employee experience.
• Leverage deep operational acumen, gained through immersive Gemba walks and direct engagement with leadership, to proactively identify and address human capital needs within our lean manufacturing and logistics environments, delivering strategically aligned HR solutions that directly accelerate business success and cultivate a high-performance culture.
• Design and execute advanced talent management strategies, encompassing performance optimization, leadership development, robust succession planning, strategic compensation, and integrated talent acquisition.
• Proactively analyze future workforce needs and capabilities, implementing innovative hourly talent programs (e.g., apprenticeship pathways, reskilling initiatives, strategic placements) that build a high-performing, engaged, and resilient workforce pipeline essential for future growth and our organizational transformation.
• Champion a data-first approach, leveraging HR analytics platforms (e.g., Visier, Voice) to extract critical insights, predict workforce trends, and inform strategic decision-making at the operational leadership level.
• Lead complex change management initiatives across diverse stakeholder groups, effectively shifting organizational mindsets and mitigating risks to successfully achieve critical business objectives during our ongoing lean and organizational transformation.
• Champion a high-performance, inclusive culture, fostering open communication, trust, and mutual respect in alignment with our 7 Proactive Leadership Standards. Act as a visible and influential HR leader, spearheading employee recognition, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and cultural events to significantly boost engagement and drive continuous organizational improvement.
• Maintain a proactive presence on the plant floor, conducting regular engagements to build strong employee relationships, ensure HR accessibility, and proactively address general workplace concerns.
• Orchestrate strategic interactions with local governmental agencies and lead impactful charitable initiatives, significantly strengthening the plant's community engagement and enhancing its positive external brand reputation.
• Lead strategic engagement with labor unions and employee representatives, fostering a proactive and high-trust partnership essential for operational stability and continuous improvement. Play a pivotal role in collective bargaining, negotiating innovative and mutually beneficial agreements that advance long-term business objectives and enhance labor-management relations within our highly dynamic unionized landscape.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience required.
• Minimum 2-4 years of relevant HR and labor work experience with a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a manufacturing setting.
• Even better, you may have... PHR or SHRM-CP certification.

Qualifications

• This role requires onsite presence at the manufacturing plant to fulfill job responsibilities.
• Involves occasional (defined as one-third or less of the time) lifting of no more than 10 pounds at a time.
• Work is performed primarily in a seated position and entails no significant stooping, climbing, etc.
• Role does require time walking and standing on plant manufacturing floor at least 20% of the time.
• Many sedentary jobs require good use of the hands and fingers for repetitive hand-finger actions.
• Working conditions occur within low to moderate noise levels related to the use of standard office or classroom equipment.

Skills

• Strategic Partnership
• Data Storytelling
• Talent Management
• Employee Lifecycle Expertise
• Business and Operational Acumen
• Positive Employee and Labor Relations
• Risk Management
• Change Management
• Ethical Practice
• Labor Relations and Negotiation
• Contractual Compliance and Interpretation
• Grievance Management
• Workforce Planning