Site People Operations & Labor Leader

About the role

We are seeking a Site People Operations & Labor Leader to lead HR and labor relations at our Sistersville manufacturing facility (400+ employees).

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the site’s labor relations strategy, including union engagement and collective bargaining support.
• Partner with site leadership to align workforce and labor strategy to business needs.
• Identify trends and drive systemic, root-cause improvements.
• Champion a work environment that strengthens leadership effectiveness, fairness, and consistency.
• Equip leaders with the skills and confidence to lead, engage, and respond to employee concerns early and effectively.
• Identify and address root causes of dissatisfaction (e.g., communication gaps, inconsistent practices, perceived inequities).
• Partner with leadership to build a culture of direct engagement, trust, and accountability across both union and non-union populations.
• Maintain a strong presence on the plant floor to build trust and stay connected to employee realities.
• Coach leaders on people leadership, performance management, and decision-making.
• Facilitate team sessions and drive leadership alignment.
• Lead labor relations execution, overseeing grievances, investigations, and arbitration processes.
• Ensure fair, consistent, and compliant discipline and employee relations practices.
• Build and maintain a constructive relationship with union representatives.
• Shape leadership & culture, acting as a trusted advisor and courageous challenger to site leadership.
• Drive improvements in leadership effectiveness, accountability, and consistency.
• Reduce recurring issues by strengthening manager capability and decision quality.
• Deliver HR excellence through your team, overseeing the full employee lifecycle (hiring, onboarding, development, retention).
• Partner with COEs to implement HR programs and policies effectively.
• Ensure strong execution, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in labor relations within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing union relationships, grievances, and arbitration processes.
• Experience leading and developing HR team members.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. labor laws (NLRB and related regulations).
• Proven ability to influence and challenge leaders constructively.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Advanced degree in Labor or Industrial Relations preferred.
• Experience driving culture, leadership, or organizational transformation preferred.
• Track record of improving both operations and systems—not just resolving issues preferred.