Sr Human Resources Manager
Position Summary
The Senior Strategic HR Manager – Plant Operations is the lead HR partner for plant leadership, responsible for shaping and executing people strategies that directly impact operational performance, workforce sustainability, and organizational effectiveness. This role blends strategic leadership with deep understanding of manufacturing environments, driving initiatives across workforce planning, leadership capability, culture transformation, and labor strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with Plant Manager and senior leadership to align HR strategy with production, quality, cost, and growth objectives
Serve as a key advisor on organizational design, workforce optimization, and transformation initiatives
Anticipate workforce challenges and proactively develop solutions to support business continuity and scalability
Lead long-term workforce planning, including capacity modeling, skills forecasting, and pipeline development
Develop strategies to attract, retain, and optimize critical talent across hourly and salaried populations
Drive initiatives to improve workforce productivity, retention, and engagement
Design and implement organizational structures that enhance efficiency and agility
Lead change management efforts related to automation, process improvement, or restructuring
Partner with leadership to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence
Build leadership capability at all levels, with emphasis on frontline supervisors and plant leadership
Identify and develop high-potential talent and succession pipelines for critical roles
Coach leaders on performance management, team effectiveness, and employee engagement
Provide strategic oversight and governance of employee relations practices
Support labor strategy including collective bargaining, contract administration, and proactive union engagement (if applicable)
Implement proactive strategies to reduce ER risk and strengthen workplace culture
Champion a high-performance, accountable, and safety-first culture
Lead engagement strategies tailored to plant dynamics (multi-shift workforce, diverse populations)
Drive inclusion and belonging initiatives that enhance workforce cohesion and retention
Ensure compliance with all applicable labor laws and regulations
Partner with EHS teams to reinforce a strong safety culture
Identify organizational risks and implement mitigation strategies
Leverage data and analytics to inform decision-making and measure HR impact
Provide insights on key metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, labor costs, and productivity
Use data to drive continuous improvement in people strategies
Qualifications
Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred), 8 – 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with significant experience in manufacturing or plant environments, demonstrated success in a strategic HR leadership or HRBP role supporting operations
Core Competencies: Strong business and financial acumen with understanding of plant metrics (e.g., OEE, throughput, labor efficiency), proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive strategic initiatives, expertise in workforce planning, organizational design, and talent management, deep knowledge of employee and labor relations, data-driven mindset with strong analytical capability
Preferred Qualifications: Experience in unionized manufacturing environments, HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR), experience supporting multi-site operations or large-scale plants