Vice President of Human Resources

Position Summary

The Vice President of Human Resources is a senior executive responsible for leading the full spectrum of HR strategy and operations for the company’s largest U.S. manufacturing operation. Reporting to the President/COO, this role serves as a strategic partner to executive leadership and a key liaison to Japan-based parent company stakeholders. This position aligns human capital strategies with business objectives to drive organizational performance, workforce capability, and a high-performance culture while ensuring compliance in a complex global manufacturing environment. It also leads organizational design and transformation initiatives to support growth, scalability, and operational efficiency. This is a key leadership role with significant influence on business strategy, organizational growth, and operational performance. The Vice President will play a critical role in strengthening leadership capability, stabilizing and developing the workforce, and building a sustainable talent pipeline to support long-term business success.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities Include The Following

• Strategic Leadership and Business Partnership
  Serve as a key advisor and strategic influencer to the President/COO and executive leadership team on all human capital matters
  Develop and execute HR strategies aligned with business goals, operational priorities, and long-term growth plans
  Align workforce strategies with operational goals, including productivity, quality, and cost efficiency
  Establish, monitor, and report on key HR and workforce metrics (e.g., turnover, engagement, staffing, safety) to drive executive decision-making, accountability, and continuous improvement
  Lead workforce planning, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development to ensure long-term organizational capability
  Lead organizational design, restructuring, and change management initiatives to optimize performance and scalability

• Talent and Workforce Strategy
  Oversee enterprise-wide talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, and benefits programs
  Develop and lead integrated strategies to attract, retain, and develop talent in a competitive manufacturing labor market
  Establish and drive enterprise-wide talent management processes, including succession planning, high-potential development, and workforce capability building to create a sustainable leadership pipeline and organizational capability
  Design and implement leadership development and training programs that support operational excellence and career progression
  Align talent strategies with productivity, quality, and cost objectives

• Culture and Employee Relations
  Champion and embed organizational culture, values, and leadership behaviors across all levels
  Lead employee engagement and retention initiatives to strengthen morale and workplace effectiveness
  Provide executive oversight and decision authority on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, conflict resolution, and disciplinary actions
  Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant employment practices and advise leadership on high-risk business and employment decisions

• Compliance and Risk Management
  Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and serve as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies and external legal counsel
  Oversee workplace policies, internal controls, and audit readiness to protect employee data and company interests
  Partner with Operations and EHS leadership to support a strong safety culture, workers’ compensation, and return-to-work programs
  Ensure compliant administration of leave of absence programs, employee accommodations, and attendance practices
  Oversee employment eligibility verification (I-9) and support immigration and global mobility processes for expatriate employees

• Global Alignment and Stakeholder Engagement
  Lead cross-cultural HR alignment with Japan-based parent company stakeholders, ensuring consistency in governance, reporting, and strategic initiatives across global operations
  Adapt global programs and policies to meet U.S. legal requirements and cultural expectations
  Communicate organizational risks, workforce trends, and HR initiatives effectively across global leadership

• HR Operations and Analytics
  Oversee HR operations including HRIS, reporting, policy governance, and data integrity
  Leverage analytics to identify trends, improve processes, and enhance organizational performance
  Ensure efficient, scalable HR systems and processes aligned with business growth
  Strengthen internal controls that ensure confidentiality of personal and privileged information, including personal data and disciplinary measures

Functional and Leadership Competencies

• 12+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including 7+ years in a senior manufacturing Human Resources leadership role.
  Significant experience in manufacturing or other labor-intensive environments (500+ employees) within a global organization. Automotive industry and/or Japanese company experience highly beneficial.
  Demonstrated success leading HR strategy in a complex, fast-paced organization
  Experience working within a global or matrixed organization; exposure to Japan-based or international parent companies strongly preferred
  Experience supporting continuous improvement or lean manufacturing environments is a plus
• Knowledge and practical application of HR disciplines including employment and labor laws, employee relations, management, and leadership development.
  Experience with positive employee relations preferred
  Strategic thinking with strong business and financial acumen
  Deep knowledge of employment law and HR best practices
  Proven leadership and team development skills
  Strong employee relations and conflict resolution expertise
  Ability to influence and collaborate across all organizational levels
  High emotional intelligence and executive presence
  Change management and organizational transformation expertise
  Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret workforce and operational data to drive data-driven business decisions
  Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills
  Strong critical thinking, judgment, and problem-solving ability
  Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
  Strong listening, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and influence diverse audiences
  Ability to work well under pressure, manage competing demands, and meet tight deadlines, working outside normal Monday through Friday business hours as responsibilities require
• Commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture
  Commitment to execution excellence, accountability, and delivering results in a fast-paced environment
  Success in this role will be measured by improvements in workforce stability, leadership capability, employee engagement, and alignment between people strategy and operational performance

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including 7+ years in a senior manufacturing Human Resources leadership role.
  Bachelor’s Degree required; master’s degree in human resources, business, or related field strongly preferred.
  SHRM-SCP, HRM-SCP, or other HR-related certifications strongly preferred.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals/documentation.
  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
  Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Desire to proactively and collaboratively work toward solutions with cross-functional team input.