Synapse ITS is a total solutions provider of traffic and pedestrian safety products for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in North America. Our mission is To Improve Roadway Safety for Everyone…One Crosswalk, One Intersection, and One Roadway at a Time via our four industry leading brands (Carmanah Technologies, Polara Enterprises, Eberle Design Inc., and Diablo Controls).

The role of Vice President of Human Resources holds significant importance in shaping the future trajectory of the expanding platform business. This position involves managing the entire human resources function across multiple locations of the Synapse platform. The VPHR will formulate and clearly communicate the HR strategy for the organization, overseeing the management of human resources to address needs and mitigate risks in accordance with platform business policies, as well as legal regulations.

The VPHR will offer strategic direction, spearhead HR initiatives, and collaborate with senior leaders to bolster the platform company's growth objectives. These objectives encompass a range of domains such as managing organizational change, administering total rewards, managing employee relations, streamlining processes through automation, overseeing performance management, planning for workforce succession, ensuring compliance, mitigating risk management, enhancing the employee experience, and fostering training and talent development.

This Platform VPHR role assumes the crucial position of being a primary consultant and advisor to the platform's executive team. This advisory function is vital to guarantee the synchronization of HR initiatives with the business goals of the platform. The goal is to enhance the organization’s standing as an excellent workplace and to thrive within a competitive market environment.

• Collaborate with the executive leadership team to develop the organization's long-term mission and goals and identify ways to support this mission through effective talent management strategies.
• Develop and execute the organization's overall HR strategy in alignment with the organization's mission, vision, and strategic goals. Provide strategic HR guidance to the leadership team, recommending and implementing HR initiatives that support business objectives and drive growth.
• Lead, develop, and grow a team of HR professionals to enhance capabilities, deliver solutions, and cultivate an atmosphere characterized by trust and ownership.
• Strengthen, create, implement, and uphold HR policies and practices that facilitate business expansion and ensure compliance with labor laws, regulations, and industry best practices across all locations both domestic and international.
• Create and deploy talent acquisition campaigns, interview guides, and assessment tools.
• Lead the design and implementation of a Total Rewards program to include compensation structures (including salary ranges and incentive plans) and benefit plans to attract, retain, and motivate employees. Evaluate the competitiveness of these programs against relevant industry peers.
• Oversee HR operations and payroll across multiple states including AZ, WA, CA, TX, NV, MA, LA, as well as internationally in Canada.
• Design and implement a Performance Management program to align individual and team goals with the Company's objectives. Provide guidance to managers on performance feedback, professional development, career advancement, and conflict resolution.
• Collaborate with department heads to identify competency gaps and training necessities. Construct and implement employee training initiatives to elevate individual and organizational performance, supporting the progression of employee career growth.
• Develop and maintain succession plans to identify and nurture top talent for future positions.
• Define and utilize HR analytics to quantify the effectiveness of HR strategies and initiatives. Furnish data-driven insights to support decision-making and continuous improvement within the organization.
• Drive organizational effectiveness and change management initiatives. Introduce strategies to enrich organizational culture, employee engagement, and productivity.
• Develop a proactive strategy for workers' compensation risk management by implementing comprehensive safety training, streamlined incident reporting protocols, and regular safety assessments.
• Remain current with labor laws, regulations, and industry best practices. Mitigate organizational risk by ensuring compliance with all applicable employment regulations.
• Develop a roadmap for HR systems and technology implementation aimed at automating vital HR operations such as compliance, onboarding, benefits administration, compensation management, talent acquisition, performance management, workforce analytics, employee self-service, and learning management. This roadmap will guarantee seamless scalability as the platform expands its business in the coming years.
• Qualifications
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in HR Management, Business Administration, or related field. MBA is a plus. Relevant HR certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) are a plus.

Experience:

• 12 years of progressive demonstrated experience as a strategic HR leader, preferably in a Manufacturing or Operations environment with revenue greater than $100M annually. Track record of developing and implementing HR strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Extensive knowledge of HR best practices and industry trends.
• Strong knowledge of international (Canada, Mexico, Latin America, EMEA, APAC) and domestic federal and multi-state laws affecting HR policies and procedures, including EEOC, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and other regulatory and compliance laws.
• Experience establishing and building HR teams and processes from the ground up.
• Demonstrated success in talent acquisition, employee development, performance management, organizational development, and change management.
• Innovative thinker with a willingness to take risks while balancing on-time deliverables.
• Excellent communication (verbal/written) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to forge strong, trusting relationships with leaders, direct reports, board members, the Human Resource team, and external partners.
• Intermediate to advanced experience with HRIS/Payroll systems and Microsoft Office tools such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Multi-site manufacturing experience preferred.
• Due diligence, assessment, and integration of M&A targets
• Private Equity experience a plus!