SVP/VP Human Resources, Operations

SVP/VP Human Resources, Operations Posted on 3/31/2026 Advance NC Human Resources SVPVP015258 Build Your Career with Ashley Furniture- Where Innovation Meets Comfort Who We Are: At Ashley, inspiring the love of home is at the heart of everything we do. As the world’s largest manufacturer of home furnishings, we’re more than a business — we’re a family driven by innovation, competitiveness, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We persevere through challenges, push beyond the status quo, and constantly seek better ways to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Our solutions-first mindset and dedication to growth are why Ashley remains #1 in our industry. If you’re ready to grow, you’ve come to the right place. With a true “Growth Mindset,” Ashley Furniture invests in developing future leaders and helps every team member learn from the best in the business. If you are a current Ashley employee: Please login to your UKG account and apply using the internal job board. Summary: The VP / SVP of Human Resources - Operations is a strategic, executive-level role responsible for setting and executing the comprehensive HR strategy for Ashley’s operational divisions in the United States: Manufacturing (approximately 6,500+ employees), Distribution (approximately 2,000+ employees), and Transportation (approximately 1,500 employees). This leader will serve as a key business partner, reporting to the CHRO and working closely with the EVP of Manufacturing and the EVP of Distribution/Transportation to drive operational excellence, foster a high-performance, values-driven culture, and prepare the workforce for the future through strategic talent management and technology adoption, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). This role demands a dynamic, influential, and charismatic leader with superior HR expertise and a proven track record of leading large, complex, and geographically dispersed workforces. Responsibilities: Strategic HR Leadership & Partnership Strategy Development: Develop, communicate, and execute a multi-year HR strategy for Operations that is directly aligned with the overall AFI/ADS business strategy, focusing on productivity, efficiency, safety, and continuous improvement. Executive Influence: Act as a trusted strategic advisor to the EVP of Manufacturing and EVP of Distribution/Transportation, providing expert counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, employee relations, and change management. Talent Acquisition & Planning: Partner with the Vice President of Talent Acquisition to oversee and enhance talent acquisition strategies to efficiently recruit, onboard, and retain high-volume, skilled operational employees and drivers, ensuring a robust pipeline for all key roles. Performance Management: Design and implement performance management systems that drive accountability, recognize excellence, and cultivate a performance-driven culture across all operational functions. Culture, Values, and Employee Experience Values Leadership: Champion Ashley's Core & Growth Values throughout the operations workforce, ensuring HR policies and practices reflect the company's commitment to Honesty, Integrity, Passion, Drive, Discipline, Continuous Improvement, and “Dirty Fingernail” (our Core Values), and Leadership, Customer Centric, and Boundaryless (our Growth Values). Engagement & Retention: Develop and lead programs to significantly improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention in the manufacturing, distribution, and transportation environments. Charismatic Leadership: Utilize charisma and influence to inspire confidence, build strong relationships with frontline leaders and employees, and effectively navigate complex employee relations and organizational change initiatives. Operational Excellence and AI Adoption HR Technology & Innovation: Possess deep knowledge of and champion the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies within the HR function (e.g., AI-driven recruiting, predictive analytics for turnover, optimized scheduling, enhanced training modules) to improve efficiency and employee experience. Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize HR analytics and metrics (e.g., turnover, cost-per-hire, safety incidents, training effectiveness) to inform decision-making, measure program ROI, and proactively identify operational risks and opportunities. Total Rewards: Design and manage competitive compensation and incentive programs tailored to the unique labor markets of manufacturing, distribution, and transportation, ensuring programs foster commitment and drive results. Compliance & Risk: Ensure complete federal, state, and local regulatory compliance across all operational HR practices, mitigating legal and financial risks, especially in areas like DOT regulations and manufacturing safety. Core Competencies: Strategic HR Knowledge Superiority Deep, comprehensive expertise across all HR disciplines with proven ability to translate business strategy into executable HR action plans. Charisma and Executive Presence An inspiring, approachable, and authentic leader who can build rapport quickly, communicate effectively at all levels, and galvanize large, diverse teams toward a common goal. Influence and Negotiation Exceptional ability to persuade, build consensus among executive peers and operational VPs, and effectively manage complex employee relations matters. Operations Acumen A strong understanding of the business drivers, processes, challenges, and cultural dynamics within large-scale, high-volume manufacturing, logistics, and transportation environments. AI and Digital HR Leadership Demonstrable knowledge of current and emerging AI applications in HR and operations; a forward-thinking mindset for adopting technology to drive efficiency and organizational capability. Talent Architect Proven ability to design and implement superior leadership development, succession planning, and performance systems tailored for a blue-collar and driver workforce. Qualifications required: Education Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. Master's degree preferred. Experience Minimum of 15+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a Senior Vice President, VP, or CHRO role leading HR for a large-scale, multi-site operational organization (manufacturing, distribution, logistics, or similar industrial environment). Mandatory experience supporting a workforce of 5,000+ employees, including significant experience with non-exempt, hourly, and driver populations. Proven track record of success in transforming HR organizations and leading significant change management efforts. Demonstrable experience with and understanding of leveraging technology, data analytics, and Artificial Intelligence in the HR function. Travel is required to visit all facilities Work Environment: This position is located in an active industrial manufacturing and distribution center with moderate to high noise levels, temperature variations, and material handling equipment in operation. The role may require extended periods of standing or walking on concrete floors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and steel-toed boots. The fast-paced environment involves time-sensitive and safety sensitive operations and may include various shift schedules to support production and distribution needs. Benefits We Offer: Health, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program Paid Time Off; increases with years of service Generous Employee Discount on home furnishings Professional Development Opportunities Tuition Assistance Ashley Wellness Centers (location specific) 401(k) and Profit Sharing Life Insurance Our Core Values: Honesty & Integrity: Acts with transparency, discretion, and ethical judgment. Trusted to handle sensitive information and provide accurate, unbiased insights. (Dirty Fingernail: Takes full accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Inspects details, ensures data accuracy, and follows through to completion. Continuous Improvement: Actively seeks better ways to improve templates, tools, and processes. Learns from prior initiatives and embeds lessons into standard work. Growth & Results Focus: Understands how transformation initiatives drive growth, cost reduction, and profitability. Keeps work aligned to enterprise priorities. Culture of Leadership: Leads through influence, reliability, and example. Builds trust across functions and supports leaders at every level. Customer-Centric & Boundaryless: Works across silos for the greater good of the organization. Ensures outputs meet the needs of executives, initiative owners, and teams. Operational Excellence: Demonstrates strong organizational discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to translate ambiguity into clear, executable tools. Interested in learning more about Ashley Furniture’s Community Engagement programs, Environmental Stewardship, or our Core Values, click the links below: Corporate Social Responsibility View Our Corporate Brochure We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide a drug-free working environment. While Ashley appreciates the interest of all candidates only those meeting specific position requirements may be contacted. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. The company reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. Notice to Search Firms: We are not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms. We will not pay any placement, referral or other fees to any search firms unless we have agreed otherwise in a valid, written agreement for the specific position posted and signed by an authorized representative of Ashley Furniture Industries. * Please note this position is not eligible for current or future employment sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or at any time in the future. ***If you apply to this posting, please make sure to complete the following Wonderlic assessment. Only applicants who complete the assessment will be considered for the position. https://apply.select.wonderlic.com/479NU9/Ashley-Furniture