Director of Human Resources

Director of Human Resources

Position Summary

The Director of Human Resources is a key member of the leadership team responsible for developing and executing HR strategies that support business objectives, manufacturing operations, workforce stability, and organizational growth. This position serves as a strategic partner to executive and plant leadership while maintaining a strong hands-on presence within the organization.

The Director of Human Resources will provide leadership across employee relations, talent acquisition, workforce planning, performance management, compensation and benefits, leadership development, employee engagement, compliance, HR operations, and organizational development. The ideal candidate brings significant HR leadership experience within a manufacturing or industrial environment and understands the unique challenges associated with supporting hourly and salaried workforces in a fast-paced operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with executive and operational leadership to develop and execute HR strategies aligned with business objectives, manufacturing requirements, and organizational growth.
• Lead the overall HR function, providing direction, coaching, and development to HR team members while ensuring consistent and effective HR support across the organization.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to plant and corporate leadership on workforce planning, organizational structure, employee relations, talent strategy, performance, and culture.
• Lead complex employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, corrective actions, performance issues, conflict resolution, and terminations.
• Develop proactive employee relations strategies that strengthen communication, accountability, engagement, and retention.
• Oversee talent acquisition and workforce planning strategies to ensure appropriate staffing levels for manufacturing, technical, professional, and leadership positions.
• Partner with operations to address recruiting challenges, turnover, absenteeism, workforce shortages, and other factors impacting productivity.
• Develop and strengthen onboarding, training, leadership development, succession planning, and employee development programs.
• Coach managers and supervisors on leadership effectiveness, performance management, employee communication, documentation, and consistent application of company policies.
• Lead performance management processes and establish programs that promote accountability, continuous improvement, and employee development.
• Develop employee engagement and retention strategies designed to strengthen workplace culture and improve workforce stability.
• Oversee compensation, benefits, leave administration, HRIS, payroll partnerships, and other HR operational functions.
• Evaluate compensation programs and workforce trends to maintain internal equity and external competitiveness.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment regulations, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, OSHA, EEOC, and other employment requirements.
• Develop, implement, and maintain HR policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and standardized HR practices.
• Partner with safety and operational leadership to support workplace safety, workers’ compensation, return-to-work programs, and risk mitigation.
• Utilize HR metrics and workforce analytics—including turnover, retention, absenteeism, staffing, employee relations, and recruiting data—to identify trends and guide business decisions.
• Lead HR process improvement and technology initiatives, including HRIS optimization, workflow automation, reporting, and standardization.
• Support organizational change, restructuring, acquisitions, facility expansion, and other business transformation initiatives as needed.
• Maintain a visible presence within manufacturing operations and build trusted relationships with employees, supervisors, managers, and senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
• 10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including significant HR leadership responsibility.
• Previous HR leadership experience within manufacturing, industrial, distribution, or another operations-intensive environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting both hourly and salaried employee populations.
• Strong background in employee relations, workplace investigations, talent acquisition, workforce planning, performance management, compliance, and leadership development.
• Experience leading and developing HR professionals.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
• Experience with HRIS, payroll, workforce analytics, and HR technology.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with executive leadership and manufacturing operations.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance employee advocacy with operational and organizational objectives.
• Excellent communication, coaching, problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, hands-on manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Multi-site manufacturing HR leadership experience.
• Experience supporting organizational growth, restructuring, acquisitions, or significant change initiatives.
• Experience with high-volume recruiting and manufacturing workforce retention strategies.
• Knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence environments.
• Experience with compensation strategy, benefits administration, workers’ compensation, safety, and risk management.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification preferred.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will be a strategic yet hands-on HR leader who is equally comfortable advising executives, coaching plant managers and supervisors, developing HR professionals, and engaging directly with employees on the manufacturing floor. This individual should bring strong business judgment, credibility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build scalable HR practices while maintaining a practical understanding of day-to-day manufacturing operations.

NuHire, LLC is a direct placement recruiting firm dedicated to helping candidates find long term permanent positions, NOT short term contracts. All the positions we represent are permanent positions with full benefits.