Human Resources Business Partner - Plant Partner

Hiring Manager/Recruiter – Emily Allen, Human Relations Business Partner Manager

Location – Low Hybrid

This is a hybrid role, which means that you will have the flexibility to work both onsite and at a distance. You will collaborate onsite at our Chaseburg, WI office 4-5 days a week and the rest of the time you can choose to work remotely or onsite. This role supports a 24‑hour production environment and requires two 4:30 a.m. start times OR two 12 p.m. start times each week.

Employee Type – Salaried

Bonus Eligibility – This position is eligible for a 3% annual bonus incentive based on cooperative and individual performance.

Safety Sensitive – No

If a company is going to make a difference in today’s world, it’s going to have to think differently. At Organic Valley, our philosophy and decisions are based on the health and welfare of people, animals and the earth. We’re a mission-driven cooperative, owned by family farmers, and we’ve been leaders in organic agriculture from the very beginning. Once pioneers of organic agriculture, we’re now an established leader. Organic is all we do. We are driven by our mission to promote regional farm diversity and economic stability by the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products.

Summary Of Role

The Human Resources Business Partner – Plant Partner (HRBP) will act as a primary adviser for a specified facility within Organic Valley. This role will focus on partnership with all levels of employees, including senior leadership, to support the facility in achieving organizational goals and objectives. The HRBP will mitigate risk to the cooperative by ensuring consistency and confidentiality in thorough investigations and resolutions of elevated concerns and complex employee relation issues. In addition, the HRBP is responsible for facilitating the hiring of qualified job applicants. The HRBP will collaborate regularly and closely with Safety, Total Rewards, and Employee Communications on projects, programs, and Cooperative initiatives.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Actively take initiative to establish and maintain positive relationships with leaders, employees, and applicants.
• Build and cultivate consultative relationships with respective business leaders by meeting regularly, understanding their strategic objectives and providing advice on maximizing team performance.
• Act as a steward and model a positive employee culture.
• Take initiative to stay current on industry trends as it relates to HR and employment and raising recommendations to the team for improvements.
• Coach and advise employees, leaders and HR Generalists regarding policy, procedure and employment-related inquiries.
• Provide developmental coaching and feedback to business leaders, including managing difficult employee issues, and delivering on organizational goals.
• Champion of fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all employees. Hold leaders accountable to equitable selection, retention, and development of their employees.
• Lead projects and initiatives within department including, but not limited to, improving team efficiencies, supporting organizational or department strategies, improving retention, etc. This includes collaborating regularly with peer Generalists, HRBP’s, L&OD, the greater HR department to ensure continuity on all projects and initiatives.
• Proactively collaborate with Total Rewards to facilitate process of evaluating roles for compensation.
• Lead hiring managers through execution of recruitment strategies to fill positions with top talent, proactively raising qualified talent from internal and external talent pipelines.
• Facilitate new hire onboarding process, coordinating with cross-functional departments to deliver an exceptional first-day experience.
• Lead managers through complex employee relations issues including confidential investigations, whistleblower investigations and maintaining appropriate documentation throughout.
• Support managers through objective, thorough and legally compliant performance management processes ensuring appropriate documentation is captured.
• Advise managers on structural changes and make recommendations to ensure successful implementation of change management during the change.
• Lead facilitation of Talent Review process and steps following for employees rated as high potential talent or talent risks.
• Lead managers through legally compliant termination processes ensuring proper documentation is being maintained and ensuring proper course of action is taken.
• Administer the employee exit process for assigned business units, coordinating with the departing employee, management, and other necessary stakeholders. Watch for trends and raising them appropriately when seeing that a corrective action is needed.
• Hold information strictly confidential.
  
  

Additional Duties And Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Medical Case Manager to support FMLA and Medical Leave of Absence requests.
• Attend career fairs to recruit job applicants and market CROPP’s career opportunities.
• Mentor HR Generalists through on-the-job training.
• Assist in development and implementation of human resource policies.
• Assist with coordination of the internship program, referral program, relocation program, and other recruitment/employment related programs as assigned.
• Update, maintain, and communicate HR information on cooperatives intranet site as needed.
• Maintain understanding of employee policy manual to assist employees with interpretation and adherence.
• Lead supervisors and managers through reduction in force processes as business need arises, ensuring that all stakeholders are involved and a fair, consistent and compliant process is followed.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or HR related field preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of HR experience plus previous experience working in employee relations required.
• Proven ability to collaborate and proactively build and maintain positive relationships with others in the organization is required.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills to communicate across all levels of the organization.
• Strong consultative skills required with ability to make recommendations at all levels of the organization.
• Strategic mindset with ability to act proactively required.
• Ability to discern when to flex and when to tow the line required.
• Knowledge of state and federal labor laws required.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Previous experience recruiting high-level leadership roles required; experience partnering with search firms preferred.
• Aptitude in problem-solving and drive for finding solutions with ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office required.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently or in a group setting.
• Knowledge of the natural food industry preferred.
• Ability to travel to different CROPP locations as needed; travel regionally or nationally may also be required
• Ability to work nights and weekends as needed.
  
  

Base salary/hourly wage range: $72,675.20 per year - $90,833.60 per year

This salary wage range is exclusive of fringe benefits. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary bonuses. If you are hired at CROPP, your final base salary wage compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, and/or experience. Additionally, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Please keep in mind that entry-level candidates to this role should expect to be at the lower end of the salary wage range and hiring at the maximum of the salary wage range is not typical.

Benefits

We believe when our people are strong, our mission is strong. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive and holistic Total Rewards package meant to strengthen employees’ and their family's total wellbeing. Here are some of the great benefits offered:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance - Choice of plans for you and your family, including some that can be paired with an HSA (which CROPP contributes to on your behalf)
• Supplemental insurances: we offer accidental insurance, critical illness insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Time Off – 136 hours in the 1st year of employment prorated by start date. Plus 9 paid holidays, plus one floating holiday to use at will.
• 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave – For all gendered partners in childbirth or adoption.
• Vision & Dental Insurance – Free annual eye exam, discounts on glasses/contacts, flexible dental network, adult ortho.
• 401k – We match 100% up to the first 3% of an employee’s contribution, and then 50% for 3.1%-5.0% of employee contributions.
• Free services at five local Neighborhood Family Clinics.
• Tuition Reimbursement – Up to $1,500 per year to support continuing higher education.
• Life Insurance - $50,000 policy funded by CROPP for each employee. Supplemental voluntary coverage available for employees, spouses, and children.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D Insurance - $50,000 of life insurance coverage of $50,000 of AD&D coverage funded by CROPP for each employee.
• Employee Assistance Program - Free and Confidential for employees, spouses, and dependents.
• Free onsite fitness centers available 24/7
• Free biometric screenings (cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure) and health coaching.
• Financial advisors and seminars
• Annual $360 Lifestyle Spending Account
• Flexible Scheduling