Senior Human Resources Manager

Position Summary

The Senior Human Resources Manager is the primary HR partner, responsible for delivering hands‑on, end‑to‑end HR support with direct reporting to the Director, HR. This role focuses on culture, morale, talent planning, and performance management for corporate teams, employee relations, leaves, and accommodations, while leveraging the broader HR organization for payroll, benefits, and COE support.

The position is hybrid, requiring regular on-site presence in the office Tuesday–Thursday in Frederick, MD., with remote work on Mondays and Fridays.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Office (176 employees)

• Partner with corporate leaders to build and sustain a positive culture, high morale, and strong engagement.
• Lead and support talent planning efforts, including workforce planning, succession discussions, and career pathing within corporate functions.
• Coach leaders on effective performance management: goal‑setting, feedback, documentation, and development planning.
• Support change initiatives and organizational design work led by the Director, HRBP, ensuring clear communication and adoption in the corporate office.

(Nationwide Hubs – 300 employees)

• Serve as the primary HR contact for business leaders and employees across multiple locations.
• Manage and advise on employee relations matters (attendance, conduct, performance, investigations), ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant outcomes.
• Partner with the central Leaves/Accommodations team to support employees through leave and accommodation processes:
• Help employees understand the process and required documentation.
• Coordinate with the Leaves team on tracking, communication, and execution.
• Coach leaders on their role and responsibilities during leaves and accommodations.

General HR Leadership (IC Role)

• Provide day‑to‑day HR guidance on policy, processes, and best practices; escalate complex issues to the Director, HRBP or appropriate COE as needed.
• Collaborate with GC HR partners (Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, HR Operations, Learning) to deliver a seamless employee experience while not directly processing payroll or benefits.
• Use HR data and metrics (turnover, engagement feedback, ER trends, leave data) to identify issues and recommend practical, business‑focused solutions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and Guitar Center policies across both corporate and Repairs populations.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Approximately 6 years of progressive HR experience, including significant time in a generalist, HR Manager, or HRBP role.
• Demonstrated experience handling complex employee relations, performance management, and leader coaching.
• Experience supporting multi‑site or distributed teams and navigating leave/accommodation processes in partnership with a centralized leave group.
• Ability and willingness to work in a hybrid schedule: onsite Tue–Thu, remote Mon & Fri.

Preferred

• Experience as the primary or sole HR point of contact for a business unit or function.
• Prior experience in corporate and/or operations support roles (repairs, service, or technical teams a plus).
• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM‑CP/SCP) preferred.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong relationship‑builder who can influence leaders and earn trust quickly.
• Comfortable toggling between strategic conversations and hands‑on execution.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and follow‑through in handling sensitive matters.
• Organized, self‑directed, and effective at prioritizing across two different populations.