Human Resources Partner - Labor Relations

Location: Madison, WI
Schedule: Full-Time | Onsite (5 days/week)
Compensation: $75,000–$90,000 Comprehensive Benefits

About the Opportunity

We're partnering with a well-established manufacturing organization in the Madison area to hire a Human Resources Generalist to support a fast-paced production environment. This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys building strong relationships with leaders and employees while gaining hands-on experience across employee relations, labor relations, leave administration, recruiting, and HR operations.

This position offers significant exposure to leadership and provides a clear path for professional growth into more advanced employee relations and labor relations responsibilities.

What You'll Be Doing

Employee & Labor Relations

• Serve as the primary HR contact for manufacturing employees and supervisors, providing guidance on policies, procedures, benefits, and employment-related questions.
• Support employee relations matters while partnering with leaders to resolve workplace concerns fairly and consistently.
• Process and administer FMLA, ADA, and other employee leave requests.
• Conduct exit interviews, process employee separations, and maintain accurate employee records.
• Assist with investigations, disciplinary processes, grievances, and additional labor relations responsibilities as experience grows.

Workers' Compensation

• Coordinate workers' compensation claims and partner with supervisors and injured employees throughout the return-to-work process.
• Work closely with the third-party administrator to ensure documentation is complete and work restrictions are properly managed.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Lead full-cycle recruitment for hourly manufacturing positions.
• Conduct phone screens and coordinate interviews with hiring managers.
• Facilitate new hire orientation and onboarding.
• Partner with leaders to continuously improve recruiting and hiring processes.

Employee Engagement

• Plan and coordinate employee appreciation and engagement initiatives.
• Support a positive workplace culture while balancing business needs in a manufacturing environment.
• Assist with HR projects and administrative initiatives as needed.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Associate's degree considered for candidates with strong experience and interest in continued education.
• Approximately 2–5 years of HR experience preferred, though exceptional recent graduates with strong internship experience are encouraged to apply.
• Experience with employee relations, leave administration, recruiting, or manufacturing HR is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Comfortable working in Microsoft Excel and utilizing HR metrics.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while managing multiple priorities.

What Makes Someone Successful

We're looking for someone who:

• Wants to grow into a long-term HR career with increasing responsibility.
• Is comfortable partnering with frontline leaders.
• Can confidently handle difficult employee conversations and complex workplace situations.
• Is resilient, adaptable, and able to manage a demanding workload while maintaining a positive attitude.
• Enjoys balancing employee support with business objectives.

Schedule

• Full-time, onsite Monday through Friday.
• Flexibility to occasionally support off-shift operations, including early morning visits (approximately 4:00–5:00 a.m.) as business needs require.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Parental leave
• Tuition assistance and professional development opportunities
• Wellness resources and employee programs