About this role
HR Manager
Job Description: The Human Resources Manager is the primary HR leader for manufacturing facility located in Ripley, TN. This position is responsible for providing both strategic and hands-on HR leadership across the full employee lifecycle, including recruiting and staffing, employee and employee relations, performance management, compensation, training and development, talent management, compliance, organizational development, and employee engagement.
The HR Manager works closely with plant leadership to understand operational priorities and translate business needs into practical people strategies. The successful candidate will be highly visible and engaged throughout the facility, comfortable working directly with employees and supervisors on the production floor, and able to move effectively between strategic initiatives and day-to-day HR responsibilities. This position partners with Corporate HR to ensure consistent implementation and administration of company-wide HR policies, processes, programs, and best practices at the plant level, while addressing site-specific workforce and operational needs. This position must maintain an indirect (dotted-line) reporting relationship with the designated Regional HR Manager or Senior HR Business Partner, leveraging the Regional HR Manager and/or Sr. HRBP as a strategic advisor, consultant, and thought partner on organizational matters, policy interpretation, and complex HR issues to ensure alignment with broader HR strategies and company practices.
This role requires a proactive, responsive HR professional who demonstrates sound judgment, builds trusted relationships, anticipates issues, solves problems at their root cause, and continuously looks for opportunities to improve HR processes and the employee experience.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
HR Leadership & Business Partnership • Serve as the primary HR partner and advisor to the Plant Manager and plant leadership team. • Develop and implement HR strategies and action plans aligned with plant operating objectives and broader business priorities. • Provide coaching, guidance, and recommendations to managers and supervisors regarding employee matters, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, performance, and leadership effectiveness. • Build strong working relationships with employees at all levels of the organization and maintain a visible HR presence throughout the facility. • Anticipate workforce and organizational needs and recommend practical solutions that balance employee needs, business requirements, risk, and cost. • Lead and support organizational change initiatives, with particular attention to workforce and employee implications. • Promote a culture of integrity, respect, accountability, safety, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
Employee & Labor Relations • Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations matters within the facility. • Coach supervisors and managers on employee performance, attendance, conduct, policy interpretation, corrective action, and other employee matters. • Conduct timely, thorough, objective, and well-documented workplace investigations and provide sound, defensible recommendations to management. • Identify and address workplace concerns that may affect employee morale, engagement, retention, or organizational health. • Work constructively through conflict and facilitate effective resolution of complex employee issues. • Where applicable in a union environment, support labor relations activities, collective bargaining agreement administration, grievance handling, and productive relationships with union representatives. • Escalate significant legal, compliance, or employee relations matters to appropriate HR or legal resources when necessary.
Talent Acquisition, Staffing & Onboarding • Partner with plant leadership to assess current and future staffing requirements. • Manage or coordinate the recruiting and selection process for hourly and salaried plant positions. • Develop effective approaches for attracting and retaining qualified talent in the local labor market. • Ensure timely and effective pre-employment, new-hire, transfer, orientation, and onboarding activities. • Partner with hiring managers to improve selection quality, time-to-fill, retention, and the overall candidate and new-hire experience. • Build relationships within the local community and with appropriate recruiting and workforce-development resources.
Talent Management, Performance & Development • Lead plant talent-management and performance-management processes. • Partner with leaders to identify high-potential employees, critical talent, succession needs, skills gaps, and development opportunities. • Coach supervisors on providing effective feedback, setting expectations, managing performance, and developing employees. • Identify training and development needs and coordinate appropriate learning solutions. • Support leadership development, succession planning, career development, and employee development plans. • Promote a continuous-learning environment that builds the capabilities required to support current and future plant operations.
Compensation, Benefits & HR Programs • Administer compensation-related activities for the facility, including performance reviews, merit processes, promotions, job changes, and other compensation programs. • Ensure compensation recommendations follow established company guidelines and approval processes. • Support employee benefits administration, including annual open enrollment and employee questions. • Coordinate or support employee wellness, recognition, engagement, and related HR programs. • Communicate HR programs, policies, and changes clearly and effectively to employees and managers. HR Operations, Systems & Compliance • Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including EEO, FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, wage and hour requirements, and other employment-related requirements. • Maintain working knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements affecting the day-to-day management of plant employees and proactively mitigate employment-related risk. • Administer and consistently apply company and plant policies, procedures, and work rules. • Maintain accurate, timely, confidential, and compliant employee records and HRIS information. • Ensure managers have access to accurate workforce information and provide HR reports and analysis as needed. • Continuously evaluate HR processes and systems and implement improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, consistency, and the employee experience. • Partner with Safety and plant leadership to support safety policies, procedures, training, investigations, and a strong safety culture.
Workforce Analytics & Continuous Improvement • Establish, monitor, and communicate relevant HR metrics and key performance indicators. • Analyze workforce data and trends such as turnover, absenteeism, staffing, overtime, vacancies, employee relations activity, and other relevant measures. • Use quantitative and qualitative information to identify patterns, root causes, risks, and improvement opportunities. • Translate data into practical recommendations and action plans for plant leadership. • Track progress and outcomes to ensure HR initiatives produce sustainable improvements. • Apply a continuous-improvement mindset to HR practices and eliminate unnecessary complexity or waste wherever practical.
Leadership & Behavioral Expectations The HR Manager is expected to: • Lead by example and demonstrate integrity, respect, accountability, professionalism, and sound judgment. • Develop credibility and trust with plant employees, supervisors, leadership, and HR colleagues. • Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. • Influence others through relationships, business understanding, data, and practical recommendations. • Demonstrate critical thinking and identify root causes rather than simply addressing symptoms. • Exercise appropriate discretion when handling confidential or sensitive information. • Know when to make decisions independently and when to engage additional HR, legal, safety, or leadership resources. • Take initiative, anticipate needs, and follow issues through to completion. • Remain responsive and accessible in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. • Effectively prioritize multiple responsibilities, projects, and unexpected issues. • Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, self-awareness, and the ability to navigate change and conflict constructively.
Experience Required:: Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive Human Resources experience, preferably within a manufacturing, printing, distribution, or similarly fast-paced operational environment.
Demonstrated experience independently handling employee relations, investigations, staffing, performance management, HR compliance, and manager coaching.
Experience supporting hourly production workforces strongly preferred.
Experience working closely with plant or operations leadership strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and HR best practices.
Strong employee relations, investigation, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to build credibility and productive relationships with hourly employees, supervisors, and senior leaders.
Strong problem-solving, analytical, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Ability to interpret workforce data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Education Required:: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field preferred.
Professional HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP preferred.