Culture & Talent Management Specialist

Position Summary:

The Culture & Talent Management Specialist shapes how Mesabi Metallics grows, adapts and works together as one organization. As a greenfield iron ore mining and palletization operation transitioning from construction through commissioning to steady-state operations, with a workforce that brings together employees and leaders from many countries and cultural backgrounds, MMCL needs a strong foundation for organizational effectiveness, change, talent development and an inclusive culture where people of diverse backgrounds work as one team.
This position works closely with the HR leadership team, Talent Acquisition, Compensation & Benefits, department leaders and frontline supervisors to build an organization that is effective, resilient through growth and grounded in a strong safety culture.

Job Responsibilities:

Reporting to the General Manager - Human Resources, this position will be responsible for the following:

Organizational Effectiveness & Change

• Advise leaders on department structures, reporting relationships, role clarity and ways of working as MMCL builds out its operating model.
• Lead change management for major organizational transitions, including the shift from construction to operations, ramp-up of new departments, and introduction of new systems or processes, through stakeholder analysis, communication plans and readiness assessments.
• Diagnose team and organizational effectiveness issues through interviews, focus groups and data analysis; recommend and deliver interventions that improve collaboration, communication and accountability.
• Facilitate team-launch, alignment and team-building sessions for new and restructured teams, particularly cross-functional teams during commissioning.
• Partner with HR leadership on workforce planning, analyzing capability gaps and recommending structural or development-based solutions.
• Support the development and maintenance of organization charts, role profiles and career frameworks aligned with MMCL's growth.

Cross-Cultural Integration & Inclusion

• Design and deliver cross-cultural awareness and integration programs that help employees and leaders from diverse countries and cultural backgrounds work together effectively.
• Facilitate intercultural workshops on communication styles, decision-making norms, feedback practices and working across cultures for multinational teams and their managers.
• Support international employees and their families in their cultural transition to the Iron Range community, coordinating with relevant internal teams and community resources.
• Help employees build effective working relationships with global colleagues, leadership teams and affiliated entities across locations and time zones.
• Develop and promote inclusion initiatives that foster respect, belonging and equal opportunity for all employees, consistent with MMCL's values and EEO obligations.
• Advise leaders on managing diverse, multinational teams fairly and effectively, and help resolve friction arising from cultural misunderstanding.
• Coordinate cultural observances, heritage events and community activities that celebrate the diversity of MMCL's workforce.

Talent Development

• Assess training and development needs across departments; recommend and coordinate leadership development, supervisory skills and technical upskilling programs, including partnerships with local colleges, trade programs and external providers.
• Lead succession planning and talent review processes for critical and hard-to-fill roles, identifying high-potential employees and leadership pipeline gaps and advising leaders on development plans.
• Design career pathing and internal mobility programs in coordination with Talent Acquisition.
• Develop and coordinate onboarding and new-hire integration programs, including cross-cultural orientation for international hires, to create a consistent, safety- and values-centered first-90-day experience.

Engagement & Culture

• Design and lead employee engagement initiatives, including pulse and engagement surveys; analyze results, present findings to leadership and support managers in building and executing action plans.
• Develop and manage recognition programs that reinforce MMCL's values, safety culture and operational excellence.
• Analyze retention and turnover trends, conduct stay and exit interviews, and recommend targeted retention strategies for critical skill groups.
• Champion MMCL's culture and core values through internal communications, town halls, employee events and community engagement across the Iron Range.
• Coach supervisors and managers on team leadership, feedback, employee development and building an engaged, inclusive workforce.

Reporting & Collaboration

• Maintain development tracking, program records and workforce metrics in the HRIS; prepare talent, engagement and culture dashboards for HR leadership.
• Support the development and communication of HR policies related to development, recognition, inclusion and workplace conduct, in compliance with Minnesota and federal employment law.
• Support affiliated entities, as applicable, by sharing talent, culture and change frameworks and best practices.

Skills and Qualifications:

• 4-6 years of progressive HR experience in talent management, change management, learning and development, employee engagement or organizational effectiveness.
• Proven experience leading change initiatives, team-effectiveness interventions and organizational structure projects.
• Demonstrated experience working with multinational or culturally diverse workforces and an understanding of different global work cultures.
• Experience in mining, heavy industry, manufacturing or a comparable operational environment strongly preferred.
• Strong facilitation, coaching and presentation skills, with credibility at all levels from frontline employees to senior leadership.
• Analytical ability to interpret engagement, retention and workforce data and translate it into practical recommendations.
• Familiarity with change management methodologies (e.g., Prosci/ADKAR, Kotter), assessment tools (e.g., DiSC, Hogan) and intercultural frameworks (e.g., Hofstede, Cultural Intelligence/CQ, IDI).
• Proficiency with HRIS/LMS platforms, survey tools and Microsoft Office.
• Professional certification (SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, Prosci Change Practitioner, ATD/CPTD or an intercultural certification) preferred.
• Proficiency in one or more additional languages is a plus.
• Experience in an MNC environment, is a plus.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in human resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Business Administration or a related field; Master's degree preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Primarily office-based with regular presence at plant and mine site locations, requiring adherence to all MMCL safety protocols and use of appropriate PPE. Some travel to affiliate locations and occasional evening or weekend availability to support shift-based employee programs may be required.

Salary: USD 80,000 to 100,000 + Winners Circle

Winners Circle Incentive: A bi-weekly incentive, calculated as a percentage of bi-weekly wages (base pay plus overtime) and paid in the same paycheck. It is tied to the site's production of safe, quality tonnes, measured on Safety, Quality and Tons (SQT).

• Construction Phase (launch of the new compensation structure through October 30, 2026): paid at the 70% target level.
• Ramp Up Phase (November 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027): calculated against achievable production targets measured by the hour.
• Optimization Phase (from April 1, 2027): tied to bi-weekly production targets.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage with an HSA option.
• Retirement Plan: 401(k) with 4% company match.
• Lincoln STD, LTD, & Life Insurance: Coverage provided by Mesabi Metallics.

Paid Time Off (PTO):

• 0-3 Years: 96 hours per year.
• Plus 9 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays.