Bachelor's degree in HR, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or related field
10+ years of HR or People Operations experience, ideally in manufacturing
Extensive experience with unionized workforces and grievance processes
Strong knowledge of employment laws (NLRA, FLSA, ADA, EEO)
Proficient in HRIS platforms, with UKG experience preferred
Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred
Certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR are preferred
Responsibilities
Act as the primary People Operations leader for the division, aligning HR strategy with operational goals
Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership, providing insights on workforce trends
Lead all labor relations functions and build relationships with union leadership
Oversee HR operations to ensure compliance and accuracy in documentation
Lead full-cycle hiring and strengthen employer brand within the community
Implement training programs to build skills and leadership capability
Lead engagement initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement using workforce data
Benefits
Onsite position promoting strong relationships with hourly teams and leadership
Opportunity to shape long-term people priorities in a manufacturing context
Engagement with a diverse team fostering collaboration and continuous improvement
Focus on culture rooted in company values: Relationships, Teamwork, Integrity, Problem Solving, Excellence
Development programs for career advancement tailored to manufacturing roles
Full Job Description
Description
Description
Description Purpose of Position: The Director of People Operations is a strategic, hands-on HR leader responsible for building the people infrastructure that powers a safe, engaged, and high-impact manufacturing workforce. This role oversees all People Operations functions for the Chaska, Minnesota division including labor relations, HR operations, talent development, employee engagement, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness. This leader thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution: shaping long-term people priorities while being deeply connected to daily plant operations. The Director serves as a trusted advisor to leadership, a champion of employees, and a key driver of culture, capability, and continuous improvement. This position is onsite to maintain strong partnership with hourly teams, union representatives, plant leadership, and front-line supervisors. Key Responsibilities: • Strategic People Leadership & Business Partnership o Act as the primary People Operations leader for the Chaska, Minnesota Division, aligning HR strategy with operational goals, production targets, workforce capability needs, and long-term organizational priorities. o Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership, providing insights on organizational health, workforce trends, and talent risks. o Translate business objectives into actionable HR roadmaps across labor relations, talent acquisition, training, engagement, and operational excellence. o Anticipate workforce needs and proactively design people strategies that strengthen performance, retention, and organizational resilience. • Union Labor Relations & Workforce Partnership o Lead all labor relations functions including contract interpretation, grievance management, discipline, investigations, and day-to-day union engagement. o Build strong, trust-based relationships with union leadership while ensuring consistent and compliant application of policies and contract language. o Prepare for collective bargaining and partner with corporate HR and legal on negotiation strategy. o Provide counsel and training to supervisors and managers on contract compliance, union communication, and labor-related decision-making. • HR Operations, Policy, Compliance & Process Excellence o Oversee all HR operations, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance in documentation, onboarding, performance management, corrective action, and employment records. o Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws (NLRA, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, EEO, OSHA, Minnesota labor law). o Maintain HRIS (UKG) data integrity, analytics, and reporting, identifying opportunities to streamline systems and processes. o Continuously evaluate and modernize HR policies, SOPs, and workflows to improve scalability, efficiency, and employee experience. o Lead sensitive, complex employee relations matters with sound judgment, confidentiality, and fairness. • Talent Acquisition, Workforce Planning & Employer Brand o Lead full-cycle hiring for both hourly and salaried roles, partnering with talent acquisition resources to ensure diverse, timely, and high-quality hiring outcomes. o Forecast workforce needs in partnership with operations, aligning staffing strategies with production schedules, skill requirements, and succession needs. o Strengthen employer brand within the community and drive outreach strategies to attract skilled manufacturing talent. o Oversee onboarding and ensure effective assimilation into a safety-focused manufacturing environment. • Talent Development, Capability Building & Leadership Coaching o Oversee training programs that build technical skills, leadership capability, and career advancement pathways for hourly and salaried employees. o Implement skill matrices, competency frameworks, and structured development programs tailored to manufacturing roles. o Coach managers and supervisors to strengthen leadership presence, communication, coaching, and accountability. o Support performance management cycles, calibration, coaching, and development planning for all levels. • Culture, Engagement, Communication & Employee Experience o Lead division-wide engagement initiatives including recognition programs, employee feedback channels, communication practices, and wellness programming. o Use data, pulse surveys, and workforce insights to identify opportunities for improvement and drive targeted action plans. o Foster a culture rooted in safety and our company values of: Relationships, Teamwork, Integrity, Problem Solving, and Excellence. o Serve as a visible, approachable presence on the plant floor, building trust and ensuring employee voices are heard. • Data, Metrics, Analytics & Continuous Improvement o Analyze workforce metrics (turnover, hiring trends, grievances, engagement, safety indicators) to diagnose root causes and recommend improvements. o Use data-driven insights to influence operational decisions and strengthen People Operations strategies. o Lead special projects aimed at strengthening culture, operational efficiency, and people systems. • Leadership of the People Operations Team o Lead, coach, and develop HR team members, fostering high performance, collaboration, continuous learning, and service excellence. o Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback, and ensure strong alignment with both HR standards and business needs. o Serve as a role model for professionalism, confidentiality, and ethical decision-making.
Requirements
Job Requirement Skills & Leadership Capabilities: • Demonstrated ability to build credibility, influence leaders, and communicate effectively across all levels of a manufacturing organization. • Proven success leading HR teams and elevating HR service delivery across a complex, high-volume environment. • Exceptional labor relations expertise with a track record of managing grievances, disputes, investigations, and contract interpretation. • Strong coaching, facilitation, and relationship-building skills with hourly, supervisory, and leadership teams. • High learning agility, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, solve complex problems, and balance short-term needs with long-term strategy. • Strong operational empathy and a people-first, solution-oriented mindset. • Ability to manage multiple priorities with disciplined organization and strong follow-through. • Skilled at leveraging data to inform decisions, uncover trends, and propose actionable solutions. • Clear, concise communication skills; written, verbal, and interpersonal, with a service-oriented approach. • Commitment to fostering a values-driven culture. Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or a related field. • 10+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, including substantial leadership in a manufacturing or industrial environment. • Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred. • Extensive experience working with unionized workforces; deep understanding of grievance processes, investigations, and contract interpretation. • Proven ability to design and scale HR processes, systems, and infrastructure. • Strong knowledge of employment laws and regulations (NLRA, FLSA, ADA, EEO, state and federal labor laws). • Experience developing and delivering training programs for hourly and salaried teams. • Proficiency with HRIS platforms (UKG preferred). • SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or similar certification preferred.
