Description

The HR Manager runs the day-to-day HR function for Fortitude - serving as the business partner to the operations team and building out the processes and programs behind it - as the Company scales and prepares to operate as a public company. Reporting to the CHRO, this person is the first point of contact for day-to-day employee support, with the largest share of that work supporting operations as HR business partner to site managers and the VP of Operations. It is a hands-on role responsible for partnering closely with the Company's PEO, keeping HRIS data accurate through regular audits, documenting HR processes and SOPs, and coordinating recruiting and onboarding across remote and site-based teams. The role also supports employee engagement and talent programs and serves as the CHRO's right hand on cross-functional projects - translating strategy into executable rollouts. This is an exciting time to join a growing team, with the opportunity to build, scale, and roll out the programs that support our employee base - and real room to leave a mark at an early-stage company.

Key Responsibilities

HR Business Partnership & Employee Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for day-to-day employee support - answering questions, resolving routine and moderately complex employee relations matters, and escalating to the CHRO where appropriate.
• Act as the HR business partner to the operations department, where the largest share of this role's support sits - building trusted, credible relationships with site managers and the VP of Operations.
• Partner with site managers and the VP of Operations on staffing, scheduling, attendance, performance, safety culture, and employee relations matters, providing practical, on-the-ground HR support.
• Build a regular cadence of in-person time at the mining and repair operations site to stay connected to that workforce's specific needs and day-to-day realities.

HR Operations, Process & Controls

• Help document and maintain HR SOPs and process maps across payroll, onboarding/offboarding, leave, benefits, and data management.
• Support and help maintain HR controls and approval workflows for data changes, pay changes, and access provisioning, with clear segregation of duties and auditable trails.
• Identify process gaps and inefficiencies and help drive continuous improvement - standardizing, streamlining, and automating manual work as the Company
• Own HR policy administration and the employee handbook, keeping documentation current, consistent, and compliant across jurisdictions.
• Support the year-end performance management process, including the merit cycle - coordinating timelines, manager communications, and documentation.
• Maintain the HRIS as the single source of truth for headcount, org structure, compensation records, and employee data - keeping it accurate and up to date through regular audits.
• Run and maintain recurring reports and dashboards (headcount, turnover, time-to-fill).
• Work closely with the Company's PEO (TriNet) on HR operations matters spanning payroll, reporting, leaves, and compliance - understanding the applicable rules well enough to navigate them, preparing employee communications, and working leave and compliance matters through to resolution.
• Support workers' compensation administration and incident documentation for the mining site and repair operations, coordinating with site supervisors and the insurance broker.

Talent Acquisition

• Own the administrative side of recruiting in Greenhouse - job postings, interview scheduling, candidate communication, offer letters, and background checks.
• Partner with hiring managers and outside staffing agencies to move roles from intake through offer across both corporate/remote roles and site-based mining and repair operations roles.
• Interview candidates alongside hiring managers and make sure the right process, tools, and templates are in place to support the Company's talent acquisition goals.
• Run onboarding in Greenhouse for new hires, including site-specific requirements such as certifications and safety training.

Employee Engagement Programs

• Serve as the frontline point of contact for benefits questions and open enrollment administration.
• Support rollout of company-wide programs and policies.
• Help design and run employee engagement initiatives - engagement surveys, feedback loops, recognition programs, and follow-up action planning - and track engagement trends over time.
• Help execute our core talent programs as the function matures: the onboarding experience, a performance-review cadence, simple career frameworks, and manager enablement.

Special Projects

• Serve as the CHRO's operational right hand on cross-functional projects - translating decisions on compensation, equity, and governance into executable plans, timelines, and clean rollouts.
• Support company-wide policy rollouts, attestations, and compliance training logistics.
• Support with preparing data and executive-ready HR materials for board presentations and managing the logistics behind them.
• Support HR vendors and systems - TriNet (PEO), Greenhouse (ATS), HRIS, benefits brokers, background-check providers, and other HR vendors - including SLAs, renewals, and issue resolution.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience across HR operations, compliance, employment law, and HRIS/payroll work, ideally including multi-state and a mix of exempt and non-exempt populations.
• Experience as an HR business partner or supporting a business unit or department from a partnership perspective - building relationships with leaders and managers and advising them on people matters.
• Demonstrated experience building and documenting HR processes, SOPs, and controls.
• A track record designing or running employee engagement and talent initiatives (engagement surveys, onboarding experience, performance cadence, recognition programs).
• Experience with compensation design and administration practices - market analysis and benchmarking, preparing offer recommendations grounded in market data, and supporting the year-end performance management and merit cycle.
• Experience working across a range of HR systems and engagement platforms spanning payroll, recruiting, and engagement.
• AI savvy - demonstrated experience and success using AI tools (Claude preferred) to improve efficiency and streamline HR work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field.
• Direct experience supporting non-exempt employees across multiple sites/locations.
• Experience working at a startup or high-growth environment and experience scaling up.
• HR certification such as SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR.
• Prior experience working at a public company in an HR department.

Work Environment

Fortitude operates as a lean, fast-moving team, and this role is no exception. We're looking for a self-starter who's energized by a hands-on, high-velocity environment where priorities shift quickly and there's real ownership from day one. This is a great fit for someone who wants to roll up their sleeves and grow with the Company in one of the most exciting and fast-evolving industries today. Success in this role means taking charge without waiting to be asked - spotting what needs to happen, forming a point of view, and bringing recommendations. We're looking for someone who is genuinely helpful, takes feedback well, and learns fast with every cycle.

• This role can be based remotely from the Northeast U.S. or from a location in the Central time zone.
• Some travel should be expected as needed to support business needs, including visiting sites across our footprint.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• The chance to work in a fast-paced and fun start-up environment with experienced industry leaders
• A learning environment where you can dive deep into the latest technologies and make an impact
• Competitive base salary, bonus and incentive compensation
• Discretionary time off - work with your manager to take time off when you need it
• Professional development budget with flexibility for personal and professional growth
• Outstanding health insurance for employee, partner and dependents
• Life insurance, short-term & long-term disability coverage
• 401K plan with company contribution
• Flexible spending programs for medical and dependent care
• Paid parental leave

Fortitude Mining takes pride in an environment that puts our team at the center. We believe a strong culture built around our people sets the foundation for how we operate as a business.

Employees have opportunities to share thoughts, opinions, and ideas through regular company meetings, town halls, and team events.

We emphasize the importance of each individual through engagement, teamwork, and creating an environment where everyone feels part of the team.