Overview
Purpose:

The Plant Human Resources Manager serves as the on-site HR leader for the McDonough manufacturing facility. This role provides hands-on leadership and support across employee relations, talent acquisition, workforce planning, performance management, compliance, training, leaves of absence, and HR operations. The position partners closely with plant leadership and headquarters HR Centers of Excellence to develop practical people solutions that support business objectives while fostering a safe, compliant, inclusive, and high-performing work environment.

The Plant Human Resources Manager directly supervises one HR Coordinator and is responsible for ensuring effective and responsive HR service delivery for the facility.

This role is an on-site position based at our frozen fruit manufacturing plant in McDonough, Georgia. The successful candidate must be able to work a standard schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the flexibility to support weekends, off-shifts, and other non-standard hours as needed to meet business and production requirements.

Responsibilities Primary Accountabilities:

Plant HR Leadership & Team Management

• Serve as the primary HR business partner to plant leadership, providing guidance on workforce, organizational, and employee-related matters.
• Lead, coach, develop, and assign work to the HR Coordinator, ensuring efficient execution of HR processes and service delivery.
• Establish priorities, performance expectations, development plans, and coverage strategies for the HR function.
• Partner with Plant HR and HR Centers of Excellence, Benefits, Payroll, Compensation, Talent Acquisition, and external vendors to ensure successful execution of enterprise HR programs.
• Support organizational changes, workforce planning initiatives, and employee engagement efforts aligned with business objectives.

Employee Relations & Performance Management

• Provide timely and practical guidance to leaders and employees on performance, attendance, conduct, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns.
• Conduct and document employee investigations and recommend actions consistent with company policy and employment laws.
• Coach leaders through performance management processes, including goal setting, development planning, performance improvement plans, corrective action, and terminations.
• Identify employee relations trends and proactively recommend corrective or preventive actions.
• Conduct exit interviews, analyze trends, and provide recommendations to improve retention and engagement.

Talent Acquisition, Onboarding & Workforce Planning

• Lead full-cycle recruitment activities for hourly plant employees, including workforce planning, sourcing support, interviewing, selection, hiring, onboarding, and retention strategies.
• Partner with headquarters Talent Acquisition on recruitment for salaried, professional, and management positions by supporting workforce planning, defining hiring requirements, participating in candidate assessments, coordinating interviews, and facilitating the selection process.
• Serve as the primary HR contact for temporary staffing agencies and contingent workforce providers, ensuring staffing levels support operational requirements.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to forecast workforce needs and develop staffing plans aligned with business objectives.
• Ensure a positive, consistent, and compliant onboarding experience for all new employees, including orientation and required employment documentation.
• Monitor recruiting effectiveness, turnover, and staffing metrics and recommend actions to improve attraction and retention of talent.

Compliance, Risk Management & Policy Administration

• Administer and interpret company policies and procedures consistently and fairly.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Maintain required employment records, postings, reports, and documentation.
• Support EEO, Affirmative Action, employment verification, and audit requirements.
• Lead HR-related audits, including SMETA, SQF, customer audits, and regulatory reviews.
• Coordinate, deliver, and monitor required compliance training programs, including harassment prevention and workplace conduct training.

HR Operations, Leave Administration & Employee Support

• Oversee day-to-day HR operations and personnel administration activities.
• Coordinate leave of absence administration, accommodation requests, workers' compensation matters, and unemployment claims in partnership with headquarters HR and third-party administrators.
• Ensure accurate employee data management and personnel record maintenance.
• Monitor attendance and workforce trends and partner with site leadership to develop improvement plans.
• Maintain strict confidentiality while handling sensitive employee and business information.

HR Metrics, Training & Organizational Effectiveness

• Develop, analyze, and communicate key HR metrics, including turnover, absenteeism, staffing levels, employee relations activity, recruiting effectiveness, and training compliance.
• Use data and trends to identify opportunities and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with leaders to identify training and development needs.
• Support employee engagement, recognition, communication, and retention initiatives.
• Foster positive employee relations and a culture consistent with Dole's Values and Purpose.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications Experience, Knowledge, & Skills You Bring:       

• 5-7+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• Experience supporting employee relations, performance management, recruiting, compliance, investigations, and HR operations.
• Manufacturing, distribution, warehouse, food production, or other high-volume operational environment experience strongly preferred.
• Prior experience leading, coaching, or supervising HR staff preferred.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex employee investigations and resolve employee relations matters.
• Strong business partnership, influencing, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to leverage HR metrics to support decision-making.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with HRIS and applicant tracking systems preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Passionate about a purpose driven career
• Committed to fostering inclusive environments that support employee development and well-being
• Sets clear expectations, encourages innovation, and drives continuous improvement
• Models and coaches towards transparency and integrity in decision-making

• Effectively facilitates cross-team communication and teamwork

Education & Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s degree preferred
• PHR/SPHR and/or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP certification preferred

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time; ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment; ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.
• Ability to climb stairs and access production areas.
• Ability to work safely in a manufacturing environment with exposure to production equipment, noise, varying temperatures, and moving machinery.

Work Environment:

• Cold, refrigerated, and freezer environments.
• Fast-paced, high-volume food manufacturing setting.
• Industrial production environment with associated noise levels.

Travel Requirements:

• Occasional travel may be required.