Position OverviewThe Vice President of Human Resources serves as a strategic partner to the President and executive leadership team, driving the people strategy for a growth-oriented manufacturing company. This role is responsible for building and scaling the human capital infrastructure necessary to support a mergers and acquisitions agenda, while cultivating a high-performance, values-driven culture across all business units. The VP of HR will be both a visionary leader and a hands-on operator, equally comfortable in the boardroom and on the plant floor.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership & Executive Partnership- Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the President and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on all matters related to people, culture, and organizational effectiveness
- Develop and execute a multi-year HR strategy aligned with the company's growth objectives and M&A pipeline
- Participate in board-level and investor discussions related to talent, organizational structure, and workforce planning
- Provide data-driven insights and recommendations on workforce trends, compensation benchmarking, and organizational risk
Mergers & Acquisitions - HR Integration- Lead all HR due diligence activities for acquisition targets, including workforce assessment, compensation analysis, benefits benchmarking, culture evaluation, and identification of key talent and retention risks
- Develop and execute comprehensive post-acquisition HR integration plans, including organizational design, harmonization of compensation and benefits, onboarding of acquired employees, and cultural alignment
- Partner with legal counsel to manage employment-related risks, liabilities, and compliance matters during transactions
- Build repeatable, scalable integration playbooks to support a high-volume acquisition cadence
- Assess and retain key talent from acquired organizations and manage workforce transition and change communications
Organizational Design & Talent Strategy- Lead organizational design initiatives to ensure structures, roles, and reporting relationships support both current operations and future growth
- Develop and maintain succession plans for all critical leadership and technical roles across the enterprise
- Build and oversee talent acquisition strategies to attract top-tier manufacturing, operational, and corporate talent in competitive markets
- Design and implement leadership development programs to build a robust internal pipeline for key roles
- Provide leadership and guidance to develop a strong and capable HR team
Culture, Employee Engagement & Change Management- Champion a high-performance, inclusive, and accountable company culture across all facilities and business units
- Lead organizational change management efforts related to M&A activity, process improvements, and strategic initiatives
- Develop employee engagement strategies and measurement frameworks; leverage data to identify and address engagement risks
- Serve as a steward of company values, ensuring they are embedded in all people processes and practices
Total Rewards- Design and oversee competitive and equitable compensation and benefits programs, including executive compensation, incentive plans, and equity/profit-sharing arrangements
- Conduct regular market benchmarking to ensure total rewards programs attract and retain top talent
- Partner with Finance on workforce cost modeling, compensation budgeting, and benefits cost management
HR Operations, Compliance & Risk Management- Oversee all HR operations including payroll administration, HRIS, benefits administration, and employment compliance
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including OSHA, FLSA, FMLA, EEO, and NLRA
- Manage labor relations strategy, including any union relationships, contract negotiations, and grievance processes
- Develop and maintain HR policies, procedures, and employee handbooks across all business units
- Oversee workplace safety programs in partnership with operations leadership
People Analytics & Technology- Lead the selection, implementation, and optimization of HRIS and HR technology platforms to support a growing, multi-site enterprise
- Build a people analytics capability that enables proactive, data-driven workforce decisions
- Leverage technology to automate and streamline HR processes to create scalability
Other Duties As Assigned
QualificationsEducation- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required
- Master's degree (MBA or MHRM) strongly preferred
- SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent senior HR certification preferred
Experience- 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior HR leadership role (VP, CHRO, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated experience leading HR due diligence and post-merger integration in a fast-paced M&A environment
- Background in manufacturing, industrial, or operations-intensive industries strongly preferred
- Experience supporting a multi-site, multi-state workforce as a hands on leader responsible for both strategic and tactical work
- Track record of building HR functions in growth-oriented companies is highly advantageous
