Position Overview:The VPHR is the senior HR executive responsible for building, leading, and scaling all U.S. HR capabilities to support Hanwha's rapidly expanding defense business. This role oversees the full HR lifecycle-including talent acquisition, compensation, HR operations, compliance, culture, and leadership development-while ensuring strict adherence to U.S. defense-industry requirements, including ITAR, SSA/Proxy, and FOCI-mitigation protocols.
The VPHR will serve as the key strategic partner to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, driving an HR agenda that enables HDUSA to operate as a trusted U.S. prime contractor while partnering with global Hanwha headquarters in Korea to ensure alignment, transparency, and effective governance.
Key Responsibilities:- Serve as the HR advisor to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, shaping and executing a U.S.-aligned people strategy that supports HDUSA's growth and prime-contractor responsibilities.
- Build and lead all U.S. HR capabilities-including talent acquisition, compensation, HR operations, compliance, and leadership development-while ensuring alignment with defense-industry standards and SSA/FOCI requirements.
- Oversee strategic talent acquisition and workforce planning, developing pipelines for engineering, program management, manufacturing, and corporate roles essential to U.S. defense programs.
- Design and manage competitive compensation and total rewards frameworks, including executive compensation, annual planning, and incentive programs aligned with U.S. market practices.
- Lead HR operations, performance management, employee relations, and HRIS processes while ensuring compliance with U.S. labor laws, federal contracting regulations, and DCSA/ITAR requirements.
- Strengthen leadership capability through development programs, succession planning, and cultural initiatives that foster a high-performance, mission-driven environment across HDUSA.
- Guide organizational development, structural design, and change management efforts as the company scales, including integration of acquisitions, partnerships, and new business expansions.
- Partner closely with Hanwha's other US affiliates and Korean HQ HR teams to ensure consistent governance, transparent reporting, and effective coordination while maintaining SSA-compliant boundaries.
Experience / Skills Required:- Extensive HR leadership experience (15+ years), including senior executive responsibility within the U.S. defense, aerospace, or federal contracting industry, with deep familiarity with compliance-driven environments (EEO/OFCCP, ITAR, DCSA).
- Demonstrated ability to build and scale HR infrastructure across multi-site or rapidly growing organizations, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, total rewards, and organizational development.
- Proven expertise operating within FOCI-mitigation structures (SSA, Proxy, or equivalent), with the judgment and discipline required to manage sensitive information boundaries and security-driven processes.
- Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills, with the capability to partner effectively with U.S. leadership, engineers, operational leaders, and global (Korean) headquarters while navigating cross-cultural dynamics.
- High-integrity leadership style with a track record of building high-performing HR teams, leading change, resolving complex employee relations matters, and influencing executives in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.
Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in HR, Business, Organizational Development, or related field preferred (MBA or MS/HR).
- 15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant executive-level responsibility within the U.S. defense, aerospace, or federal contracting industry.
- Deep knowledge of U.S. labor laws, federal contractor compliance (EEO/OFCCP), and defense-industry regulatory environments, including experience supporting ITAR and DCSA requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to operate within or support FOCI-mitigated structures (SSA, Proxy, or equivalent) and maintain strict information-control protocols.
- U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
Hanwha Defense USA is committed to pay transparency and equitable compensation practices. The salary range listed for this position represents a good faith estimate of the base pay we reasonably expect to offer for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant skills/experience, education and certifications, market conditions, geographic location and internal pay equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for discretionary annual bonuses, benefits, and other forms of compensation as part of Hanwha Defense USA's total rewards package.
