About the Role: Circular Services is seeking an experienced, bilingual (English/Spanish) Vice President of Human Resources with a proven track record supporting unionized and labor-intensive workforces, leading organizations through acquisitions and integrations, and leveraging data to proactively identify workforce trends and mitigate employee relations issues before they escalate. This leader will foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and preventive labor relations while maintaining a strong presence in the field.
This is a hands-on leadership role that requires close partnership with operational leaders. The Vice President will serve as a trusted advisor to the business while remaining directly involved in employee relations, workplace investigations, labor relations, workers' compensation oversight, and workforce analytics. The ideal candidate is an operations-oriented HR executive who thrives in complex labor environments and has built a career supporting frontline workforces. This position reports to the Chief People Officer.
Benefits:- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
- Company-paid Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- 401k with company match
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Tuition Reimbursement Program
Responsibilities: Employee Relations & Labor Relations
- Lead employee and labor relations strategy and serve as a key advisor to leadership on union-related matters.
- Conduct complex workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, misconduct allegations, retaliation claims, harassment concerns, and other sensitive matters.
- Partner closely with operations leaders to address workforce concerns, resolve employee relations issues, and support positive labor-management relationships.
- Build productive working relationships with union representatives.
- Provide guidance on disciplinary actions, performance management, conflict resolution, corrective action processes, and contract administration.
- Support grievance management, labor negotiations, dispute resolution, and collective bargaining agreement interpretation.
- Drive preventive labor relations initiatives through culture audits, workforce assessments, employee engagement efforts, open communication practices, and early grievance resolution.
- Proactively identify and address workforce concerns before they escalate into larger employee relations or labor issues.
- Promote collaborative problem-solving and proactive workforce management across all levels of the organization.
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws, labor regulations, and company policies.
Talent Acquisition & Talent Development
- Oversee the Talent Acquisition leadership and provide strategic direction to recruiting team.
- Ensure recruiting strategies effectively support both hourly and salaried hiring needs across the organization.
- Recruit and manage requisitions for key leadership, specialized, and business-critical positions, as needed.
- Develop workforce planning initiatives that support organizational growth, operational objectives, and long-term talent needs.
- Lead succession planning efforts for critical operational, technical, and leadership positions.
- Partner with executive and operational leaders to identify, assess, and develop high-potential employees.
- Build and maintain talent pipelines that support organizational growth, workforce stability, and leadership continuity.
- Support leadership development initiatives and workforce capability-building programs to strengthen organizational bench strength.
- Align talent acquisition, succession planning, and talent development strategies to ensure the organization is positioned to meet current and future workforce needs.
Organizational Growth & M&A
- Lead HR due diligence efforts related to mergers, acquisitions, and business integrations.
- Partner with executive leadership to support organizational restructuring, workforce transitions, and change management initiatives.
- Develop integration plans that align people, culture, and operational objectives.
- Support employee communications and workforce stabilization efforts during periods of change.
Leadership & Business Partnership
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and operational executives.
- Drive practical HR solutions that support business objectives while maintaining a strong employee-focused culture.
- Balance strategic leadership responsibilities with a highly hands-on approach to workforce management.
- Perform other duties, special projects, and strategic initiatives as assigned to support the evolving needs of the business and Human Resources function.
Minimum Job Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 15-20+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with a significant focus on Employee Relations.
- Extensive experience working with unionized workforces and labor relations matters.
- Demonstrated experience conducting complex workplace investigations personally.
- Experience leading HR activities during mergers, acquisitions, and post-acquisition integrations.
- Experience supporting large frontline labor populations in industries such as: Waste & Recycling, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas.
- Experience supporting multi-site operations across multiple states.
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
- Strong knowledge of employment law, labor law, and HR compliance.
- Proven ability to build credibility with both executive leadership and frontline employees.
- Travel is required to support multiple operating locations and workforce needs. The role requires regular onsite presence and engagement with field operations.
