HR Manager

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, we are a world-class contract manufacturer producing wholesome baked goods, snacks, and packaged foods for many of the world’s leading food companies. As one of the largest and fastest-growing food co-manufacturing companies in the US, we are the proud owner and operator of over 35 facilities globally. Our nearly 10,000 employee-strong organization is leading the way and setting new standards for quality, safety, flexibility, and efficiency while feeding families around the globe.

Hearthside’s exceptional growth stems from its ability to address real-world problems for customers of all shapes and sizes, and by our resolute commitment to our belief that there are no great companies without great culture. Our culture of personal empowerment enables growth, learning, and continuous improvement every day! We are steadfast in our ambition to be the indispensable and most trusted partner to our customers and need your help to do it! Join Hearthside and enjoy a competitive package, outstanding benefits, and a diverse work environment.

ROLE OVERVIEW

If you are hungry to work with smart people in a fast-paced environment, lead culture change and partner with leaders at all levels in the organization to attract and develop talent to drive business results; if you are agile, bring unmatched expertise, and an unshakeable will to win – then Hearthside Food Solutions is the company for you! We are the #1 leader in co-packaging focusing on winning with our customers through execution excellence and with terrific people.

• Our Mission: Lead our industry with manufacturing excellence, to create food people love
• Our Vision: To be the world’s most trusted partner in food
• Our Values: Focus On People; Deliver For Our Customers; Own Safety Together; Drive Performance

RESPONSIBILITIES

The HR Manager will report to the Director of HR and will be the dedicated Plant HR Manager to oversee all human resources activities within our manufacturing plant in Gibson City, IL. They will be responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies and initiatives to support the overall business objectives and ensure a positive and productive work environment. The HR Manager will collaborate with various departments to attract, retain, and develop a talented workforce while ensuring compliance with employment laws and regulations. The HR Manager will be an active member of the site leadership team.

The HR Manager will:

1. Promote a positive work culture by fostering employee engagement, satisfaction, and well-being
2. Collaborate with department managers to identify training and development needs and design effective programs
3. Manage the full employee life cycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and offboarding processes
4. Lead the Performance Management process to identify and account for varying levels of performance and lead the Talent Management process to build bench strength for succession planning.
5. Oversee community outreach efforts to become the employer of choice in the local area through such activities as: donations, fundraising, and business networking
6. Lead all plant employee recognition efforts to build upon the employer-employee relationship and to foster employee engagement.
7. Ensure compliance with all applicable labor laws, regulations, and company policies
8. Maintain accurate HR records and prepare reports on HR metrics to assess the effectiveness of HR initiatives
9. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices in HR management
10. Handle employee inquiries, concerns, and requests in a timely and professional manner
11. Utilize Ceridian as the HRIS (Human Resources Information System), serve as an advocate of the tool and provide adequate training to employees.
12. Administer the employee relations program that includes, but not limited to: performance counseling, and coaching the leadership team(s) on appropriate dissemination of company policies.
13. Overseeing hourly staffing process by recruiting, coordinating interviews, extending offers of employment, processing new hire paperwork and coordinating new hire orientation and onboarding of all new hires
14. Work with the Talent Acquisition team and leadership staff to fill all salaried roles.
15. Investigation of work-related or compliance issues and present facts, recommendations, and conclusions verbally and in writing.
16. Lead, oversee, and deliver new-employee onboarding activities and partner with the US benefits team on escalated employee benefits issues.
17. Partner with the EH&S team regarding safety procedures, OSHA compliance, and worker’s compensation.
18. Interpreting, evaluating, and analyzing company policies as well as ensuring consistency; training and applying policies, safety programs, and benefits
19. Processing payroll on a bi-weekly basis and partnering with supervisors to ensure timecards are reviewed and approved
20. Overseeing agency associate program, fill rates, reconciliation of billing, labor reports, etc.
21. Overseeing leave management program working with employees requesting leave, providing necessary paperwork and leave tracking to include Family and Medical Leave and Disability
22. Serving as point of contact regarding employee benefits and providing resolution/guidance to benefit questions during open/new hire enrollment and thereafter
23. Addressing employee relations concerns in partnership with HR Manager, supervisors, and managers
24. Assisting in maintaining working relationship with state agencies such as Unemployment and handles any issues or hearings that require local involvement.
25. Assisting in keeping current EEO/AAP reports, attendance, disciplinary summary reports, turnover analysis, and analyze other metrics using HRIS systems.
26. Perform other duties assigned as needed

Skills and Ability Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field strongly preferred; but will consider experience in lieu of education
2. Minimum of 5-7 years of experience as HR Generalist preferably in a manufacturing or industrial environment
3. Strong knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices
4. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills
5. Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion
6. Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities
7. Proficiency in HRIS systems and MS Office Suite
8. Highest level of integrity
9. Demonstrated track record of results
10. Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills
11. Sense of urgency and ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-energy environment
12. Ability to develop and maintain strong, effective internal business partner relationships
13. Must have knowledge and understanding of employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, ERISA, COBRA/HIPPA and others.
14. Must have strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and recordkeeping requirements.
15. Be capable of administering benefit program at a local level including Health, disability, workers compensation, and return to work programs.
16. Bilingual communication skills (English/Spanish) are preferred but not required.
17. Must be able to organize and prioritize the workload, meet deadlines, and work effectively with minimal direction.
18. Possess solid interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to adapt well to change.
19. Demonstrated computer skills in MS Office applications.
20. Ability to work closely with others in a cross-functional team atmosphere.
21. Flexibility to work off shift hours when needed to support plant needs.
22. Knowledge and experience HRIS systems, Time and Attendance System, MS Office (Word/Excel/Power Point) and Ceridian a plus
23. Knowledge and understanding of federal, state, and local employment laws
24. Solid understanding of the role of HR in balancing employees and business objectives

Work Environment

1. Work is primarily done in an office setting.
2. Must be willing to visit night shifts to ensure positive employee relations across departments and shifts occur
3. Will frequent production environment which includes exposure to noise, dust, moving machinery, forklifts, and fluctuations in temperature.

Physical Requirements

1. Sitting at a work station for extended periods of time
2. Stand, walk, climb stairs on an infrequent basis
3. Must be able to lift 20 pounds on an infrequent basis.

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Hearthside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.