HR Manager

This is a highly visible, hands-on HR leadership role responsible for partnering with plant leadership and team members to build a strong, engaged, safe, and high-performing workforce. This position is ideal for an HR professional who enjoys being on the floor, working directly with employees and leaders, solving problems, developing people, and connecting HR strategy to day-to-day manufacturing operations.

HR Manager
Location: Horse Cave, KY (onsite)
Pay: $40-60/Hr
Type: Full-time W2 contract | M-F
Duration: Initial 3 months, seeking to convert based on performance
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision
Target Start: October 6 / ASAP
Interview: 1 round

OVERVIEW:

This is a highly visible, hands-on HR leadership role responsible for partnering with plant leadership and team members to build a strong, engaged, safe, and high-performing workforce.

The Horse Cave campus is a significant manufacturing operation producing frozen bakery products for customers across the country. The HR Manager will play a key role in supporting a primarily hourly workforce across a multi-shift production environment while ensuring alignment with company policies, employment laws, safety standards, and business objectives.

This position is ideal for an HR professional who enjoys being on the floor, working directly with employees and leaders, solving problems, developing people, and connecting HR strategy to day-to-day manufacturing operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

Employee Relations & Engagement

• Serve as a trusted HR partner and resource for employees and plant leadership.
• Provide day-to-day guidance and coaching regarding employee relations, performance management, attendance, conduct, and workplace concerns.
• Investigate employee complaints and workplace issues fairly, consistently, and in accordance with company policies.
• Promote a positive, respectful, inclusive, and high-performance workplace culture.
• Develop and execute employee engagement initiatives that support retention, morale, communication, and recognition.
• Maintain a visible HR presence throughout the manufacturing facility and across shifts.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Partner with plant leadership and hiring managers to identify workforce needs and develop recruiting strategies.
• Lead or support recruiting, interviewing, selection, onboarding, and orientation of hourly and salaried employees.
• Develop strong local recruiting pipelines and community relationships to support ongoing staffing needs.
• Monitor turnover, vacancies, absenteeism, and workforce trends and develop solutions to address them.
• Partner with staffing agencies and other external recruiting resources when appropriate.

Performance Management & Development

• Coach leaders on effective performance management and employee development.
• Support annual and ongoing performance review processes.
• Identify training and development needs and partner with leaders to implement solutions.
• Help develop frontline leaders and supervisors in areas such as communication, coaching, employee relations, and leadership.
• Support succession planning and talent development initiatives.

Compliance & HR Administration

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and company policies.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation.
• Partner with corporate HR on policies, procedures, audits, investigations, and compliance initiatives.
• Support leave administration, accommodations, unemployment claims, workers' compensation, and other employee programs as appropriate.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee and company information.
• Ensure HR practices are consistently applied across departments and shifts.

Manufacturing & Safety Partnership

• Work closely with Operations, Safety, Quality, and plant leadership to support a safe and compliant work environment.
• Participate in safety initiatives, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Reinforce company safety expectations and employee accountability.
• Partner with leadership to identify workforce-related risks and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Support HR initiatives that align with plant productivity, quality, food safety, and operational goals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, preferably in a manufacturing, food production, distribution, or other high-volume hourly environment.
• Strong employee relations and conflict-resolution experience.
• Experience supporting hourly employees across multiple shifts.
• Demonstrated experience partnering with plant/operations leadership.
• Strong knowledge of employment practices and HR compliance.
• Experience with recruiting, performance management, investigations, and workforce development.
• Strong communication, coaching, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to build trust and credibility with employees at all levels of an organization.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and maintaining a visible presence on the production floor.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle confidential information.

IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The successful candidate is a hands-on HR leader and business partner who understands that effective HR in a manufacturing environment happens both in the office and on the floor.

You are someone who:

• Builds relationships with employees and leaders.
• Is comfortable having difficult conversations.
• Can balance employee advocacy with business needs.
• Uses data and facts to identify workforce trends and solutions.
• Can move quickly in a high-volume environment.
• Is proactive rather than reactive.
• Brings consistency, accountability, and fairness to employee relations.
• Enjoys developing frontline leaders and building strong teams.
• Understands the unique challenges of recruiting and retaining hourly manufacturing talent.