HR Director

Mainline Services is a growing, privately held company serving the railroad, transportation, construction, and industrial markets. Our work is operationally driven, customer-focused, and often performed in demanding field environments where safety, responsiveness, and teamwork are critical.

As Mainline continues to grow, we are investing in the people, processes, and infrastructure needed to support that growth. We are looking for an HR leader who wants to be part of building that foundation, not simply maintaining an existing HR function.

At Mainline, HR is closely connected to the business. Our employees work in the field, in shops, in offices, and around the clock when customer and railroad operations require it. The HR Director will have the opportunity to work directly with ownership and senior leadership while partnering with managers and employees throughout the organization.

Why This Role

The HR Director will have a meaningful opportunity to shape the future of Mainline's HR function. This is a leadership role for someone who enjoys both the strategic and practical sides of HR and wants to have a visible impact on a growing organization.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Build and strengthen HR processes and infrastructure as Mainline grows.
• Partner directly with ownership and senior leadership on workforce and organizational priorities.
• Lead and develop the HR team while establishing clear processes, accountability, and service standards.
• Support a diverse workforce that includes field employees, skilled trades, hourly employees, CDL drivers, safety-sensitive employees, and administrative professionals.
• Strengthen employee relations, recruiting, onboarding, retention, benefits, compensation, performance management, and compliance practices.
• Help ensure HR practices effectively support the realities of a field‑based railroad and industrial business.
• Improve HR systems, technology, reporting, and processes to support continued growth.
• Be a trusted resource to managers and employees while helping establish a strong, consistent employee experience across the organization.

This role is well suited for an HR professional who is strategic enough to see the bigger picture but hands‑on enough to roll up their sleeves and solve problems.

About the Role

Mainline Services is seeking an HR Director to lead and develop the company's human resources function while helping build the infrastructure needed to support continued growth.

The HR Director will serve as a senior HR advisor to ownership and company leadership and will oversee the HR team and core HR functions. This position will partner closely with Operations, Safety, Payroll, Benefits, and field management to ensure HR practices support both the needs of the business and its employees.

This is a hands‑on leadership role requiring strong knowledge of employee relations, employment compliance, recruiting, benefits, compensation, HR systems, and workforce management.

The successful candidate will understand the unique challenges of supporting a field‑based, railroad, transportation, construction, or industrial workforce and will be comfortable working with both office personnel and employees working in the field.

Key Responsibilities

HR Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and execute HR strategy and priorities in partnership with ownership and senior leadership.
• Serve as a trusted HR advisor to executives and operational leaders.
• Align HR programs and practices with Mainline's business objectives and continued growth.
• Lead, develop, and support the HR team while establishing clear responsibilities, processes, and accountability.
• Establish consistent HR practices across departments and locations.
• Identify opportunities to improve the overall employee experience, organizational effectiveness, and retention.

Employee Relations

• Serve as the escalation point for complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance issues, and sensitive employment situations.
• Partner with managers to address employee concerns, performance issues, attendance, conduct, and workplace conflicts.
• Provide practical guidance and coaching to managers on employee relations and employment practices.
• Conduct or oversee investigations and ensure appropriate documentation and follow‑through.
• Promote consistent and fair application of company policies and practices.
• Provide leadership and direction for recruiting and talent acquisition.
• Partner with hiring managers to identify workforce needs and develop effective recruiting strategies.
• Support recruiting for field, skilled‑trade, CDL, safety‑sensitive, and administrative positions.
• Strengthen onboarding and new‑hire processes to provide a consistent employee experience.
• Support workforce planning, succession planning, and employee development initiatives.
• Develop strategies to improve retention and attract talent in competitive skilled‑trade and field markets.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain knowledge of and ensure compliance with applicable federal and state employment requirements, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, PWFA, OSHA, workers' compensation, wage and hour requirements, and applicable state employment laws and regulations.
• Develop, maintain, and periodically review employee policies, the employee handbook, and HR procedures.
• Partner with Safety/EHS and Operations on employee‑related safety matters, workplace incidents, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Support compliance related to drug and alcohol testing, background screening, MVR requirements, and other requirements applicable to safety-sensitive positions.
• Partner with DOT/Operations leadership regarding HR‑related requirements affecting CDL drivers and other regulated employees.
• Maintain appropriate HR documentation and records and ensure confidentiality of employee information.

Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Partnership

• Oversee the administration and ongoing evaluation of compensation and employee benefit programs.
• Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate and compliant administration of wages, timekeeping, overtime, deductions, and employee changes.
• Provide oversight of HRIS, payroll, benefits, and related systems and vendors.
• Evaluate compensation practices and recommend adjustments as the organization grows.
• Partner with leadership on compensation structures, job classifications, and workforce planning.
• Ensure employees receive clear and timely communication regarding benefits and other employment programs.

HR Systems, Processes & Reporting

• Evaluate and improve HR systems, processes, and technology.
• Establish efficient processes for employee onboarding, transfers, promotions, leaves, terminations, and other employee lifecycle events.
• Develop and monitor HR metrics and workforce trends.
• Provide meaningful HR reporting and analysis to ownership and senior leadership.
• Identify opportunities to automate, simplify, and improve HR processes.
• Ensure HR practices can scale effectively as Mainline continues to grow.

Leadership & Culture

• Help reinforce Mainline's values and expectations throughout the organization.
• Build strong relationships with employees and managers across office and field operations.
• Promote an environment of accountability, respect, safety, communication, and teamwork.
• Serve as a visible and approachable HR resource for employees while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Partner with leadership to support organizational changes, new locations, business expansion, acquisitions, and other strategic initiatives as needed.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for an experienced HR professional who combines strong HR knowledge, sound judgment, business partnership, and a willingness to be hands‑on.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including experience leading, supervising, or developing an HR team.
• Demonstrated experience supporting a workforce that includes hourly, field, skilled‑trade, mobile, and/or safety‑sensitive employees.
• Strong working knowledge of employment practices and applicable federal and state employment requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with employee relations, investigations, performance management, recruiting, benefits, compensation, and HR operations.
• Experience developing or improving HR policies, processes, systems, and infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of wage and hour considerations, including timekeeping, overtime, attendance, and employee classification.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with executives, managers, field employees, and administrative staff.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive employee matters with discretion and sound judgment.
• Ability to balance strategic HR leadership with hands‑on involvement in day‑to‑day HR matters.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced operating environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following environments is strongly preferred:

• Railroad or transportation
• Construction
• General contracting, subcontracting, civil, electrical, or mechanical
• Logistics, fleet, or distribution
• Utilities or field services
• Skilled trades
• Other industrial or operational environments

Additional preferred experience includes:

• Experience supporting DOT-regulated or safety-sensitive employees.
• Experience with CDL/DOT requirements and drug and alcohol testing programs.
• Experience working in a decentralized or multi‑location organization.
• Experience building HR infrastructure within a growing organization.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems.
• Experience developing compensation structures and performance management programs.
• SHRM‑SCP, SPHR, or comparable HR certification.
• Master's degree or MBA.

Leadership Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• Business‑minded: understands that HR should support the company's operational and financial objectives.
• Hands‑on: willing to get involved in the details rather than manage exclusively from a distance.
• Approachable: comfortable building relationships with employees at every level of the organization.
• Solutions‑oriented: focuses on practical solutions while maintaining compliance and consistency.
• Discreet and trustworthy: understands the importance of confidentiality and sound judgment.
• Accountable: establishes clear expectations and follows through.
• Adaptable: comfortable operating in a growing company where priorities can change quickly.
• Strategic: able to identify long‑term opportunities while addressing immediate business needs.
• Collaborative: works effectively with Operations, Safety, Payroll, Benefits, Finance, and executive leadership.

Compensation

Base Salary: $115,000 to $130,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Mainline offers a competitive benefits package and an opportunity to play a significant role in the continued growth and development of the organization.

This is a full‑time, on‑site position based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Standard hours are generally Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with flexibility to support field operations, employee needs, and leadership priorities as necessary.

Because Mainline supports railroad and field operations, the HR Director may occasionally need to respond to time‑sensitive employee or operational matters outside of standard business hours.

Additional Information

• Required to maintain a valid driver's license.
• Will be subject to the Company's background check, MVR, and drug screen programs.
• PLEASE NOTE: This is a fully on-site position, located at our main office in Kansas City, MO.

Work Authorization

Must be authorized to work in the United States.

EEO Statement

Mainline Services LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs and not on race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, weight, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other factor protected by law.

Company Offered Benefits

• Benefits start first day of the month following hire: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability
• Paid time off, accrual starts Day #1
• 401k with generous company match
• Mainline observes eight holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday After Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program