Director of Human Resources

HR Leader Opportunity

Our client, a privately-held manufacturer in the Greater Asheville area, is conducting a confidential search for a strategic and hands-on HR leader to serve as the company's first dedicated, full-scope Human Resources professional. With a team of 40 to 50 employees, this is a pivotal moment in the organization's evolution: post-acquisition integration is underway, and the business needs a builder who can create infrastructure, elevate culture, and partner closely with a lean onsite leadership team.

This role was written for a specific kind of HR professional, one who finds genuine energy in both the strategy and the human cultural elements. You are energized by designing a succession planning matrix as you are about walking the production floor, learning names, and building trust with production team members. You have built things before: handbooks, programs, systems, and you are proud of what you have created because you know the difference it made.

You thrive in ambiguity. You do not need every policy to already exist. You like to own your domain, are a great team player with others. You do not need a team of HR coordinators. You will roll up your sleeves and get hands on involved. You are culturally savvy, approachable to all levels of an organization, and you bring calm, sound judgment when situations are complex or undefined. You understand manufacturing: the rhythm of a production environment, the importance of safety, the language of a GEMBA walk and a tier meeting. You have earned credibility on the floor, not just in the conference room.

Core Responsibilities

HR Strategy and Business Partnership

• Serve as the HR strategy and compliance partner for the onsite leadership team and Site Leader
• Participate in monthly business reviews, steering committees, and leadership planning sessions
• Lead workforce planning, succession planning (including 9-box talent reviews), and high-potential development programs
• Design and track HR metrics and dashboards to measure organizational health and drive data-informed decisions
• Conduct annual market compensation surveys to ensure competitive positioning; lead job leveling initiatives
• Confidently navigate post-acquisition integration work, aligning the team with new organizational standards while honoring local culture

Policy, Compliance, and HR Infrastructure

• Build the HR foundation from scratch: draft the employee handbook, refine, manage, and create SOPs, and establish policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance with federal and state employment law, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA (hourly and salaried classifications), COBRA, ACA, OSHA, and EEO regulations
• Own I-9 verification compliance; prepare and file annual reports, including EEOC and related required filings
• Manage the full unemployment insurance and workers' compensation functions proactively, building documentation and partnering with the EHS Manager to drive workplace safety
• Run OSHA 300 logs and ensure ongoing safety compliance
• Keep a pulse on the market for software solutions that will optimize scale and growth; research and implement these solutions as needed, training leaders and the workforce on utilization

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding

• Lead full-cycle recruiting for hourly and salaried roles with a strong understanding of FLSA compliance
• Design and implement a structured new-hire onboarding program that drives early engagement and retention
• Develop cross-training programs to support career development and organizational flexibility

Employee Engagement and Culture

• Champion employee engagement through stay interviews, exit interviews, employee voice surveys, skip-level meetings, and town halls
• Develop and lead monthly, quarterly, and annual employee events with meaningful community engagement
• Promote wellness initiatives offered through the EAP and foster a culture of belonging and recognition
• Design and execute a structured new-hire onboarding experience that sets the tone for culture from day one

Training and Leadership Development

• Design and lead new-hire orientation, safety training, regulatory training, and leadership development programs
• Partner with leaders to build capability in delivering effective, consistent performance conversations
• Manage and optimize the Learning Management System (LMS) to track and deliver training programs

Performance Management and Employee Relations

• Promote a culture of ongoing feedback and coach managers in delivering timely, meaningful performance conversations
• Own the annual performance review cycle from end to end, including calibration sessions
• Administer the progressive discipline process; develop and manage Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)
• Lead fair and unbiased workplace investigations with appropriate documentation and follow-through

Payroll and Benefits Administration

• Run bi-weekly payroll for all employees using Paylocity HRIS (or similar platform)
• Manage employee benefits programs including health insurance, 401(k), and related offerings
• Serve as the primary contact for all benefits vendors and 401(k) administration; complete annual census submissions
• Ensure ACA and COBRA compliance across all applicable employee populations

Accounting Oversight and Financial Partnership

• Oversee or partner closely with the accounting/finance function; serve as the management liaison for that team
• Apply working knowledge of basic bookkeeping and accounting principles to support financial operations and audits
• Successfully manage relationships with external auditors and support accounting audit processes

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, including time as an individual contributor or HR team lead
• Minimum 3 years of HR experience in a manufacturing environment (required)
• Demonstrated experience building HR infrastructure: employee handbooks, policies and procedures, SOPs
• Hands-on payroll administration experience; benefits administration ownership required
• Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, FLSA, OSHA, ACA, COBRA, EEOC, and related federal and state compliance requirements
• 2+ years of experience leading a small team
• Exposure to accounting, finance audits, or bookkeeping; comfort partnering with or overseeing an accounting function
• Proficiency in MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint); experience with HRIS platforms such as Paylocity, Kronos, and/or Absence Soft; LMS experience (Cornerstone or similar)
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management or a related field

Preferred

• Master's degree in HR, Business, or related discipline
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Post-acquisition integration experience
• Cross-cultural communication experience, particularly with international corporate leadership

Compensation and Benefits

• Base Salary: $80,000 to $100,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Annual Discretionary Bonus
• Low-cost, low-deductible health plan
• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401(k) + company contribution
• 10 Paid Company Holidays
• 4 Weeks of Annual Vacation (PTO)