Bilingual HR manager (English/Spanish) - IL - On Site

HR Manager

The HR Manager serves as the on-site people leader for the bakery and is a key member of the plant leadership team. This role owns day-to-day human resources support for the facility and partners closely with operations leadership to build a strong, respectful, accountable, and engaged workforce. This is a highly visible, hands-on role in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will spend time on the floor building relationships, resolving issues, coaching leaders, supporting employees, and putting structure around how people are hired, trained, developed, and supported. Beyond HR fundamentals, you will lead employee engagement efforts, recognition, internal communication, and events that make our bakery a warm, welcoming place to work. Because of our workforce and community, this role must be fluent in both English and Spanish and comfortable communicating across all levels of the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Plant HR Leadership

• Serve as the primary HR leader for the LaSalle bakery.
• Act as a trusted partner to the Director of Manufacturing and plant leadership team.
• Be a visible presence on the floor, supporting leaders and employees daily.
• Help shape a strong culture built on respect, accountability, safety, and teamwork.

Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience

• Lead efforts to build a warm, welcoming, people-first culture.
• Own employee engagement initiatives such as:
  • Monthly internal newsletters
  • Birthday and milestone celebrations
  • Employee appreciation activities
  • Company outings and events
  • Recognition programs
• Serve as a cultural ambassador for Cooper Street values.
• Partner with leadership to improve morale, communication, and retention.

Employee Relations & Culture Support

• Handle day-to-day employee relations issues including coaching, conflict resolution, investigations, and documentation.
• Support leaders with performance management, corrective actions, and difficult conversations.
• Ensure plant policies and expectations are applied consistently and fairly.
• Act as a trusted resource for employees.

Hiring, Onboarding & Retention

• Lead hourly and salaried hiring efforts in partnership with plant leadership.
• Build strong onboarding and orientation processes.
• Support workforce planning, staffing needs, and shift coverage.
• Drive retention and engagement improvement efforts.

Training & Development

• Support development of supervisors and front-line leaders.
• Coordinate training programs related to leadership, safety, conduct, and compliance.
• Help build internal career paths and development systems.
• Support performance review and feedback processes.

Compliance & HR Operations

• Ensure compliance with employment laws, plant policies, and company standards.
• Maintain employee records and HR documentation.
• Support workers' compensation, leaves of absence, and accommodations.
• Partner with payroll and benefits teams.

Communication & Leadership Support

• Serve as a communication bridge between leadership and employees.
• Support plant meetings, announcements, and engagement communications.
• Help leadership teams communicate clearly, consistently, and effectively.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comfortable working in fast-paced, people-heavy environments.
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Leadership presence with a high degree of empathy and professionalism.

Education & Experience

• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish (required).
• 5+ years of HR experience, preferably in manufacturing or operations environments.
• Demonstrated strength in employee relations and leadership support.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Experience building engagement and culture programs.

Preferred, But Not Required

• HR degree or professional certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP).
• Experience supporting multi-shift manufacturing operations.
• Experience building HR and culture structure in growing organizations.