Human Resources Business Partner

The Human Resources Business Partner serves as the primary HR resource for the organization by partnering with leadership and employees to support business objectives through effective talent management, employee relations, compliance, safety, recruiting, compensation administration, benefits, payroll, and organizational effectiveness. This position provides both strategic partnership and hands-on execution while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, safety, and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

HR Business Partnership

• Partners with leadership to implement HR initiatives that support business goals and workforce needs.
• Serves as a trusted HR advisor to managers and department leaders regarding employee and organizational matters.
• Assists leadership in establishing HR priorities and tracks key HR metrics to identify trends and recommend improvements.
• Supports leadership development, employee engagement, succession planning discussions, and retention initiatives.

Employee Relations and Performance Management

• Provides guidance and coaching to managers and supervisors regarding employee relations, performance expectations, attendance, conduct, conflict resolution, and consistent application of company policies.
• Conducts prompt, objective, and confidential workplace investigations involving employee complaints, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, policy violations, safety concerns, and other workplace matters.
• Administers performance management processes, including goal setting, performance reviews, coaching, corrective action, performance improvement plans, promotions, transfers, and separations.
• Partners with managers on disciplinary actions and termination decisions to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Monitors employee morale, engagement, communication, workload, and retention trends and recommends appropriate corrective or preventive actions.

Talent Acquisition, Onboarding, and Training

• Coordinates recruiting activities and partners with hiring managers to attract and retain talent.
• Partners with hiring managers to develop accurate job descriptions, compensation recommendations, interview criteria, and onboarding plans.
• Oversees new-hire orientation, onboarding, introductory-period reviews, and integration into the organization.
• Develops and coordinates leadership, compliance, employee-relations, anti-harassment, policy, safety, and other required training programs.
• Supports cross-training, career development, skills development, and succession planning to strengthen organizational capability and continuity.

Compensation, Benefits, Payroll, and HRIS

• Administers compensation processes including market pricing, internal equity reviews, and annual compensation planning.
• Serves as the primary administrator of the HRIS, including employee records, workflows, reporting, system configuration, data integrity, security access, and process improvements.
• Coordinates employee benefit administration, annual renewals, and vendor relationships.
• Manages relationships with benefits brokers, third-party administrators, carriers, vendors, and consultants and evaluates plan performance, employee experience, compliance, and cost.
• Oversees retirement plan administration, including employee communications, eligibility, enrollment, audits, required notices, vendor coordination, and fiduciary support.

Leave, Accommodation, and Employment Compliance

• Administers and ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, FLSA, Title VII, ADEA, USERRA, EEO requirements, wage and hour laws, and related requirements.
• Manages employee leave, accommodation, return-to-work, fitness-for-duty, and interactive-process matters in coordination with employees, managers, healthcare providers, and third-party administrators.
• Maintains compliant personnel records, medical and confidential files, I-9 records, required postings, notices, acknowledgments, and record-retention practices.
• Prepares and submits required governmental and regulatory reports, including EEO, Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment, workforce, benefits, payroll, and other local, state, or federal reports.
• Responds to unemployment claims, agency inquiries, audits, charges, subpoenas, and requests for information in coordination with legal counsel and appropriate business leaders.
• Develops, maintains, communicates, and consistently administers the employee handbook, workplace policies, procedures, forms, and compliance-related documentation.

Safety Partnership & Compliance

• Partners with operations and leadership to administer the company's workplace safety and compliance programs.
• Ensures compliance with applicable OSHA standards, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation requirements, and other workplace safety and health regulations.
• Maintains required OSHA injury and illness records, including Forms 300, 300A, and 301, and completes annual posting and reporting requirements.
• Coordinates incident, injury, illness, first-aid, property damage, and near-miss reporting; leads or supports investigations, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and follow-up.
• Administers workers' compensation claims, transitional duty, return-to-work activities, medical documentation, claim reviews, and coordination with the company's managed care organization, third-party administrator, and legal counsel.
• Coordinates safety policies, training, OSHA recordkeeping, workers' compensation administration, and regulatory compliance.
• Coordinates emergency preparedness activities, including evacuation, fire, tornado, severe-weather, medical emergency, and other drills; evaluates results and implements improvements.
• Partners with operations, quality, maintenance, and leadership to identify hazards, assess risk, implement controls, and track safety corrective actions to completion.
• Coordinates interactions with OSHA, BWC, safety consultants, insurance representatives, medical providers, and other regulatory or professional resources.
• Tracks safety metrics and recommends continuous improvement opportunities.

Policy, Risk Management, and Organizational Compliance

• Assesses HR, safety, and employment-related risk and recommends practical controls that support both compliance and business operations.
• Partners with leadership, quality, operations, finance, and legal counsel on audits, corrective actions, policies, investigations, and regulatory matters.
• Supports quality-management and continuous-improvement initiatives by ensuring appropriate training, documentation, accountability, and employee communication.
• Maintains confidentiality and exercises sound judgment when handling sensitive employee, medical, compensation, legal, and business information.
• Promotes consistent application of company policies and ensures HR and safety practices reflect the organization's values, quality expectations, and ethical standards.

Employee Engagement and Company Support

• Plans and supports employee communication, recognition, appreciation, survey, wellness, and engagement initiatives.
• Coordinates company events, employee meetings, celebrations, charitable activities, and other culture-building programs.
• Provides HR and safety support during organizational changes, business continuity events, reductions in force, restructuring, or other significant business initiatives.
• Performs other duties and supports other business needs

Supervisory Responsibility

May provide functional guidance to managers and supervisors regarding Human Resources policies, employee relations, and employment practices. Direct supervisory responsibilities may vary based on organizational structure.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field; equivalent education and progressively responsible experience may be considered.
• 5-8 years progressive Human Resources experience, preferably in manufacturing.
• Progressively responsible HR Business Partner, Generalist, or HR Manager experience.
• Demonstrated experience in employee relations, employment law, benefits, compensation, payroll/HRIS, recruiting, safety, and organizational development.
• Professional HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR preferred.
• OSHA, workers' compensation, or workplace safety training/certification preferred.