Associate HR Business Partner

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we're committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive-whether you're just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we're proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani Italian cheeses and ricotta, President specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone's cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond cheddar, and Parmalat milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi's, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go-Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, and Mountain High, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values-Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis American Group, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring an Associate HR Business Partner position based in Buffalo, NY.

The Associate HR Business Partner supports business leaders and employees across the full employee lifecycle with a strong focus on performance management, talent development, employee relations, training coordination, and compensation support. This role partners closely with leaders, HR colleagues, and employees to ensure people practices align with organizational goals, company values, and compliance requirements.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

Talent Development & Performance Management

• Develop, implement, and track individual development plans for employees in partnership with managers.
• Administer and support performance management processes, including goal setting, goal reviews, and annual and mid-cycle performance discussions.
• Lead and manage performance improvement processes, including Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), disciplinary warnings, and corrective action documentation.
• Own and manage SAP Success Factors (Performance Management System) administration and processes following the transition of ownership.
• Coach and advise managers on performance management, feedback delivery, and employee development strategies.

Training, Planning & Talent Enablement

• Coordinate, plan, and manage training programs, including scheduling, logistics, and vendor communication.
• Research and recommend internal and external training options aligned with evolving talent and organizational needs.
• Support training budget management, invoicing, and tracking of training expenses.
• Partner with leaders to align training initiatives with workforce capability and succession plans.

Talent Review & Succession Planning

• Coordinate and support management and talent review processes.
• Partner with leaders to identify talent and develop succession plans for critical roles.
• Prepare talent data, reports, and insights to support workforce planning discussions.
• Employee Relations & Compliance
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee relations matters, including policy interpretation, conflict resolution, and workplace concerns.
• Conduct and support employee relations investigations in coordination with HR leadership and legal counsel as appropriate.

Onboarding & Orientation Support

• Serve as back-up support for new employee orientation and onboarding processes.
• Partner with managers and HR operations to ensure a smooth and compliant onboarding experience.
• Compensation & Rewards Support
• Support annual and off-cycle compensation processes, including merit increases, bonus administration, promotions, and equity-related changes as applicable.
• Assist with the preparation and review of job offers, salary recommendations, and compensation analyses.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Travel may be required occasionally.
• Extended hours may be necessary depending on the project needs.
• To fulfill these responsibilities, tools such as a computer, phone or, and / or allowance(s) will be provided.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential duties and responsibilities.
• This position requires physical presence in the office, in accordance with the guidelines of the Hybrid Work Policy.
• Demonstrate commitment to a safe working environment that promotes the health and well-being of all employees and that will further contribute to the Company's overall performance and success.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• 5+ years of Human Resources or related experience is required.
• HR certification (PHR, SHRM CP, or equivalent) is preferred.
• Working knowledge of performance management, employee relations, compensation fundamentals, and employment law.

Competencies:

• Employee Relations: Demonstrates strong objectivity, empathy, and knowledge of policy to effectively navigate workplace conflict and foster a fair, positive work culture.
• Performance Management: Understands how to align individual performance with business goals, with the ability to guide managers through evaluation frameworks and accountability measures.
• Talent Development: Recognizes skill gaps and potential within teams, applying talent frameworks to support employee growth, retention, and internal career pathing.
• Manager Coaching: Possesses the consultative skills and credibility needed to guide frontline leaders, building their confidence in team management and policy interpretation.
• Compensation Fundamentals: Applies a foundational understanding of market data, pay structures, and internal equity principles to support fair and competitive hiring and retention decisions.
• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly, persuasively, and empathetically across various audiences, tailoring the message to ensure clarity and organizational alignment.
• Problem Solving: Approaches ambiguous or complex personnel challenges analytically, root-causing issues and identifying practical, compliance-minded solutions.
• Judgment & Confidentiality: Exhibits a high degree of emotional intelligence, discretion, and ethical judgment when handling highly sensitive personnel data and private organizational matters.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.