Senior Director Human Resources

Johnson Outdoors is a global leader in innovative outdoor recreation equipment, dedicated to creating the best possible outdoor experiences for consumers around the world! With a portfolio of market-leading brands and a passion rooted in adventure, the company designs and manufactures premium products across fishing, diving, camping & watercraft categories.

With 1,300 employees, 18 global facility locations and selling into over 80 countries, the Johnson Outdoors team is continuing to grow! The Senior Director Human Resources serves as a strategic leader responsible for designing, executing, and continuously enhancing core HR functions, including compensation, benefits, HRIS/HR analytics, and talent management. Collaborates with HR leaders across business units to implement consistent enterprise-wide policies and best practices, promoting a unified and high-performing HR strategy. Leads centralized HR operations and acts as a strategic business partner to senior leadership, driving operational excellence and organizational effectiveness. Leads and sets the vision for enterprise-wide strategic initiatives that shape Johnson Outdoors’ future. Serves as the central driver of organizational strategy by aligning priorities, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring results-driven execution. Guides strategic planning, governance, and change leadership to deliver measurable outcomes, enhance organizational agility, and advance long-term business goals.

Located at our beautiful Headquarters along Lake Michigan in downtown Racine: 555 Main Street, Racine, WI.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Alignment

• Provides strategic leadership across centralized HR functions, compensation, benefits, HRIS/HR analytics, and talent management. Additionally, directs initiatives in employee relations, organizational design, employee engagement and recognition, workplace safety and health, and performance management in close collaboration with executive leadership.
• Acts as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on workforce planning, organizational structure, and HR policy development, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals and operational effectiveness.

Compensation

• Oversees the development and management of compensation programs, including base pay and incentive plans, ensuring market competitiveness, internal equity, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Oversees the development and management of employee benefits programs, including health and welfare plans, retirement savings, wellness initiatives, and leave policies. Monitors utilization, cost-effectiveness, and employee satisfaction.
• Oversees the HRIS function, ensuring optimal efficiency, data integrity, and user experience.
• Drives the development of HR analytics capabilities to enable data-driven decision-making and workforce insights.

Talent Management & Development

• Collaborates with executive leadership to develop and implement performance management, succession planning, leadership development, employee engagement, and career growth strategies that build organizational capability and a high-performing workforce.
• Promotes a culture of continuous learning and career growth across the organization.

Policy & Compliance

• Collaborates with HR leaders across business units to develop and implement consistent, enterprise-wide HR policies and practices that reflect organizational values and ensure legal compliance.
• Leads audits and risk assessments to maintain compliance with employment laws and internal standards.
• Drives innovation by identifying and implementing emerging HR trends, technologies, and process improvements that enhance employee experience and organizational agility.

Strategic Advisor

• Advises business unit human resources leadership on the interpretation, administration, execution and communication of employment regulations, company policies, enterprise practices, and HR best practices. Serves as a change leader in driving enterprise HR initiatives and transformation efforts.
• Leads HR operations for centralized functions including improving processes, service delivery, and employee experience.

Other

• Champions an AI-first mindset and the responsible integration of AI and other digital technologies into business strategy, prioritization, risk management, decision-making, and operations. Guides organizational adoption while ensuring alignment with company governance, security, privacy, and ethical standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Performs human resources responsibilities for staff, which includes but is not limited to the following: hiring and terminating employees, promotions/pay adjustments, staff development, performance evaluations, resolution of employee concerns and disciplinary counseling.
• Oversees the development of budgets, and ensures budgets are managed within approved guidelines.
• Oversees the development and approval departmental policies, procedures, and guidelines to meet business needs.

What you need to succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree business, human resources or equivalent.
• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of leadership experience which including responsibility for managing multiple human resource functions, strategic planning with business partners, and leading large-scale, enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Strong strategic thinking abilities to align HR initiatives with business goals and drive organizational performance.
• Experience advising executive leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, and HR policy development.
• Demonstrated success in leading HR initiatives that support organizational growth and employee engagement is essential.
• Expert-level knowledge of human resources functions including employee relations, total rewards, recruitment, talent management, HRIS/analytics, and organizational design.
• Successful experience developing strong partnerships and strategizing with other HR leaders and professionals to strategize, identify opportunities, improve processes, manage complex projects, and drive a strong culture.
• Experience in successfully managing large scale enterprise-wide projects from concept development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Demonstrates deep knowledge of human resources laws, regulations, best practices, and compliance.
• Excellent interpersonal/communication skills to communicate with all levels of employees and leaders as well as external organizations.
• Adept at change management and capable of guiding the organization through transitions such as mergers, restructures, or cultural shifts.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and abilities to effectively provide direction to employees, and influence across all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency in all Microsoft software (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, etc.) and HRIS systems.
• Strong understanding of AI capabilities, limitations, business impact, governance, risk, and ethical expectations. Ability to apply AI-supported insights to strategic decision-making, lead change, set expectations, and model responsible use.

A few pointers about our culture:

• Entrepreneurial spirit and innovation are in our bones! We authentically innovate trusted equipment that gets people out in the great outdoors.
• We are laser-focused on our consumers, and passionate about providing superior solutions flexible to meet any event’s needs or mission requirements.
• We strive to create meaningful, healthy change in the world as individuals and as a family of brands.
• We value team members who are willing to wear many hats; who take personal initiative, anticipating what needs to be done, and figuring things out to make them happen; but who are also willing to ask for help, to assist others and work together.

What you will receive:

• Share in the company’s success with competitive base salary with additional earning potential through participation in the management bonus program, and eligibility for annual pay increases.
• Find work/life balance with generous Paid Time Off and holiday benefits, a full benefits package, and broad range of employee support and fitness and wellness plans.
• Further your career with performance development and training opportunities, including our tuition assistance program.
• Have fun at work, enjoy a collaborative and casual work environment, participating in fun company events, and taking advantage of great employee discounts on all our outdoor recreational products.
• Plan for your future with our 401(k) with company match and deferred retirement contributions, Sons & Daughters Scholarship program, college savings program, life and LTD insurance, and more.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment at Johnson Outdoors (and all subsidiaries) without regard to race; creed; color; religion; national origin; sex; age; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; genetic predisposition or carrier status; veteran, marital, or citizenship status; or any other status protected by law. Johnson Outdoors is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at View email address on click.appcast.io to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global innovator of outdoor recreation equipment and technologies that inspire more people to experience the awe of the great outdoors. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft Recreation, Fishing, Diving and Camping. Johnson Outdoors' iconic brands include: Old Town canoes and kayaks; Ocean Kayak; Carlisle paddles; Minn Kota fishing motors, batteries and anchors; Cannon downriggers; Humminbird marine electronics and charts; SCUBAPRO dive equipment; Jetboil outdoor cooking systems. Founded in 1970 by Samuel C. Johnson, the Company has delivered double-digit compound annual growth over its history, evolving from a single brand into a nearly $663 million global enterprise with around 1,300 employees across 20 countries.

Travel Required

Yes . Minimal to other site locations or offsite meetings as needed.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.