Human Resources Manager / Senior Generalist (Plant & R&D)

Location: Franklin, Indiana

Industry: Automotive (Global Tier 1 / Tier 2 Supplier)

Reports To: Director of Human Resources / Plant Manager

Position Overview

Seeking a hands-on Human Resources Manager / Senior Generalist to support

both manufacturing plant operations and R&D/engineering functions in a fast-paced,

global automotive environment.

This role will serve as a key business partner to plant leadership and engineering teams,

balancing shop-floor employee relations with professional workforce strategy. The

ideal candidate brings a strong background supporting hourly (operators, skilled trades)

and salaried (engineering, technical, administrative) populations.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations & Workforce Support

• Act as the primary HR contact for plant employees and leadership

• Manage and resolve employee relations issues, including investigations,

disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution

• Support a positive and compliant work environment across union and/or non-

union settings

• Provide coaching to supervisors and managers on performance management and

employee engagement

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead full-cycle recruiting for:

o Hourly production roles (operators, technicians)

o Salaried roles (engineering, R&D, leadership)

• Partner with leadership on workforce planning and headcount strategy

• Support onboarding and integration of new hires

Performance Management & Development

• Drive performance review processes for both plant and R&D teams

• Support employee development plans, succession planning, and leadership

development

• Identify training needs and coordinate development programs

Compensation & Benefits Administration

• Support compensation planning, market benchmarking, and internal equity

• Administer employee benefits programs and assist with employee inquiries

• Partner with corporate HR on global compensation initiatives

Compliance & Policy Administration

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws• Maintain and enforce company policies and procedures

• Support audits and reporting requirements

Labor & Industrial Relations (if applicable)

• Support union relations, contract administration, and grievance processes

• Participate in negotiations preparation and strategy (as applicable)

HR Operations & Reporting

• Maintain accurate employee records and HRIS data

• Track and analyze HR metrics (turnover, absenteeism, headcount, etc.)

• Support continuous improvement initiatives within HR processes

Health, Safety & Plant Support

• Partner with EHS to promote a safe and compliant work environment

• Support incident investigations and corrective actions

• Maintain strong presence on the manufacturing floor (Gemba approach)

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field

• Minimum 7+ years of progressive HR experience in a manufacturing/plant

environment

• Experience supporting both:

o Hourly workforce (operators, production staW)

o Salaried workforce (engineering, R&D, corporate functions)

• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices

• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment

Preferred

• Experience in the automotive industry (OEM or Tier supplier)

• Experience supporting R&D or engineering teams

• Union experience strongly preferred (if applicable)

• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP)

Key Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills across all organizational levels

• Hands-on, visible, and approachable leadership style

• Problem-solving and conflict resolution expertise

• Ability to balance strategic initiatives with tactical execution

• High level of integrity and confidentiality

Work Environment

• Combination of oWice, engineering/R&D lab, and manufacturing floor

• Requires regular interaction with plant operations and leadership teams• Fast-paced, team-oriented, and continuous improvement-driven culture

Why Join

• Opportunity to play a critical HR leadership role within a global automotive

organization

• Exposure to both manufacturing operations and advanced R&D functions

• High visibility with plant and corporate leadership

• Growth potential within a global structure

Details