Director of Human Resources

Title: Director of Human Resources Position Summary The Director of Human Resources leads the company’s people strategy and HR operations across its manufacturing locations. Reporting to senior leadership, this role partners with corporate and plant leaders to build a safe, compliant, engaged, and high-performing workforce.

The Director oversees the full employee lifecycle—including workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, learning and development, and succession planning—and ensures that HR programs support business growth, operational excellence, and consistent practices across all locations.

Supervisory Responsibilities Directly leads, coaches, and develops Human Resources team members supporting company operations in Connecticut and North Carolina; establishes clear expectations, evaluates performance, and builds team capability.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Partner with senior leadership and plant management to translate business goals, production requirements, and growth plans into effective workforce and organizational strategies. Lead the consistent design, implementation, and administration of HR policies, programs, procedures, training, and employee communications across all locations.

Oversee the full employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, leave administration, recognition, development, and succession planning. Develop staffing and retention strategies that address production demand, critical-skill gaps, turnover, absenteeism, labor costs, succession risk, and future growth.

Advise and coach leaders on organizational design, change management, performance improvement, corrective action, conflict resolution, employee engagement, and leadership effectiveness. Lead prompt, objective, and well-documented workplace investigations and recommend appropriate, consistent actions. Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including wage and hour, leave, benefits, equal employment opportunity, accommodations, and recordkeeping requirements.

Partner with Environmental Health and Safety, Quality, and Operations leaders to strengthen workplace safety, accountability, ISO 9001 alignment, and continuous-improvement practices. Use HRIS data and workforce metrics to identify trends, assess program effectiveness, and recommend actions that improve retention, productivity, labor efficiency, engagement, and organizational capability.

Lead compensation, benefits, and total-rewards planning, including oversight of self-insured benefit programs, ERISA compliance, vendor performance, plan design, and contract negotiations. Develop and manage the HR budget and external partnerships for recruiting, benefits, training, compliance, and other HR services. Build HR team capability through clear goals, coaching, cross-training, professional development, and relevant certifications.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Demonstrated HR leadership experience in a manufacturing, distribution, or similarly complex operational environment. Strong knowledge of employment law, employee relations, compensation, benefits, payroll, talent management, and HR best practices. Working knowledge of ISO 9001, continuous-improvement principles, and the people practices that support safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Proven ability to serve as a trusted business partner and to coach, influence, and advise leaders at all levels. Experience overseeing self-insured benefit plans, broker and vendor relationships, plan design, compliance, and contract negotiations. Excellent judgment, discretion, communication, presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.

Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project-management capabilities, with the ability to move initiatives from planning through implementation. Ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on support in a fast-paced, multi-site manufacturing environment. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HRIS, payroll, benefits, and talent-management systems.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred. Ten or more years of progressive human resources experience, including substantial leadership responsibility and direct support of manufacturing operations. Experience supporting multiple locations and partnering with plant leadership strongly preferred.

SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or a comparable senior-level HR certification preferred. Physical Requirements and Travel Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer. Ability to regularly move through office and manufacturing environments and comply with applicable site safety requirements. Ability to occasionally lift and carry items weighing up to 15 pounds.

Ability to travel between company locations, including facilities in Connecticut, North Carolina and Mexico as business needs require. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.