Human Resources Generalist I

The HR Generalist provides on-site human resources support to employees and leaders at the Fairfield, Alabama plant location. This position serves as a day-to-day HR generalist, supporting employee and labor relations, recruiting, investigations, performance management, HR processes, and workforce initiatives. The ideal candidate is an early-career HR professional who is comfortable working directly with employees and leaders in a manufacturing environment.

This role provides an opportunity to build broad HR experience while developing strong capabilities in employee relations, recruiting, labor relations and HR business partnership.

Responsibilities

Partner with operations leaders and employees to provide day-to-day HR support and guidance on employee relations, policies, workplace practices, performance management, and other HR matters. Participate in employee and labor relations investigations, including gathering information, conducting interviews, documenting findings, and assisting HR leadership with appropriate follow-up actions.

Develop productive relationships with employees, union representatives, supervisors, and operations leadership to support effective communication and issue resolution. Support recruiting activities for hourly and salaried positions, including sourcing, interviewing, candidate coordination, selection, onboarding, and other hiring activities.

Partner with management to understand workforce needs and support recruiting and staffing strategies for the operation. Provide support for core HR processes, including performance management, compensation planning, talent development, succession planning, employee engagement, recognition, and organizational development.

Assist leaders with the consistent interpretation and application of company policies, procedures, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable employment practices. Support employee onboarding, orientation, employee transactions, transfers, promotions, and other employment lifecycle activities. Identify opportunities to simplify and improve HR processes, tools, documentation, and workflows to create a more efficient and consistent employee and leader experience.

Maintain accurate employee documentation and HR records and maintain the confidentiality of these sensitive items. Coordinate local employee engagement activities. Serve as a trusted advisor to the plant location and resolve business problems through broad and up-to-date knowledge of Human Resources and Labor Relations competencies such as contract negotiation, grievance handling, progressive discipline, arbitration preparation, local issue settlements, employment law, organizational behavior, change management, best practices and company policy and practice.

Support labor relations activities within a union-represented environment and help build effective working relationships with union leadership and represented employees. Support the grievance process by researching issues, gathering relevant documentation, participating in grievance hearings, tracking open grievances, and assisting with timely resolution.

Assist HR and Labor Relations leadership in preparing for arbitration proceedings, including organizing documentation, researching case history, developing timelines, and coordinating supporting information.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, industrial/organizational psychology, or a closely related field. Willingness to learn and develop HR skills in a unionized manufacturing setting. Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills necessary to handle sensitive issues tactfully and with absolute confidentiality.

Excellent communication skills – written, verbal and presentation, necessary to work effectively with employees at all levels of the organization. Ability to work in both individual and team settings. Excellent analytical skills, particularly using Excel, necessary to analyze data, identify trends and draw reasonable conclusions.

Preferred Skills

1-3 years of HR experience Experience in a unionized setting preferred