Construction HR Business Manager

Iowa Civil Contracting; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Iowa Civil Contracting seeks a strategic HR Business Partner to lead talent lifecycle for field and office operations in Des Moines. You will design recruiting pipelines, build succession plans, and foster an inclusive, high-performing safety culture across day and night shifts.

Reporting to the VP of Construction Operations, you will bridge HR strategy with day-to-day execution, advising leadership and partnering with project managers and superintendents on staffing, onboarding, and workforce

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience, preferably in construction or industrial sectors.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business, or related field; professional certification is a plus.
• Experience building recruiting pipelines, succession plans, and safety culture.
• Ability to work across field and corporate teams with strong stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Design recruiting pipelines and partner with site leaders for talent acquisition.
• Develop workforce succession plans and define accountability metrics.
• Maintain HR records, compliance, and workforce analytics.
• Lead onboarding and safety training aligned with CDL/OSHA requirements.
• Own performance management and feedback loops across field crews and management.
• Lead employer branding and optimize the full-cycle recruiting process.

Skills

Autonomy

Construction HR

Shift management

Industry network

Bilingual Spanish

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or related field

SHRM-CP or PHR certification

Tools

AGC Platform

BirddogHR/Arcoro

Job description

AtIowa Civil, we know our strength is built by our people. We are seeking a strategic, field-mindedConstruction HR Business Partnerto lead our talent lifecycle. Reporting directly to the VP of Construction Operations, you will bridge the gap between human resources strategy and day-today execution across office and field operations. You will act as a trusted advisor to leadership—designing recruiting pipelines, building structured workforce succession plans, and cultivating an inclusive, high-performing safety culture across our day and night shift crews.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Strategic Workforce & Succession Mapping

• Gap Analysis: Evaluate field and management teams to identify immediate hiring needs and critical skill gaps.
• Career Pathing: Refresh job descriptions and clearly define accountability metrics for every tier of the field and corporate structure.
• Succession Planning: Identify business-critical roles and develop proactive, internal talent pipelines to ensure seamless business continuity.
• HR Infrastructure: Maintain accurate employee records, compliance documentation, and workforce analytics to drive data-backed staffing decisions.

Employee Development & Training

• Program Design: Formalize, launch, and monitor training programs addressing workforce skills gaps, focusing heavily on safety compliance and field leadership.
• Performance Management: Own and modernize the annual performance evaluation process, ensuring feedback loops are actionable for both field crews and management.
• Tracking: Systematically track training progress, safety certifications, and specialized licensing (e.g., CDL, OSHA) across all teams.

Targeted Recruiting & Talent Acquisition

• Employer Branding: Elevate Iowa Civil’s presence across local industry channels, trade organizations, high school/trade school partnerships, and social media platforms.
• Process Optimization: Standardize and optimize the full-cycle recruiting process, ensuring a fast, respectful, and highly modern candidate journey.
• Operational Hiring: Partner with superintendents and project managers to dynamically source and hire specialized construction talent (day/night shift field crews, project managers, and estimators).
• Onboarding Integration: Coordinate an immersive onboarding process that rapidly integrates new hires into Iowa Civil’s field safety procedures and company culture.

Retention & Field Engagement

• Trend Analysis: Track, analyze, and report on employee turnover metrics to identify root causes and implement retention strategies.
• Field Credibility: Spend active time in the field to build trust, resolve conflicts, and maintain high morale among labor forces.

Skills & Qualifications Required

• Autonomy: A highly motivated, independent worker capable of managing their own schedule between the corporate office and active jobsites.
• Construction Expertise: Thorough understanding of core HR functions, labor laws, FMLA, and specific employment regulations governing civil construction.
• Shift Savvy: Demonstrated experience in hiring for continuous day and night shift operations.
• Industry Network: Sourcing expertise using construction-specific platforms (e.g., Associated General Contractors (AGC) , BirddogHR/Arcoro), vocational schools, and regional career fairs.
• Bilingual Communication: Conversational Spanish is required to effectively support and build trust with our diverse field crews.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills; comfortable presenting to executives or speaking directly with labor crews on a job site.

Education, Experience & Logistics

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience, with a heavy preference for backgrounds in construction, civil engineering, manufacturing, or heavy industrial sectors.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or equivalent real-world industry experience. Professional certification ( SHRM-CP orPHR) is a major plus.
• Travel: Willingness to travel on a limited basis regionally, including initial introductory visits to active job sites.
• Work Schedule Policy: This is a full-time position.Note: We offer customizable schedule flexibility or voluntary reduced hours during the winter off-peak season to promote strong work-life balance.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans.