Director of Human Resources

North America Central School Bus; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

North America Central School Bus seeks a Director of Human Resources to lead the HR function for NACSB, developing and executing strategies across the full employee lifecycle. The role partners with the VP of HR to drive organizational design, workforce planning, and compliance across multiple locations.

The ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of HR leadership in multi-site settings, strong knowledge of employment law, and SHRM certification, with a Bachelor’s degree and advanced HR credentials

Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of progressive HR experience in a multi-site, part-time workforce environment.
• Working knowledge of employment law.
• Demonstrated HR Generalist experience.
• Experience in private equity-backed or similarly performance-driven environments preferred.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent HR certification preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an HR strategy that supports business objectives and NACSB strategies.
• Build and lead a high-performing HR team delivering consistent service across Services and Sales.
• Serve as trusted advisor to HR, Payroll, Benefits and leadership on people strategy, organizational design, and workforce planning.
• Drive HR process standardization and consistency across NACSB.
• Ensure the people-perspective is represented in business decisions and optimize opportunities.
• Measure effectiveness of HR initiatives and employee relations through surveys, audits, and meetings.
• Stay current on employment law and regulatory requirements to maintain compliance across locations.
• Provide ER counsel and support on policy interpretation and disciplinary actions.
• Partner with VP of HR on significant ER matters and maintain records and trend reporting.
• Lead talent acquisition strategy across Service and Sales, manage onboarding programs.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree in HR/Business

Tools

Dayforce HRIS

Job description

Position Summary:

The Director of Human Resources leads the HR function for North America Central School Bus. The role is responsible for building and executing HR strategy across the full employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, benefits, compensation, HR compliance, workforce development, EEO, ADA, DOL, and ADEA compliance, and diversity, while providing functional HR expertise, process consistency, and legal compliance. The Director of HR works in close partnership with the VP of HR creating positive business relationships to drive human resources and enterprise excellence initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute an HR strategy that supports the company's business objectives and aligns with NACSB strategies
• Build and lead a high-performing HR team capable of delivering consistent, high-quality service across both Services and Sales
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR, Payroll, Benefits and leadership team on people strategy, organizational design, and workforce planning
• Drive HR process standardization and consistency across NACSB in coordination with the VP of HR
• Ensure the people-perspective is represented in business decisions, so implications are understood and the workforce is proactively managed; assessing the impact of business decisions on workforce and provide solutions to optimize opportunities
• Measure effectiveness of HR initiatives and positive employees relations via various tools including employee surveys, audits, and employee meetings; works with management to address identified gaps
• Stay current on employment law, regulatory requirements, and best practices, ensuring the company remains compliant across all operating locations

Employee Relations — Functional Support & Partnership

The Director of HR serves as the functional HR partner on employee relations matters, working in close coordination with functional leaders providing HR process expertise, documentation, compliance oversight, and day-to-day ER support.

• Provide counsel to employees at all levels of the organization in accordance with the company’s policies and procedures and ensure consistent interpretation and application of polices, regulations, and laws
• Investigate and resolve employee issues including the investigation of harassment, discrimination and other charges; manage discipline and discharge functions, and assume responsibility for the uniform and equitable application of policies across the organization
• Provide functional HR support on employee relations matters, including process design, documentation standards, and compliance with applicable employment law
• Partner with the VP of HR on significant ER matters, ensuring that HR process and legal requirements are fully addressed
• Manage day-to-day ER matters at the field and NACSB levels, escalating to the VP of HR when matters meet the threshold for senior corporate leadership involvement
• Maintain consistent ER records, case tracking, and trend reporting across NACSB
• Maintain union-free or positive labor relations environment
• Develop and maintain policies, manager training materials, and HR guidance documents that support consistent practice across the organization while being aligned with NACSB objectives

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead talent acquisition strategy across all Service and Sales, with particular emphasis on driver recruiting pipelines and management-level hiring
• Develop workforce planning frameworks that anticipate staffing needs, identify talent gaps, and support business continuity
• Build partnerships with external recruiting resources, community organizations, and other sources to support talent pipelines
• Oversee onboarding programs that set new employees up for early success and reflect the culture of the organization

Benefits & Compensation

• Partner with NACSB Benefits Manager to co-lead the annual benefits renewal process ongoing employee communication, and daily benefit questions
• Develop and maintain a compensation philosophy and structure that supports recruitment, retention, and internal equity
• Partner with NACSB resources to develop compensation benchmarking and recommend adjustments to ensure the company remains competitive in its labor markets
• Working with NACSB partners, ensure compliance with all applicable benefits and compensation regulations

Performance Management & Development

• Administer performance management processes that drive accountability, development, and alignment with company objectives
• Deploy learning and development programs that support employee growth at all levels of the organization
• Support succession planning and leadership development efforts in coordination with VP of Human Resources and NAC leaders

HR Compliance & Administration

• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws and regulations
• Maintain accurate and complete HR records, systems, and reporting
• Support and assist as needed HR-related audits, regulatory filings, and reporting requirements
• Oversee the Dayforce HRIS platform and related HR technology, ensuring effective utilization

Experience & Qualifications:

• Five (5) or more years of progressive HR experience, with demonstrated success in a multi-site, part-time workforce environment
• Working knowledge of employment law
• Demonstrated HR Generalist experience
• Experience in private equity-backed or similarly performance-driven environments preferred
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent HR certification preferred
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field preferred