HR Director

Socket.dev; Effingham (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Director of Human Resources to provide strategic leadership and operational direction for the HR function. You will partner with executive leadership to align HR initiatives with business goals, drive workforce planning, and oversee compensation, benefits, and performance management.

The role requires a deep understanding of employment laws, strong leadership skills, and the ability to develop policy, drive employee engagement, and lead HR programs across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience leading employee relations, talent acquisition, compliance, and investigations.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations.
• Proven ability to develop and implement HR policies, programs, and organizational initiatives.
• Experience partnering with senior executives and operational leadership.
• Excellent analytical, written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the HR department.
• Serve as strategic advisor to executive leadership on workforce planning and employment law.
• Lead and develop HR professionals with clear goals and accountability.
• Develop and implement HR strategies to support growth and retention.
• Oversee recruitment, selection, hiring, and onboarding for all levels.
• Monitor workforce metrics and provide recommendations to leadership.
• Oversee HR policies, compliance, and employee handbooks.
• Lead workplace investigations promptly and confidentially.
• Develop and maintain HR policies and job descriptions.
• Oversee compensation and benefits programs and budgeting.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Investigation oversight

Policy development

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Master’s degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS software

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Human Resources is responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational direction for the organization’s Human Resources function. This position partners with executive leadership and department leaders to develop and implement strategies which support organizational objectives, workforce stability, employee engagement, leadership development, and operational performance.

The Director of Human Resources oversees employee relations, talent acquisition, workforce planning, compensation and benefits, performance management, leadership development, training, regulatory compliance, workplace investigations, HR policies and procedures, HRIS administration, employee engagement, retention initiatives, and other HR programs.

The Director of Human Resources serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and ensures HR programs, policies, and practices support business objectives while maintaining compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Human Resources department and ensure HR initiatives align with organizational goals and business objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and management regarding workforce planning, organizational structure, employee relations, compensation, talent management, leadership development, and employment law matters.
• Lead, coach, develop, and manage Human Resources professionals while establishing clear departmental goals, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Develop and implement short-term and long-term Human Resources strategies supporting organizational growth, workforce stability, operational performance, and employee retention.
• Oversee recruitment, selection, hiring, and onboarding processes for hourly, professional, technical, management, and executive-level positions.
• Partner with department leaders to identify current and future workforce needs and develop effective recruiting and workforce planning strategies.
• Develop and implement employee retention strategies designed to reduce turnover, improve employee engagement, and strengthen workforce stability.
• Monitor turnover, absenteeism, staffing levels, recruiting performance, employee relations trends, and workforce metrics and provide recommendations to executive leadership.
• Oversee employee relations programs and provide guidance regarding employee performance, attendance, workplace conduct, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, and employment decisions.
• Lead and oversee workplace investigations involving employee complaints, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace misconduct, policy violations, and other employment-related concerns.
• Ensure workplace investigations are conducted promptly, objectively, consistently, thoroughly, and confidentially.
• Provide guidance and recommendations regarding disciplinary actions, performance improvement plans, suspensions, terminations, and other employment decisions.
• Develop, review, implement, and maintain HR policies, procedures, employee handbooks, job descriptions, and employment practices.
• Ensure consistent administration and enforcement of company policies and employment practices throughout the organization.
• Monitor compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, EEO, FLSA, Title VII, ADEA, USERRA, workers’ compensation requirements, and other employment-related regulations.
• Maintain knowledge of employment law developments, regulatory requirements, HR practices, and workforce trends and communicate significant changes to leadership.
• Oversee compensation programs and partner with executive leadership regarding salary structures, wage administration, incentive programs, bonus programs, promotions, and compensation recommendations.
• Participate in compensation benchmarking and market analysis to support competitive and internally equitable compensation practices.
• Oversee employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, leave programs, disability programs, and other employee benefits.
• Partner with benefit consultants, insurance brokers, vendors, and leadership to evaluate benefit programs, costs, utilization, and improvement opportunities.
• Oversee performance management programs and ensure managers conduct timely, consistent, and meaningful employee performance evaluations.
• Develop and implement leadership development, supervisor training, management training, succession planning, and employee development programs.
• Develop employee engagement, communication, recognition, and morale initiatives.
• Oversee payroll department.
• Use HRIS systems, workforce reports, turnover information, recruiting metrics, compensation data, and other analytics to evaluate trends and support business decisions.
• Develop and present HR reports, workforce metrics, recommendations, and strategic initiatives to executive leadership.
• Develop, manage, and monitor the Human Resources departmental budget.
• Evaluate HR vendors, consultants, technology systems, and service providers for effectiveness, service quality, and cost management.
• Oversee unemployment claims, employment-related audits, government reporting requirements, and regulatory responses.
• Coordinate with legal counsel regarding complex employee relations matters, employment claims, litigation, investigations, regulatory matters, and organizational risk.
• Partner with Safety, Operations, and other departments to support workplace safety initiatives, workers’ compensation programs, return-to-work programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Support organizational restructuring, acquisitions, expansions, facility openings, workforce reductions, and other organizational change initiatives as needed.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive employee, organizational, compensation, medical, and business information.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Human Resources provides leadership, coaching, mentoring, development, and performance management for Human Resources department employees. Responsibilities include establishing departmental goals and objectives, assigning responsibilities, monitoring performance, developing HR staff, conducting performance evaluations, addressing performance concerns, and ensuring the Human Resources department provides professional, timely, consistent, and effective support to employees and management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive Human Resources experience and at least 5 years of HR leadership or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading employee relations, talent acquisition, compliance, compensation, benefits, performance management, investigations, and leadership development.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations.
• Experience conducting and overseeing complex workplace investigations.
• Experience developing and implementing HR policies, procedures, programs, and organizational initiatives.
• Experience partnering with senior executives and operational leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, develop, and manage HR professionals.
• Strong analytical, written, verbal, presentation, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive matters.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other senior-level Human Resources certification.
• Experience in food manufacturing with exposure to agriculture, distribution, warehousing, or another complex industrial environment.
• Experience supporting large hourly employee populations, multi-shift operations, and union and non-union environments.
• Experience with Aff irstive Action}