HR Manager

Guided Search Partners; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Guided Search Partners is seeking a Human Resources Manager for a manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas. This individual will lead HR operations for over 500 employees, focusing on direct labor recruiting, employee relations, and audit performance.

The ideal candidate will have HR Manager experience in a manufacturing environment, supporting a large workforce, and will be comfortable on the plant floor. They will partner with leadership to drive improvements in recruiting, turnover, and staff development.

Qualifications

• HR Manager experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience supporting a 250+ employee population.
• Strong employee relations experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR activity across employee relations, recruiting, payroll, and compliance.
• Improve direct labor recruiting and turnover.
• Support employee relations across the plant.

Skills

Employee relations

Direct labor recruiting

Payroll

Employment law knowledge

HRIS experience

Job description

Guided Search Partners (GSP)

Guided Search Partners is an Executive Search firm built on Trust, Transparency, Specialization, and Long-term Relationships. We connect high-performing professionals with organizations that value people, performance, and growth—helping leaders find roles where they can make an impact and build meaningful careers.

About the Opportunity

We’re partnering with a leading automotive plastics manufacturer seeking a Human Resources Manager in Austin, Texas. This role will lead HR operations for an over 500-person manufacturing facility that has stabilized after a turnaround and has a strong leadership team in place. The facility still has meaningful opportunities for improvement, especially around direct labor recruiting, turnover, HR audit performance, and skilled trades development. This is a strong opportunity for a hands‑on HR leader who is comfortable on the plant floor, confident in employee relations, and able to support a large hourly workforce in a fast-moving manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

You’ll lead HR activity across employee relations, recruiting, payroll, compliance, engagement, and HR staff development.

Key areas of focus include:

• Lead HR operations for a manufacturing facility of approximately 550 employees
• Improve direct labor recruiting and turnover
• Support employee relations across the plant
• Launch a skilled trades apprenticeship program
• Improve HR audit performance
• Oversee recruiting, payroll, compliance, and engagement activity
• Develop and support HR staff
• Partner with plant leadership to continue improving the facility
• Support employment law compliance and HR best practices

Who You Are

You are a hands‑on HR leader who knows how to build trust on the floor while still keeping structure, compliance, and accountability in place.

You are comfortable supporting a large employee population and can balance employee relations, recruiting needs, payroll, compliance, and team development. You understand the pace of a manufacturing environment and know how important strong communication and follow‑through are.

You would do well here if you are steady, approachable, and confident leading HR in an industrial setting.

Preferred Experience & Attributes

• HR Manager experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment required
• Experience supporting a 250+ employee population required
• Strong employee relations experience
• Recruiting experience, especially direct labor recruiting
• Employment law knowledge
• Leadership skills and ability to develop HR staff
• Automotive experience preferred
• 500+ employee plant experience preferred
• Bilingual Spanish preferred
• Payroll and HRIS experience preferred
• Hands‑on plant‑floor HR leadership style

Why This Role Matters

This role matters because HR will play a key part in supporting the facility’s continued stability and improvement. The HR Manager will help strengthen recruiting, reduce turnover, improve audit performance, and support the development of skilled trades talent. This is a strong opportunity for an HR leader who wants to be close to the operation, partner with a strong leadership team, and make a visible impact in a large manufacturing environment.