Human Resources Director

Nexteer Automotive Corporation; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Nexteer Automotive Corporation in Auburn Hills, MI, seeks a strategic Human Resources Director to lead global HR across engineering and corporate functions. This role reports to CHRO and collaborates with VP Global Engineering, shaping talent, organizational development, and workforce strategies for a technically advanced environment.

You will partner with finance and senior leaders, drive mobility-focused people programs, champion diversity and inclusion, and guide change management across

Qualifications

• Extensive HR leadership across engineering and corporate staff.
• Global, matrixed org experience with diverse cultures.
• Manufacturing site experience, preferably unionized.
• Strong business acumen with senior leadership partnering.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute HR strategies that align with global engineering and corporate goals.
• Oversee recruitment, retention, and workforce planning for engineering and corporate staff.
• Drive organizational development, employee engagement, and diversity initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with international and local labor laws; resolve employee relations issues.
• Lead compensation programs, market analyses, and salary frameworks for technical and corporate roles.
• Mentor leaders, support succession planning, and manage HR projects globally.

Skills

HR leadership

Global HR

Talent acquisition

Organizational development

Diversity & inclusion

Change management

Leadership coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Job description

Human Resources Director

At Nexteer, our strength lies in the diversity of our team—each member contributing unique backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations. We believe this diversity fuels our innovation, broadens our perspectives, and propels our collective growth.

For over a century, we’ve been innovators in the automotive industry. Our vision is clear – we are a global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our unwavering commitment to Quality, Collaboration, Integrity, and Accountability guides us as we solve motion control challenges for our global customers. If you’re ready to join a dynamic team that drives change and makes a difference, Nexteer welcomes you!

About the Role

The Corporate & Global Engineering Director of Human Resources is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing human resources across both Global Engineering —where the focus is on leading engineering HR strategies and partnering closely with division HR directors—and Corporate. This blended position aligns people strategies with business objectives on a worldwide scale, driving talent management, organizational development, and human resources activities for highly technical engineering environments as well as corporate functions such as finance, legal, information technology, purchasing and sales. This role reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and also has a matrix reporting line to the VP of Global Engineering.

Direct & Matrix Reports for this role include; HR Business Partners for Global Engineering and Corporate and leaders from US Compensation, US Talent Management, and US L&D

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic HR Leadership: Develop and execute HR strategies that support the business goals of global engineering (by leading engineering HR strategies and collaborating with Division HR directors) and corporate staff organizations. Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership teams across both domains.
• Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning: Oversee recruitment, retention, and workforce planning globally for engineering talent (in partnership with division HR directors and focused on global engineering strategy) and for corporate professionals, ensuring the organization attracts and retains top-tier talent in both areas.
• Organizational Development: Lead initiatives to foster a high-performance culture, drive employee engagement, and champion diversity and inclusion across engineering and corporate functions.
• Employee Relations & Compliance: Ensure consistent application of HR policies, compliance with international labor laws, local labor laws and effective resolution of employee relations issues in diverse regulatory environments.
• Compensation: Work with Global Compensation and lead U.S. efforts to develop and implement pay structures, market analyses, and salary frameworks for technical and corporate roles.
• Leadership & Succession Planning: Implement leadership development and succession planning programs to build a strong pipeline of leaders for engineering and corporate teams.
• Change Management: Guide the organization through ongoing change initiatives—including the formation of new internal teams, launching new business ventures, and implementing new organizational structures—while remaining responsive to the evolving needs of the organization. Support the organization in adapting to continuous transformation in internal organizational design, ensuring successful transitions and alignment with strategic objectives.
• HR Operations & Technology: Support the ongoing enhancement of HR by partnering with HR directors and relevant teams. While not directly overseeing this area, contribute to expanding capabilities in HR analytics, reporting, systems integration and AI.
• Finance Partnership: Collaborate closely with finance teams to align people-related costs, develop accurate workforce forecasts, and manage people-related budgets for both engineering and corporate divisions.
• Global HR Project Leadership: Lead or contribute to global projects as needed, ensuring effective collaboration and execution across geographically dispersed teams.
• Coaching & Counseling Leaders: Provide guidance, coaching, and counseling senior leaders in both engineering and corporate teams, supporting their growth, performance, and ability to navigate complex business and people challenges.
• Team Structure and Development: Foster growth and development within the HR team by providing opportunities for learning, mentorship, and skill enhancement, ensuring team members are equipped to support evolving HR skills and business needs. Assess, Define and implement the appropriate structure allowing this role to focus on senior leadership and HR business partners to provide autonomous / elevated guidance and coaching to Management.

Qualifications

• 15 years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant exposure to both technical (engineering/R&D) and corporate staff environments.
• Experience managing HR in a global, matrixed organization with diverse cultural and regulatory environments.
• Experience in manufacturing plants, preferably union represented locations.
• Strong business acumen and ability to partner with senior leaders in technical and corporate domains.
• Demonstrated success in leading organizational transformation and driving results across multiple functions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel domestically (Auburn Hills, MI & Saginaw, MI) and internationally (primarily – China, India, Mexico and Poland) as needed.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Global & Cultural Awareness
• Influence & Collaboration
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills
• Change Leadership
• Results Orientation
• Confidentiality & Integrity

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).

Nexteer is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Disabled/Minorities/Veterans/Women

Nexteer is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employees to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States.

Accessibility for Applicants with Disabilities

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please email [e-mail]. Please provide your contact information and details about the posted position of interest. Only inquiries regarding assistance for those who need an accommodation with the online application process due to a disability will be returned.

About Nexteer

Nexteer Automotive is a global leader in advanced steering and motion control systems, enabling intuitive, safe, and comfortable mobility for drivers around the world. Our innovative product portfolio includes Electric Power Steering (EPS), Steer-by-Wire™, Driveline, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies that support electrification, software-defined vehicles, and autonomous driving.

With approximately 13,000 employees and operations in more than 20 manufacturing plants and multiple technical centers globally, Nexteer partners with nearly every major global and regional automotive manufacturer.

Employment Agencies

Employment agencies are an important component of our talent acquisition strategy, and we value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. We will not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies for any employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Nexteer Automotive or directly to hiring managers in any form without a signed Nexteer Automotive Agency Agreement on file, and search engagement for that position, will be deemed unsolicited in nature, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired as a result of the referral or through other means. Additionally, any resume submitted without a contract in place will be considered Nexteer Automotive property and no fees will be paid to the agency if the candidate is hired.

Please note, agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by a member of Nexteer’s Human Resources team. No other Nexteer employee is authorized to bind Nexteer to any agreement regarding the placement of candidates by an agency.