Human Resources Director

Generac; City of Pewaukee (WI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Generac in Pewaukee, Wisconsin seeks a Director, Human Resources to lead the Residential Business Group HR team and translate strategy into people initiatives that drive growth and engagement. The role partners with senior leaders to attract, develop, and retain top talent, oversee talent management, labor relations, and organizational effectiveness, and champion culture across the organization.

Ideal candidates hold a Bachelor's in HR or related field (Master's preferred), with 8+ years of HR

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 8 years of progressive HR experience, including 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations and union environments.
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
• Strong communication, coaching, and analytics skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR business partners across functions and locations.
• Provide strategic HR consultation to leaders on organizational effectiveness and workforce planning.
• Oversee talent acquisition, leadership development, employee relations, performance management.
• Partner through M&A integration and labor relations activities.
• Develop and coach leadership teams; drive engagement and productivity.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Employee relations

Workforce planning

Organizational development

Change management

Analytics

Communication & facilitation

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Business Admin

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

HRIS systems

AI-enabled HR tools

Job description

At Generac, we power possibilities by empowering our people. As the Director, Human Resources supporting our Residential Business Group in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, you will play a critical leadership role in shaping the employee experience, enabling business growth, and fostering a culture where teams can do their best work.

This role serves as a strategic business partner and operational leader, translating HR strategy into meaningful business outcomes. Leading a team of HR professionals, you will collaborate closely with leaders across the Residential Business Group to attract, develop, and retain top talent while building an engaged, high-performing workforce. You will champion initiatives across talent acquisition, leadership development, employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.

The ideal candidate is a people-first leader who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and is passionate about developing talent, driving change, and creating a workplace where innovation, accountability, and continuous growth are celebrated. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact on a key business segment while helping shape the future of a company committed to powering homes, communities, and careers.

Major Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership

• Leads HR business partners supporting designed functions, locations, or plants
• Provides strategic HR consultation to leaders on organizational effectiveness, employee relations, performance management and workforce planning
• Partners with business leadership to improve engagement, retention and productivity
• Develops and coaches leadership teams to strengthen managerial capability
• Leads or supports major HR initiatives including compensation cycles, talent reviews, and succession planning

Employee & Labor Relations

• Ensures HR policy compliance and risk mitigations
• Union sites – Manages labor relations, contract administration, grievance processes, and union partnership activities

Mergers, Acquisitions & Organizational Integration

• Supports M&A activities, including onboarding, culture integration, and organizational alignment

Leadership

• Selects, trains, coaches and develops staff, setting clear expectations to inspire, motivate, and engage the team
• Manages performance, recognizes achievement, provides feedback, and administers progressive discipline when necessary

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, related discipline, or equivalent work experience

Work Experience

• 8 years of progressive HR experience, including 5 years in a leadership role

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of HR operations, employee relations, and talent processes
• Understanding of compensation cycles, performance management, and talent reviews
• Working knowledge of HRIS systems
• Knowledge of change management practices at team or functional level
• Understanding of compliance, employment law, and policy interpretation
• Strong consultation skills with leaders
• Skilled in employee relations investigations and resolution
• Ability to coach leaders on performance, engagement, and team development
• Strong communication and facilitation skills
• Skilled in applying analytics to site- or function-level workforce trends
• Process management and HR program execution
• Strong conflict resolution and mediation skills
• Cross-functional collaboration

Preferred Job Requirements

Education

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, MBA, or related discipline

Certification / License

• SPHR or SHRM-SCP

Work Experience

• Experience supporting manufacturing operations
• Exposure to union environments
• Mergers and acquisitions experience, particularly integration support

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Working knowledge of HR systems and AI‑enhanced HR tools
• Knowledge of change management practices at team or functional level
• Understanding of compliance, employment law, and policy interpretation
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI-enabled HR tools – such as talent analytics or automation platforms – to enhance workforce planning and operational efficiency