Human Resources Director

RWT Consulting; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

RWT Consulting, on behalf of a major U.S. platform in infrastructure, construction and utilities, seeks a strategic and hands-on HR Director who can build and scale the HR function, strengthen culture, and drive performance across a decentralized operating model.

The HR Director will join the leadership team to design a scalable people strategy aligned with aggressive growth, and to lead organizational design, talent management, and development programs across multiple units.

Qualifications

• 12–15+ years of progressive HR leadership in large, established organizations.
• Proven track record scaling businesses, organically or via acquisitions.
• Experience in construction, infrastructure, utilities, or mature sectors.
• Experience supporting multi-site, decentralized operations.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a scalable people strategy aligned with rapid growth.
• Align HR initiatives with business priorities across units.
• Advise senior leadership on organization design and workforce planning.
• Build cohesive culture across multiple business units.
• Lead change management to support growth, integration, and transformation.
• Design and implement leadership development programs to strengthen the bench.
• Develop talent acquisition, retention, and succession strategies.
• Oversee compensation and benefits structures aligned with market competitiveness.
• Build a best-in-class HR team including HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, L&D.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. labor laws and proactive employee relations.

Skills

HR Leadership

Strategic Planning

Organizational Design

Change Management

Talent Acquisition

Succession Planning

Employee Engagement

Employee Relations

People Strategy

Team Leadership

Education

SHRM/SPHR certification

Job description

RWT Consulting is conducting a confidential search on behalf of one of its clients, a well-established U.S. platform within the infrastructure, construction, and utilities sector, entering a growth phase. To support this transformation, the company is seeking a strategic and hands-on HR Director who can build and scale the HR function, strengthen organizational culture, and help drive performance across a decentralized operating model.

Role Summary

The HR Director will be a key member of the leadership team, responsible for designing and executing a scalable people strategy aligned with the company’s aggressive growth objectives.

This role requires a business-oriented HR leader with experience in mature, operationally intensive industries (e.g., construction, utilities, industrial services), where margin discipline, workforce productivity, and operational excellence are critical.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with executive leadership to define and execute a people strategy that supports rapid growth and operational scale.
• Align HR initiatives with business priorities, including expansion, integration of business units, and performance improvement.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy.

Organizational Development & Culture

• Build a strong, cohesive culture across multiple business units, fostering engagement, accountability, and performance.
• Lead change management initiatives to support growth, integration, and transformation.
• Design and implement leadership development programs to strengthen the management bench.

Talent Management & Workforce Planning

• Develop and execute strategies for talent acquisition, retention, and succession planning.
• Ensure the organization attracts and retains talent capable of operating in a low-margin, high-volume environment.
• Implement performance management frameworks that drive accountability and results.

HR Infrastructure & Processes

• Build scalable HR systems, policies, and processes suitable for a multi-entity organization.
• Drive standardization where appropriate while respecting operational autonomy across business units.
• Oversee compensation and benefits structures aligned with market competitiveness and business performance.

Team Building

• Build and lead a best-in-class HR team, including HR Business Partners and specialized functions (e.g., Talent Acquisition, L&D).
• Develop capabilities within the HR team to support a growing and geographically dispersed workforce.

Employee Engagement & Relations

• Foster a strong employee value proposition and improve engagement across all levels of the organization.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. labor laws and promote a proactive, fair, and consistent employee relations approach.

Candidate Profile

Experience

• 12–15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including senior HR roles in large, well-established organizations.
• Proven track record in scaling businesses or supporting significant growth (organically and/or through acquisitions).
• Strong experience in construction, infrastructure, utilities, industrial services, or similarly mature sectors.
• Experience supporting multi-site, decentralized operations is highly desirable.

Capabilities

• Deep understanding of business drivers in low-margin, high-volume industries.
• Ability to translate business strategy into practical HR initiatives.
• Strong experience in organizational design, change management, and culture building.
• Demonstrated success in building HR teams and infrastructure from the ground up.

Leadership Style

• Hands-on, pragmatic, and execution-oriented.
• High level of business acumen and credibility with operational leaders.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to influence at all levels.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Education

• Relevant HR certifications (e.g., SHRM, SPHR) are a plus.

Why This Role?

This is a unique opportunity to:

• Build and shape the HR function and culture of a growing organization.
• Join a leadership team driving transformation and long-term value creation.