Human Resources Manager

Röchling Automotive; Akron (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Röchling Automotive Akron, OH is seeking a Human Resources Manager to partner with plant leadership and drive people strategies that bolster performance, stability, and growth. The role blends strategic HR with hands‑on execution across talent, culture, workforce planning, and compliance.

You will lead talent acquisition, succession planning, employee relations, and leadership development, using SAP and Microsoft 365 to deliver data‑driven insights on turnover, capability gaps, and engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree required or preferred; advanced degrees optional.
• Minimum of 5 years HRBP or in a progressive HR leadership role.
• Minimum of 3 years of Labor Law and HR Compliance.
• Minimum of 3 years of Leadership and People Management experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience within a Manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of high‑volume Employee Relations experience.
• Willingness to travel to Southfield, MI facility three days per month to provide HR support and collaborate with leadership.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Partnership with Plant Leadership to align HR strategies with business objectives and priorities.
• Lead end‑to‑end talent acquisition, onboarding, and workforce planning.
• Coach leaders on performance management, development, and engagement strategies.
• Lead investigations and provide guidance on complex employee relations matters.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and company policies.
• Drive HR operations, data integrity, payroll coordination, benefits administration, and reporting.

Skills

Leadership & People Management

Strategic HR Partnership

Workforce Planning

Employee Relations

HR Metrics & Analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

SAP

Microsoft 365

Job description

Human Resources Manager – Akron, OH

We are seeking a Human Resources Manager to serve as a strategic partner to plant and functional leadership, driving people strategies that directly support business performance, operational excellence, workforce stability, and organizational growth.

This role is responsible for translating business priorities into actionable HR initiatives across talent management, culture, workforce planning, compliance, employee relations, and leadership development. The HR Manager is expected to balance strategic vision with hands‑on execution, ensuring consistent, compliant, and high‑impact HR support throughout the facility.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Partnership
• Partner with Plant Leadership to align HR strategies with business objectives, operational goals, and organizational priorities.
• Participate in leadership meetings, providing workforce insights, trend analysis, and recommendations based on HR metrics and business needs.
• Identify organizational gaps and implement initiatives that strengthen leadership capability, workforce effectiveness, and succession readiness.
• Lead workforce planning activities aligned with production demands, business growth, launches, and long‑term operational strategies.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders on organizational, talent, and employee‑related matters.
• Talent & Organizational Effectiveness
• Lead end‑to‑end talent acquisition efforts, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and workforce planning.
• Develop and maintain succession plans for key positions and critical talent within the organization.
• Coach leaders on performance management, employee development, accountability, and engagement strategies.
• Support organizational design initiatives to improve efficiency, role clarity, and leadership effectiveness.
• Drive retention strategies that support workforce stability and employee growth.
• Culture, Engagement & Leadership
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and action‑planning efforts designed to improve organizational culture and employee satisfaction.
• Reinforce company values, leadership expectations, and organizational standards through structured programs and daily interactions.
• Partner with leaders to address cultural challenges and improve communication, trust, accountability, and teamwork.
• Support leadership development initiatives, workshops, training programs, and change‑management activities.
• Maintain a strong presence on the production floor to build relationships and proactively identify opportunities for improvement.
• Employee Relations & Compliance
• Lead investigations and provide guidance on complex employee relations matters, disciplinary actions, corrective actions, and terminations.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and company policies.
• Partner with legal counsel as needed to mitigate organizational risk and maintain compliance.
• Maintain accurate, thorough, and audit‑ready documentation for employee relations and compliance matters.
• Promote consistent application of policies, procedures, and work rules throughout the organization.
• HR Operations & Process Excellence
• Ensure accurate and efficient HR operations, including employee records, reporting, payroll coordination, benefits administration, and data integrity.
• Drive standardization and continuous improvement of HR processes, systems, and workflows.
• Monitor, analyze, and report key HR metrics, including headcount, turnover, absenteeism, recruiting effectiveness, and workforce trends.
• Maintain documentation and processes that support audit readiness and compliance requirements.
• Ensure quality, accuracy, and consistency across all HR functions.
• Compensation & Workforce Cost Management
• Support compensation decisions aligned with internal equity, market competitiveness, and business objectives.
• Provide recommendations regarding offers, promotions, transfers, and salary adjustments.
• Partner with leadership on workforce budgeting, labor planning, and headcount management.
• Support initiatives that balance workforce effectiveness with cost control and operational needs.
• Change Management & Projects
• Lead or support organizational change initiatives, system implementations, new launches, restructuring efforts, and business transformation projects.
• Ensure effective communication, stakeholder alignment, and execution of project deliverables.
• Track project progress and hold stakeholders accountable for timely completion of objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness and employee experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Business Economics, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as an HR Business Partner (HRBP) or in a progressive Human Resources leadership role.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in Labor Law and HR Compliance.
• Minimum of 3 years of Leadership and People Management experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience within a Manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of high‑volume Employee Relations experience.
• Demonstrated experience influencing and partnering with operational and plant leadership teams.
• Experience working in turnaround, transformation, high‑growth, or rapidly changing business environments.
• Advanced proficiency in SAP.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365.
• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities.
• Experience utilizing HR metrics to drive decision‑making and business results.
• Ability and willingness to travel to our Southfield, MI facility three days per month to provide HR support and collaborate with leadership.

Leadership Expectations

• A business‑first mindset and the ability to connect HR initiatives to organizational results.
• Strong ownership, accountability, and execution discipline.
• Data‑driven decision‑making and analytical thinking.
• A hands‑on leadership style with a strong presence on the shop floor.
• The ability to influence, coach, and challenge leaders when necessary.
• A proactive approach to identifying issues, addressing root causes, and implementing sustainable solutions.
• A continuous improvement mindset and ability to lead organizational change.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Turnover reduction and workforce stability.
• Recruiting effectiveness and time‑to‑fill performance.
• Employee engagement and action plan completion.
• Attendance and absenteeism trends.
• Leadership development and succession readiness.
• HR process accuracy and operational excellence.
• Compliance performance and audit outcomes.
• Employee satisfaction and organizational culture improvements.

What Success Looks Like

• Leaders proactively engage HR as a trusted business partner.
• Succession plans are established and actively maintained.
• HR processes are standardized, accurate, efficient, and audit‑ready.
• Employee engagement initiatives drive measurable improvements.
• Workforce planning effectively supports business growth and operational needs.
• Leadership accountability is strengthened throughout the organization.
• The facility operates within a culture of trust, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Are you a passionate HR leader looking for your next challenge? Join a team where your ideas, leadership, and expertise will make a real difference. We look forward to connecting with you.

In the Automotive division, you will shape the mobility of tomorrow. System solutions in the areas of Battery Solutions, Structural Lightweight, Aerodynamics and Propulsion. This means: We protect the environment while also improving the driving experience of millions of vehicles.

The Röchling Group has been shaping industry worldwide for more than 200 years. We transform the lives of people every day with our customized plastics: they reduce the weight of cars, make medication packaging more secure and improve industrial applications. Our workforce of 11 681 people is located in the places where our customers are – in 83 locations in 25 countries.