Human Resources Manager

Talently; Ontario (CA); On-site; CAD 166,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

Talently is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead HR infrastructure in a fast-growing manufacturing environment in Ontario, CA. This hands-on role partners with senior leadership to drive structure, consistency, and credibility across the function.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of HR experience, strong CA labor law knowledge, and proven change management skills, with comfort operating in ambiguity and multi-state exposure.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally with manufacturing background.
• Strong knowledge of California labor and employment law.
• Proven change management experience, building or overhauling HR functions.
• Experience coaching managers at all levels, including senior leadership.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity with limited processes.
• Experience in small, privately held or founder-led environments with conflict resolution.
• Multi-state experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to assess the HR function and build a roadmap.
• Audit HR practices against CA and federal requirements and remediate gaps.
• Build foundational HR infrastructure like job descriptions and handbook materials.
• Coach first-time and mid-level managers on performance management and conversations.
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees, handling conflicts directly.
• Guide organizational changes as the company scales, evaluating HR team structure.
• Evaluate and support implementation of a more comprehensive HRIS platform.
• Advise leadership on compliant, consistent separations and sensitive matters.
• Support wage/hour compliance and required postings in a manufacturing environment.

Skills

HR Manager

Change Management

Employee Relations

HR Compliance

Manufacturing HR

Multi-state

Job description

Job Title: HR Manager
Location: Ontario, CA
Salary: $120,000 - $140,000
Skills: HR Manager, Change Management, Employee Relations, HR Compliance, Manufacturing HR, Multi-state

About the Opportunity

My client, one of the fastest-growing specialty manufacturing companies in the region, is looking to hire an HR Manager. This is a hands-on, high-visibility role for someone who wants to build HR infrastructure from the ground up rather than maintain something already in place. The company is scaling quickly and needs someone who can bring order, consistency, and credibility to the function while partnering directly with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with executive leadership to assess the current state of the HR function, identify gaps, and build a roadmap for a more structured, process-driven organization.
• Audit existing HR practices, documentation, and policies against California and federal requirements, and lead remediation where gaps exist.
• Build out foundational HR infrastructure including job descriptions, compensation documentation, and employee handbook materials that don't currently exist in a consistent form.
• Coach and support first-time and mid-level managers on performance management, difficult conversations, and day-to-day people leadership.
• Serve as a trusted, even-keeled resource for employees and managers, handling conflict directly and consistently rather than avoiding it.
• Guide the organization through structural and process changes as the company scales, including evaluating team structure and staffing needs within HR itself.
• Evaluate and help select a more comprehensive HRIS platform to replace current systems, and support its implementation.
• Advise leadership on compliant, consistent approaches to performance-based separations and other sensitive employee matters.
• Support labor law compliance across a manufacturing environment, including wage and hour practices and required postings and disclosures.

Must-Have Skills

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally with direct manufacturing industry background.
• Strong working knowledge of California labor and employment law.
• Demonstrated change management experience, ideally having built or overhauled an HR function rather than maintained an existing one.
• Experience coaching and advising managers at all levels, including first-time managers and senior leadership.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity, with limited existing process or documentation to lean on.
• Experience working within a small, privately held, entrepreneurial, or founder-led organization, with direct exposure to real conflict resolution and difficult employee conversations.
• Prior experience at a smaller or mid-sized company preferred, multi-state experience.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Experience selecting or implementing an HRIS platform.
• PHR, SPHR, or SHRM certification.
• Experience supporting a company through multi-state expansion.
• Background partnering with an outside employment attorney or legal counsel on HR matters.