Human Resources Manager

Challenge Manufacturing; Pontiac (MI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Challenge Manufacturing in Pontiac, MI is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead the plant HR team, ensure policy compliance, and support labor relations within a manufacturing setting.

You will oversee recruitment, onboarding, payroll processing with ADP Workforce Now, and maintain HR records while collaborating with plant leadership to drive culture changes and workforce development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 6+ years of HR management experience in a manufacturing or automotive environment.
• Manufacturing or automotive background preferred.
• PHR/SHRM-CP/SCP certification preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead change and culture initiatives.
• Experience with union environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Plant HR team including HR Generalists and Payroll staff.
• Ensure consistent policy application and discipline per policy and CBA.
• Manage hourly and salaried escalations and union grievances.
• Oversee hourly recruitment: needs, interviews, offers, onboarding.
• Process weekly payroll using ADP Workforce Now and resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain HR records and reports; participate in leadership meetings.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Participate in unemployment hearings when necessary.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Recruitment

Training & dev

Communication

Policy administration

Union experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Master’s degree in HR/Business

PHR / SHRM-CP/SCP certificate

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

Who We Are:

Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

#QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:

The Human Resources Manager will lead and direct the functions of the Plant Human Resources (HR) department with their team of HR Generalists, Talent Acquisition Specialists and Payroll employees. Responsibilities include but are not limited to hourly hiring and onboarding, overall administration and enforcement of company policies & practices, alignment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, partnership with plant leadership on culture change, and the evaluation of the human resource function within their facility. The ideal candidate will be passionate about evolving the plant culture and employee population, striving to be a wealth of knowledge for all team members within the plant, welcoming requests for information and assistance, and having effective and swift follow through.

What You’ll Do:

• Manages a team of salaried HR employees through day-to-day processes; develops their opportunities and strengths; challenges them to grow within and outside of their expertise; assesses their performance and gives productive feedback; and is available to guide and influence their HR decision making skills
• Ensures consistent application of company policies, including administration of attendance points policy; issuing written discipline documents; investigating alleged misconduct; coaching plant leadership on disciplinary matters; and ensuring alignment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Manages all hourly and salaried employee escalations, including those within and outside of policy; manage the union grievance process in partnership with the local union; partner with the plant leadership team on consistent application of rules and policies; and expedite to the HR Director as needed to ensure company alignment
• Leads your team through hourly recruitment efforts, including confirming hiring needs with Plant Leadership; working with supervisors to screen and interview candidates; extending offers; scheduling drug testing and background checks; onboarding employees; communicating internal opportunities; completing internal transfers; conducting exit interviews, and identifying areas for improvement
• Supports your team in processing weekly hourly team member payroll using ADP Workforce Now, including resolving timecard discrepancies; confirming timecard approvals; processing weekly payroll files; and investigating payroll discrepancies
• Establishes and maintain department records and reports, including investigative and personnel files with ADP. Participates in plant leadership staff meetings and attends other meetings, ensuring there is a HR voice and perspective.
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws
• Participates in unemployment hearings when necessary

When and Where:

This will be a 7 AM - 5 PM M-F position located at ourPlant in Pontiac, MI.

What You Need to Have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required
• 6+ years of human resource management experience in a similarly sized company
• Manufacturing or automotive background experience preferred
• PHR / SHRM-CP/SCP certificate preferred
• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred
• Understands the big picture impact of decisions - how the key drivers of the business impact the company’s financial statements
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Comfortable communicating in difficult situations in both individual and group settings
• Uses an objective and balanced approached toward analysis and decision making
• Demonstrated expertise in key HR disciplines including the area of; Attraction & Retention, Alignment and Performance Management, Compensation & Benefits and Training & Development, Union experience
• Able to inspire, influence and develop other people
• Is thorough, accurate, and reliable when performing and completing job tasks; demonstrates honesty and integrity in all aspects of work
• Maintains positive relationships by constructively resolving conflicts
• Uses feedback from others to continuously improve performance and work relationships
• Works with sense of urgency to meet needs of customers
• Has ability to focus on benefits of change and see it as positive; approaches change or newness in constructive/objective manner; views change as learning opportunity