Human Resources Manager

People Architects; Strongsville (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

People Architects is seeking a hands-on Human Resources Manager to lead the day-to-day HR function for a growing manufacturing company in Strongsville, Ohio. You will partner with leadership and supervisors to strengthen HR practices, manage recruiting, onboarding, benefits, and payroll, and ensure compliance while supporting organizational growth and a high-performance culture.

This role offers broad ownership, visibility with senior leadership, and the chance to shape workforce planning,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 3–5+ years of progressive HR experience.
• HR experience in small/lower-middle-market manufacturing.
• Experience with hourly production employees and frontline supervisors.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws.
• Hands-on HR generalist with limited admin support.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency with HRIS/payroll and Microsoft Office.
• Willingness to travel to subsidiary locations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary HR resource for employees and leadership.
• Manage day-to-day HR operations and policy application.
• Advise on employee relations, performance, coaching, discipline, and terminations.
• Lead employee relations investigations and resolve issues.
• Manage recruiting and hiring for hourly to professional roles.
• Own onboarding; ensure effective integration.
• Manage benefits administration and open enrollment.
• Coordinate weekly payroll with Accounting.
• Maintain HRIS records and confidentiality.
• Ensure compliance with laws and update policies.
• Support performance management and employee development.
• Identify training needs and coordinate programs.
• Partner with operations on workforce planning and engagement.
• Support workers’ compensation and leaves.
• Partner on safety HR aspects.
• Prepare HR reports and workforce metrics.
• Assist leadership with organizational changes and culture initiatives.
• Maintain presence within manufacturing and build relationships.

Skills

Hands-on HR Generalist

Employee relations

Recruiting & onboarding

HRIS/Payroll

Training & development

Compliance knowledge

Interpersonal communication

Manufacturing experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Tools

Paylocity HRIS

Microsoft Office

Job description

People Architects is proud to recruit for a Human Resources Manager!

Our client is a growing lower-middle-market contract manufacturer that supplies high-quality custom-machined
components to advanced industrial technology companies. The organization values integrity, teamwork,
accountability, and excellence and is seeking a hands-on HR professional who can help strengthen the
employee experience while supporting continued growth and organizational change.

We are seeking a hands-on, proactive Human Resources Manager to lead the day-to-day human resources
function for a growing manufacturing organization. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR
Generalist, Senior HR Generalist, Assistant HR Manager, or similar professional who is ready to step into an
entry-level HR management role with broad ownership and visibility.

The successful candidate will have prior HR experience in a small or lower-middle-market industrial or
manufacturing company and will be comfortable operating as both a strategic partner and a hands-on
practitioner. This individual will work closely with company leadership, frontline supervisors, and employees to
strengthen HR practices, maintain compliance, support workforce needs, and foster a high-performance
workplace culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary human resources resource for employees, supervisors, and company leadership.
  Manage day-to-day HR operations and ensure consistent application of company policies, employment practices,
  and procedures.
  
• Advise managers and supervisors on employee relations matters, including attendance, performance, conduct,
  coaching, disciplinary actions, and terminations.
  
• Lead employee relations activities, investigate workplace concerns, recommend appropriate actions, and help
  resolve employee issues in a timely and professional manner.
  
• Manage the recruiting and hiring process for hourly manufacturing, skilled-trade, technical, administrative, and
  professional positions.
  
• Partner with hiring managers to identify staffing needs, screen candidates, coordinate interviews, prepare offers,
  and maintain candidate communications.
  
• Own the new-hire onboarding process and ensure employees are effectively integrated into the organization.
  
• Manage employee benefits administration, including enrollment, employee communication, changes, open
  enrollment, and coordination with benefit providers and brokers.
  
• Coordinate with Accounting on weekly payroll activities, including new hires, employee changes, promotions,
  terminations, wage adjustments, deductions, and related payroll information.
  
• Maintain accurate employee records and HRIS information while ensuring confidentiality, data integrity, and
  compliance with recordkeeping requirements.
  
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
  Maintain and periodically update employee policies, handbook provisions, job descriptions, forms, and HR
  procedures.
  
• Support managers in the performance management process, including goal setting, performance reviews,
  coaching, corrective action, and employee development.
  
• Identify training needs and coordinate employee, supervisor, compliance, and professional-development
  programs.
  
• Partner with operational leadership on workforce planning, retention, employee engagement, absenteeism,
  turnover, and other workforce challenges common to manufacturing environments.
  
• Support workers’ compensation, leave administration, return-to-work programs, unemployment claims, and
  related employee matters.
  
• Partner with operations and safety leadership on HR-related aspects of workplace safety, employee training,
  investigations, and regulatory compliance.
  
• Prepare and analyze HR reports and workforce metrics, including headcount, turnover, absenteeism, recruiting
  activity, compensation changes, and other management information.
  
• Assist leadership with organizational changes, workforce communications, culture initiatives, and continuous improvement of HR practices.
  
• Maintain a visible and approachable presence within manufacturing operations and build effective relationships with employees at all levels of the organization.
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or a related field; equivalent
  relevant experience may be considered.
  
• 3–5+ years of progressive, hands-on human resources experience.
  
• Prior HR experience with a small or lower-middle-market company is required.
  
• Prior HR experience in manufacturing, industrial, machining, fabrication, distribution, or a closely related
  operational environment is required.
  
• Demonstrated experience working directly with hourly production employees and frontline supervisors.
  
• Practical experience handling employee relations, recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, performance
  issues, and employment-law compliance.
  
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
  
• Ability to operate effectively as a hands-on HR generalist with limited administrative support.
  
• Strong judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive employee matters.
  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to establish credibility with both production
  employees and management.
  
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
  
• Proficiency with HRIS/payroll systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
  
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation to and from work on a daily basis, and willingness and ability to travel as needed to current or future subsidiary locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as an HR Generalist, Senior HR Generalist, HR Business Partner, Assistant HR Manager, or similar broad-based HR role.
• Experience supporting a manufacturing workforce that includes skilled trades, machinists, technicians, production employees, and salaried professionals.
• Experience in a privately held or entrepreneurially managed business experiencing growth or organizational change.
• Experience with payroll administration, workers’ compensation, leave administration, unemployment claims, and employee benefits.
• Familiarity with Paylocity HRIS and payroll platform is a plus.
• HR certification such as SHRM-CP or PHR.