Human Resources Manager (CONFIDENTIAL)

Lucas James Talent Partners; Downers Grove (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision benefits

Life & Disability insurance

401k match

Paid Time Off

Bonus incentive program with 10% max

Onsite 4 days a week

Job summary

Lucas James Talent Partners represents an established manufacturing organization seeking an HR Manager in Downers Grove, Illinois. The role partners with site leadership to align employee relations, workforce effectiveness, and talent strategy with business goals, balancing execution with strategic influence and ensuring compliance and risk management.

You will lead strategic HR activities, manage performance, conduct investigations, leverage HR analytics, oversee staffing and compensation, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field.
• PHR certification or master's degree preferred.
• 8+ years HR experience in manufacturing.
• People leadership experience.
• Knowledge of recruiting practices, employment law, and matrixed partnerships.
• Proficient with MS Office and HRIS.
• English and Spanish language skills desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic HR guidance to site leadership on workforce planning and organizational effectiveness.
• Participate in meetings to align people strategy with business strategy.
• Coach leaders to improve leadership capability and decision quality.
• Lead employee relations, performance management, investigations, and terminations guidance.
• Ensure policy compliance and risk mitigation while balancing business needs.
• Partner with Corporate HR and Legal on guidelines and procedures.
• Develop and implement human capital strategies including talent planning and retention.
• Use HR analytics to measure effectiveness (HR scorecards, dashboards, metrics).
• Oversee HR processes: staffing, compensation, benefits, performance, training, development.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with employment regulations.
• Improve HR processes, data integrity, and reporting at the site level.
• Deliver targeted training initiatives and leadership development.
• Provide managers with tools and coaching to address people issues proactively.

Skills

Leadership

Employee relations

HR analytics

Staffing & compensation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

PHR certification or master's preferred

Tools

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Our client is an established manufacturing organization committed to operational excellence, strong ethical standards, workplace safety, and the development of its people. With a focus on continuous improvement and organizational growth, the company strives to create an environment where employees are supported, engaged, and encouraged to develop professionally.

The organization places a strong emphasis on collaboration, accountability, and providing employees with the resources and opportunities needed to succeed.

Position Overview

The Human Resources Manager serves as a strategic trusted advisor to site leadership, providing expert guidance on employee relations, workforce effectiveness, and talent strategies that directly support business and operational objectives. This role balances strong execution with strategic influence, ensuring compliance, consistency, and risk management while driving leadership capability, engagement, and organizational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner with site and functional leaders to provide strategic HR guidance on decisions impacting facility operations, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.
  
• Actively participate in business and operating meetings to integrate people strategy with business strategy, providing insight on workforce risks, trends, and opportunities.
  
• Influence and coach leaders at all levels to strengthen leadership capability, accountability, and decision quality.
  

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Serve as the subject matter expert for employee relations, providing guidance on performance management, conduct issues, investigations, corrective action, and terminations.
  
• Ensure consistent application of company policies, practices, and employment standards while balancing fairness, risk mitigation, and business needs.
  
• Partner with Corporate HR and Legal to develop, interpret, and apply employee relations guidelines and procedures.
  
• Develop and implement human capital strategies aligned with business objectives, including talent planning, engagement, capability development, and retention.
  
• Diagnose organizational and people capability gaps and design practical solutions to address current and future business needs.
  
• Leverage human capital data, analytics, and insights to inform decisions and measure HR effectiveness (e.g., HR scorecards, dashboards, key metrics).
  

HR Operations & Compliance

• Provide oversight and support for core HR processes including staffing, compensation, benefits administration, performance management, training, and development.
  
• Ensure full compliance with employment regulations, proactively identifying and mitigating compliance risks.
  
• Maintain strict confidentiality and sound judgment in handling sensitive employee and business information.
  

Systems, Process & Reporting

• Ensure effective utilization of HR systems and tools (e.g., UKG, SAP), supporting leaders and employees in accurate and timely use.
  
• Oversee the processing and reporting of HR and operational transactions, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
  
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, standardization, and efficiency at the site level.
  
• Deliver and support targeted training initiatives, including new-hire orientation, leader training, and rollout of new HR programs or initiatives.
  
• Equip managers with the tools, coaching, and guidance needed to effectively lead teams and address people issues proactively.
  

Company Overview

Our client is an established manufacturing organization committed to operational excellence, strong ethical standards, workplace safety, and the development of its people. With a focus on continuous improvement and organizational growth, the company strives to create an environment where employees are supported, engaged, and encouraged to develop professionally.

The organization places a strong emphasis on collaboration, accountability, and providing employees with the resources and opportunities needed to succeed.

Position Overview

The Human Resources Manager serves as a strategic trusted advisor to site leadership, providing expert guidance on employee relations, workforce effectiveness, and talent strategies that directly support business and operational objectives. This role balances strong execution with strategic influence, ensuring compliance, consistency, and risk management while driving leadership capability, engagement, and organizational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner with site and functional leaders to provide strategic HR guidance on decisions impacting facility operations, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.
  

• Actively participate in business and operating meetings to integrate people strategy with business strategy, providing insight on workforce risks, trends, and opportunities.
  

• Influence and coach leaders at all levels to strengthen leadership capability, accountability, and decision quality.
  

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Serve as the subject matter expert for employee relations, providing guidance on performance management, conduct issues, investigations, corrective action, and terminations.
  

• Ensure consistent application of company policies, practices, and employment standards while balancing fairness, risk mitigation, and business needs.
  

• Partner with Corporate HR and Legal to develop, interpret, and apply employee relations guidelines and procedures.
  

Human Capital Strategy

• Develop and implement human capital strategies aligned with business objectives, including talent planning, engagement, capability development, and retention.
  

• Diagnose organizational and people capability gaps and design practical solutions to address current and future business needs.
  

• Leverage human capital data, analytics, and insights to inform decisions and measure HR effectiveness (e.g., HR scorecards, dashboards, key metrics).
  

HR Operations & Compliance

• Provide oversight and support for core HR processes including staffing, compensation, benefits administration, performance management, training, and development.
  

• Ensure full compliance with employment regulations, proactively identifying and mitigating compliance risks.
  

• Maintain strict confidentiality and sound judgment in handling sensitive employee and business information.
  

Systems, Process & Reporting

• Ensure effective utilization of HR systems and tools (e.g., UKG, SAP), supporting leaders and employees in accurate and timely use.
  

• Oversee the processing and reporting of HR and operational transactions, ensuring data integrity and accuracy.
  

• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, standardization, and efficiency at the site level.
  

Training & Leader Enablement

• Deliver and support targeted training initiatives, including new-hire orientation, leader training, and rollout of new HR programs or initiatives.
  

• Equip managers with the tools, coaching, and guidance needed to effectively lead teams and address people issues proactively.
  

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field, PHR certification or master's degree preferred.
  

• 8+ years related HR experience in a manufacturing environment.
  

• People leadership experience.
  

• Working knowledge & understanding of recruiting practices, employment law, and partnership in a matrixed environment.
  

• Must possess proficient Microsoft Office skills and relevant working knowledge of HRIS.
  

• Ability to conduct conversations, presentations, and written communications in both English and Spanish is highly desirable.
  

Benefits

Our client offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Base Salary: $120,000–$126,000 annually.
  

• Medical, Dental & Vision benefits.
  

• Company paid Life and Short-Term disability.
  

• Voluntary benefits including additional life, disability, and hospital/accident insurance.
  

• 401k & company provided match.
  

• Paid Time Off.
  

• Bonus incentive programs (Note, bonuses are subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.) Target bonus: 10%.
  

• Onsite 4 days a week.
  

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or other protected status. EEOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines