Human Resources Manager

Air Distribution Technologies, Inc; Alabama; On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Distribution Limited in Alabama is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead all human resources functions at the plant, with a strong emphasis on proactive, lawful labor relations and union organizing readiness.

You will design employee relations strategies, coach frontline supervisors, oversee recruiting, compensation, and benefits, and ensure compliance with NLRA and state law while partnering with legal counsel. This role requires hands-on experience with labor relations campaigns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Direct, hands-on experience with labor relations, including managing or directly supporting a union organizing campaign from initial activity through a representation election.
• Strong working knowledge of the NLRA and lawful employer conduct before and during organizing activity.
• SPHR/SHRM-SCP certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead a proactive employee relations strategy that strengthens trust, fairness, and engagement across the workforce ahead of and throughout any organizing activity.
• Conduct regular listening sessions, stay interviews, surveys, and skip-level meetings to surface concerns early and keep leadership informed.
• Partner with plant leadership to ensure pay, benefits, and working conditions remain fair and competitive for the region.
• Coach and train frontline supervisors on consistent, fair, and respectful management practices, since supervisor quality is the single biggest driver of employee sentiment during an organizing campaign.
• Maintain clear, accessible channels for employees to raise concerns and receive fast, credible responses.
• Serve as the plant's day-to-day point person on labor relations and organizing matters, working under the direction of legal counsel and corporate labor relations.
• Maintain current, working knowledge of NLRA requirements and ensure all plant communications and supervisor conduct stay within lawful bounds.
• Ensure the site's conduct and communications remain fully compliant with applicable labor law throughout any organizing activity.
• Coordinate any legally compliant employer communications related to union organizing, in close partnership with outside labor counsel.
• Monitor workplace climate and flag early indicators of organizing activity or emerging employee concerns to leadership.
• Prepare site leadership and supervisors to engage appropriately and lawfully with employees before, during, and after any organizing campaign or representation election.
• Build and maintain election and post-election contingency plans, drawing on prior direct experience managing a comparable campaign.
• Oversee recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compensation administration, and benefits for the plant.
• Manage HR compliance with federal, state (Alabama), and local employment law.
• Lead investigations and resolution of employee complaints, disciplinary matters, and policy violations with consistency and documentation.
• Own HR metrics (turnover, engagement, time-to-fill, employee relations case trends) and report regularly to plant and corporate leadership.
• Manage and develop the site's HR team, including a Sr. HR Generalist, providing coaching and hands‑on exposure to labor relations work.

Skills

Labor relations

Employee relations

Communication skills

Coaching

HR leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related field

Job description

The HR Manager leads all human resources functions for the plant, with a strong emphasis on proactive, lawful labor relations. This role builds on a foundation of fair, consistent, and responsive employee relations while ensuring the site is well-positioned to navigate any organizing activity lawfully and effectively, in close partnership with corporate labor relations and outside legal counsel. This role requires hands-on, direct experience with labor relations and union organizing campaigns — this is a core requirement of the position, not a preferred extra.

What You'll Do

Employee Relations & Culture

• Design and lead a proactive employee relations strategy that strengthens trust, fairness, and engagement across the workforce ahead of and throughout any organizing activity.
• Conduct regular listening sessions, stay interviews, surveys, and skip-level meetings to surface concerns early and keep leadership informed.
• Partner with plant leadership to ensure pay, benefits, and working conditions remain fair and competitive for the region.
• Coach and train frontline supervisors on consistent, fair, and respectful management practices, since supervisor quality is the single biggest driver of employee sentiment during an organizing campaign.
• Maintain clear, accessible channels for employees to raise concerns and receive fast, credible responses (open-door practices, suggestion systems, regular town halls).

Labor Relations & Organizing Readiness

• Serve as the plant's day-to-day point person on labor relations and organizing matters, working under the direction of legal counsel and corporate labor relations.
• Maintain current, working knowledge of NLRA requirements and ensure all plant communications and supervisor conduct stay within lawful bounds (no threats, interrogation, promises, or surveillance — the “TIPS” framework).
• Ensure the site's conduct and communications remain fully compliant with applicable labor law throughout any organizing activity.
• Coordinate any legally compliant employer communications related to union organizing, in close partnership with outside labor counsel.
• Monitor workplace climate and flag early indicators of organizing activity or emerging employee concerns to leadership.
• Prepare site leadership and supervisors to engage appropriately and lawfully with employees before, during, and after any organizing campaign or representation election.
• Build and maintain election and post-election contingency plans, drawing on prior direct experience managing a comparable campaign.

Core HR Operations

• Oversee recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compensation administration, and benefits for the plant.
• Manage HR compliance with federal, state (Alabama), and local employment law.
• Lead investigations and resolution of employee complaints, disciplinary matters, and policy violations with consistency and documentation.
• Own HR metrics (turnover, engagement, time-to-fill, employee relations case trends) and report regularly to plant and corporate leadership.
• Manage and develop the site's HR team, including a Sr. HR Generalist, providing coaching and hands‑on exposure to labor relations work.

What We Look For

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Required: direct, hands‑on experience with labor relations, including managing or directly supporting a union organizing campaign from initial activity through a representation election.
• Strong working knowledge of the NLRA and lawful employer conduct before and during organizing activity.
• Track record of building employee trust and engagement programs that measurably improved retention or workplace climate.
• Excellent communication and coaching skills, particularly with frontline supervisors.
• SPHR/SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
• Experience working alongside outside labor counsel on sensitive labor and employee relations matters preferred.
• A site HR team that is confident, prepared, and effectively coached through the process.

This role works under the guidance of corporate labor relations and outside legal counsel on all matters related to union organizing activity, to ensure full compliance with the National Labor Relations Act and applicable Alabama employment law.

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Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.