Leader, Human Resources

Knorr Bremse Group; Bowling Green (KY); On-site; USD 89,900 - 134,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with company match

Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

Paid vacation and personal absence annually

Stock purchase program and annual bonus up to 7% of salary

Job summary

Knorr Bremse Group is seeking a Plant Human Resources Leader in Bowling Green, KY. This role will oversee HR for approximately 350 employees and drive a strong culture of employee relations along with talent acquisition.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of HR experience, particularly in manufacturing, and be knowledgeable about U.S. employment practices. This position offers a salary range between $89,900 and $134,900 annually, along with various benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years HR experience in manufacturing or high-volume environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in investigations and performance management.
• Working knowledge of U.S. employment fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR for a manufacturing site with 50 salaried and 300 hourly employees.
• Coach leaders in employee relations and legal compliance.
• Drive recruitment strategies and ensure compliance with employment laws.

Skills

Employee relations

Coaching skills

Strong communication

HR knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related discipline

Job description

Position Summary

The Plant Human Resources Leader will lead end-to-end HR for a manufacturing site of approximately 50 salaried and 300 hourly non-union employees. This role is the primary HR business partner to the Plant Leadership Team and drives a strong employee relations culture, legal compliance, talent acquisition, and consistent application of company and global (German HQ) HR standards. The role requires a high floor presence, strong judgment, and the ability to coach leaders in a fast-paced operational setting.

Essential Functions

A. Employee Relations & Leadership Coaching (Core)

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations matters, including investigations, corrective action, performance management, conflict resolution, and employee engagement.
• Coach plant leaders and frontline supervisors on consistent application of policies, documentation standards, and effective communication.
• Maintain a positive employee relations environment to support a union-free workplace through proactive engagement, consistent practices, and rapid issue resolution.
• Own hourly recruiting strategy and execution (high-volume recruiting, onboarding, retention actions); partnering with TA and shared services.
• Support salaried recruiting and selection; ensure strong hiring manager capability and compliant processes.
• Drive workforce planning: headcount, shift coverage, overtime/attendance patterns, and critical skill pipelines.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state employment requirements and company policies across wage/hour, leave, accommodations, and employee documentation.
• Maintain audit-ready employee files, accurate HRIS data, and disciplined case management practices.
• Partner with Safety/EHS and Operations on incident response, workers’ comp coordination, and safety culture.

D. Talent, Performance & Development

• Lead performance management, feedback, coaching routines, and talent review support for salaried and hourly leadership roles.
• Implement leadership and supervisor development initiatives focused on front-line effectiveness.

E. Compensation & Total Rewards Support

• Administer plant compensation practices (hourly wage structures, shift premiums, differentials, attendance programs if applicable) in alignment with corporate guidelines.
• Support annual compensation planning cycles and short-term incentive processes.

F. Culture, Engagement & Change Leadership

• Lead engagement actions and communications; create simple mechanisms for employee voice and continuous improvement.
• Execute plant change management for organizational changes, policy rollouts, and global initiatives.

Qualifications (Required)

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related discipline.
• 5+ years HR experience with significant time in manufacturing / industrial / high-volume environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in employee relations, investigations, performance management, and supervisor coaching.
• Working knowledge of U.S. employment fundamentals (wage/hour, leave, accommodation processes, documentation standards).
• Strong communication skills and ability to influence in an operational setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• HR certification (PHR/SPHR/SHRM-CP/SCP).
• Experience in automotive, Tier 1 supplier, industrial manufacturing, or multi-shift operations.
• Experience working within a global organization and matrix reporting structures.

Benefits

• Annual salary range: $89,900–$134,900 (Bowling Green, KY).
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• 12 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday, and 6 weeks paid parental leave.
• Paid vacation: 120 hours and 40 hours personal paid absence annually.
• Stock purchase program and annual bonus up to 7% of salary.

All employees are entitled to equal employment opportunities. This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship. All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.