People & Culture Leader — Strategic HR Partner

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op; Middlebury (VT); On-site; USD 92,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group health insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Flexible spending account

Paid time off

Paid holidays

401(k)

Profit-sharing bonus program

Paid parental leave

Life insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Co-op Membership

Staff discount

Hiring bonus

Job summary

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is seeking a People & Culture Manager to lead HR programs for our 100+ staff in a fast-paced retail setting. The role reports to the General Manager and partners with department leaders to support a dynamic, collaborative workplace.

You will drive recruitment, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and training to sustain our mission-driven culture.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of HR leadership across recruitment, employee relations, performance, compensation & benefits, and organizational development.
• Experience supporting organizations with 100+ employees.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience in retail, grocery, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, or fast-paced environments.
• Knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Experience with HRIS/payroll systems (Paylocity a plus).
• Degree in HR management or related field; professional HR certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment and Hiring across departments.
• Employee relations and coaching for managers and staff.
• Performance management and coaching processes.
• Compensation and benefits administration and governance.
• Leadership support and development across teams.
• Training and onboarding systems implementation and improvement.
• HR compliance and policy administration.
• Workplace culture, engagement, and change management.
• Organizational communication and cross-department collaboration.

Skills

HR leadership

Recruitment

Employee relations

Performance management

Compensation & benefits

Organizational development

Leadership

Communication

Change management

Education

Degree in HR management or related field

PHR/SPHR/SHRM certification

Tools

Paylocity

Job description

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is seeking a People & Culture Manager to lead HR programs for our 100+ staff in a fast-paced retail setting. The role reports to the General Manager and partners with department leaders to support a dynamic, collaborative workplace.

You will drive recruitment, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and training to sustain our mission-driven culture.