Plant Human Resources Manager

Educated Solutions Corp; Evansville (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Educated Solutions Corp. seeks a Plant Human Resources Manager for our Evansville, IN manufacturing facility.

This full-time role partners with plant leadership, employees, and union representatives to oversee daily HR operations in a fast-paced, multi-shift environment. The ideal candidate has hands-on union labor relations experience, a manufacturing HR background, and strong communication, policy interpretation, and employee-relations skills to support workforce planning, safety, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field.
• 3+ years HR experience in manufacturing/plant/industrial.
• Experience supporting unionized workforce and labor relations.
• Experience with employee relations, grievance resolution, and contract administration.
• Experience with FMLA, workers' compensation, and return-to-work programs.
• Experience recruiting hourly employees.
• Strong communication and relationship-building with employees, union reps, and plant leadership.
• Ability to handle difficult conversations with professionalism and empathy.
• Independent with sound decision-making; strong organization and time management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HR-related systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary HR partner for plant leadership, employees, and union representatives.
• Manage day-to-day HR operations within a fast-paced manufacturing and plant environment.
• Lead employee relations and labor relations activities, including grievance resolution and contract administration.
• Maintain a strong working relationship between plant management and union representatives while appropriately representing company policies and expectations.
• Handle challenging employee and labor relations situations with confidence, professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment.
• Support union communications and labor-related matters, including arbitration when necessary.
• Provide guidance to plant leadership on employee relations, policy interpretation, performance concerns, and workforce issues.
• Ensure employees feel heard and supported while maintaining appropriate boundaries and consistently applying company policies.
• Oversee and support compliance with applicable company policies and state and federal employment laws.
• Administer and support FMLA, workers' compensation, return-to-work, and other employee leave programs.
• Manage recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding activities for hourly plant positions.
• Partner with plant leadership on workforce planning, staffing needs, and recruiting priorities.
• Support benefits administration and serve as a resource for employee questions and concerns.
• Coordinate and support plant safety programs, training activities, OSHA logs, hearing testing, and corporate safety reporting.
• Partner with plant management on HR strategy, workforce needs, employee engagement, and process improvement initiatives.
• Provide leadership, direction, and day-to-day guidance to the HR Assistant.
• Mentor and support the development of the HR Assistant as they grow toward broader HR Generalist responsibilities.
• Help ensure the HR function provides consistent, responsive, and effective support to employees across multiple shifts.
• Manage multiple competing priorities while remaining visible and engaged with day-to-day plant operations.

Skills

HR management

Labor relations

Employee relations

Communication

Policy interpretation

Decision making

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field

Tools

Workday

HRIS platforms

Recruiting systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

ESC has an exciting opportunity for a Plant Human Resources Manager to support a manufacturing facility in Evansville, IN. This full-time opportunity is ideal for an experienced HR professional with a strong manufacturing background and hands‑on union labor relations experience. The Plant Human Resources Manager will serve as a key partner to plant leadership, employees, and union representatives while overseeing day-to-day HR operations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This individual will help foster positive working relationships across the facility while providing knowledgeable and confident HR guidance. The ideal candidate is approachable, employee-focused, and comfortable working closely with both union and management teams. They should be able to communicate effectively and handle challenging situations with professionalism and empathy. This position supports a large, active manufacturing operation with multiple shifts and a continuous production environment.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary HR partner for plant leadership, employees, and union representatives
• Manage day-to-day HR operations within a fast-paced manufacturing and plant environment
• Lead employee relations and labor relations activities, including grievance resolution and contract administration
• Maintain a strong working relationship between plant management and union representatives while appropriately representing company policies and expectations
• Handle challenging employee and labor relations situations with confidence, professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment
• Support union communications and labor-related matters, including arbitration when necessary
• Provide guidance to plant leadership on employee relations, policy interpretation, performance concerns, and workforce issues
• Ensure employees feel heard and supported while maintaining appropriate boundaries and consistently applying company policies
• Oversee and support compliance with applicable company policies and state and federal employment laws
• Administer and support FMLA, workers' compensation, return-to-work, and other employee leave programs
• Manage recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding activities for hourly plant positions
• Partner with plant leadership on workforce planning, staffing needs, and recruiting priorities
• Support benefits administration and serve as a resource for employee questions and concerns
• Coordinate and support plant safety programs, training activities, OSHA logs, hearing testing, and corporate safety reporting
• Partner with plant management on HR strategy, workforce needs, employee engagement, and process improvement initiatives
• Provide leadership, direction, and day-to-day guidance to the HR Assistant
• Mentor and support the development of the HR Assistant as they grow toward broader HR Generalist responsibilities
• Help ensure the HR function provides consistent, responsive, and effective support to employees across multiple shifts
• Manage multiple competing priorities while remaining visible and engaged with day-to-day plant operations

Must Have Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field
• 3+ years of HR experience within a manufacturing, plant, or industrial environment
• Previous hands‑on experience supporting a unionized workforce and managing labor relations is required
• Experience with employee relations, grievance resolution, and contract administration
• Recent or current experience working closely with day-to-day manufacturing or plant operations
• Strong understanding of employment practices, HR compliance, and workplace policies
• Experience supporting FMLA, workers' compensation, and return-to-work programs
• Experience recruiting and hiring hourly employees
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to work effectively with employees, union representatives, and plant leadership
• Ability to handle difficult conversations, stand firm when necessary, and communicate decisions with professionalism and empathy
• Confidence working independently and making sound decisions in a complex employee and labor relations environment
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HR-related systems

Nice to Have Qualifications:

• Experience with Workday or other HRIS platforms
• Experience using HRIS or recruiting systems to support hiring and employee data management
• Previous experience managing or mentoring HR staff
• Experience supporting a large manufacturing workforce across multiple shifts
• Experience working in a 24/7 or continuous manufacturing environment
• Experience supporting plant safety programs and OSHA-related reporting
• Experience partnering directly with plant leadership on workforce planning and HR strategy