Strategic HR Director — People & Growth Leader

Forge Search; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Forge Search partners with a well-established, privately-owned company to recruit a Human Resources Director for an on-site role in Charlotte, NC. The role leads HR strategy and delivery, partnering with executive leadership to support people strategy, experience, growth, and operational effectiveness.

Ideal candidate brings strong experience in employee relations, benefits administration, compliance, development, and recruitment, with high emotional intelligence, discretion, and judgment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• Strong background in employee relations and benefits administration required; experience with HRIS systems and benefits platforms.
• Experience supporting both professional and operational/field employee populations preferred.
• Experience within multi-entity or service-based organizations preferred.
• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.
• High level of discretion, maturity, and professionalism; Ability to navigate sensitive situations with empathy and sound judgment.
• Ability to build trust and credibility across all levels of the organization.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Comfortable with 10-15% travel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary resource for employee relations matters across the organization.
• Provide coaching and guidance to managers regarding performance management, conflict resolution, disciplinary action, and workplace concerns.
• Conduct and manage employee investigations with professionalism, discretion, and objectivity.
• Support organizational restructuring, workforce planning, and employee communication initiatives.
• Oversee all employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, and retirement plans.
• Partner with benefits brokers and vendors to evaluate plan design, utilization, and cost management strategies.
• Lead annual open enrollment processes and employee benefit communications.
• Support employees with benefit-related questions, claims issues, leave administration, and coverage changes.
• Manage and administer FMLA, ADA accommodations, short-term disability, long-term disability, and other leave programs.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Maintain and update employee policies, procedures, and handbooks.
• Partner with leadership to support recruitment efforts for both corporate and operational roles.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on people-related matters.
• Collaborate across departments to support business objectives and organizational growth.
• Provide oversight and mentorship to HR team members as appropriate.

Skills

Employee relations

Benefits administration

HRIS systems

Recruitment

Organizational development

Emotional intelligence

Discretion

Policy development

Microsoft Office

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources

Tools

Workday

ADP

Job description

Forge Search partners with a well-established, privately-owned company to recruit a Human Resources Director for an on-site role in Charlotte, NC. The role leads HR strategy and delivery, partnering with executive leadership to support people strategy, experience, growth, and operational effectiveness.

Ideal candidate brings strong experience in employee relations, benefits administration, compliance, development, and recruitment, with high emotional intelligence, discretion, and judgment.