Strategic HR Governance Partner

Great Lakes Cheese; Hiram Township (OH); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Lakes Cheese is seeking an HR Governance Partner to act as a strategic guardian of organizational integrity across policies, audits, and risk management. You will oversee leave administration, federal/state reporting, internal investigations, and policy implementation.

Based in Ohio operations, the role partners with Legal and IT to ensure compliant, transparent people processes, accurate data, and proactive risk mitigation while guiding site teams through audits and compliance programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field.
• 6 years of progressive HR experience, with 3–5 years on Employee Relations / HR Operations / Risk Mitigation.
• Ability to conduct complex internal investigations and provide actionable summaries.
• Strong written and verbal communication for policy interpretation.
• Proven ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments.

Responsibilities

• Monitor changes in labor laws to ensure compliance.
• Draft and update the Employee Handbook and HR policies.
• Translate complex regulations into clear guidelines for managers.
• Oversee pre-employment screening and vendor management of drug screening.
• Prepare government reports (EEO-1, New Hire, VETS-4212).
• Conduct internal HR audits (I-9, E-Verify) to identify vulnerabilities.
• Serve as main contact for external audit firms and coordinate logistics.
• Support safety, integrity, and data accuracy across sites.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Investigation skills

Regulatory awareness

Risk management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in HR or related field

6 years HR experience

Job description

Great Lakes Cheese is seeking an HR Governance Partner to act as a strategic guardian of organizational integrity across policies, audits, and risk management. You will oversee leave administration, federal/state reporting, internal investigations, and policy implementation.

Based in Ohio operations, the role partners with Legal and IT to ensure compliant, transparent people processes, accurate data, and proactive risk mitigation while guiding site teams through audits and compliance programs.