Vice President Human Resources

Circular Services; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vis

Company-paid Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

401k with company match

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Job summary

Circular Services seeks an experienced, bilingual (English/Spanish) Vice President of Human Resources to lead HR for a unionized, labor-intensive workforce and guide acquisitions and integrations with a data-driven approach. This hands-on leader partners with operational executives and reports to the Chief People Officer.

The VP will oversee employee relations, talent acquisition, development, and labor relations, ensuring regulatory compliance while fostering accountability and engagement

Qualifications

• 15–20+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on Employee Relations.
• Extensive experience with unionized workforces and labor relations.
• Experience leading HR during mergers, acquisitions, and post-acquisition integrations.
• Experience supporting large frontline labor populations in sectors like Waste & Recycling, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Willingness to travel to support multiple operating locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead employee and labor relations strategy and advise senior leadership on union matters.
• Oversee talent acquisition and development for leadership and frontline roles.
• Drive HR programs across acquisitions, integrations, and organizational growth.
• Partner with executives to align people strategy with business objectives and field operations.
• Ensure compliance with employment and labor laws across jurisdictions.
• Build relationships with union representatives and support negotiations and dispute resolution.
• Promote proactive workforce management and prevent workplace issues.

Skills

Employee relations

Union relations

Investigations

Labor law

HR leadership

Mergers & acquisitions

Multisite operations

Bilingual English/Spanish

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Business

Job description

Circular Services is a leading developer and operator of circular economy infrastructure and services and the largest private recycling company in the U.S. with operations across the country. We help businesses and municipalities reduce and divert waste, lowering disposal costs and fueling local supply chains by ensuring materials are recovered, recycled, and reused.

About the Role:

Circular Services is seeking an experienced, bilingual (English/Spanish) Vice President of Human Resources with a proven track record supporting unionized and labor-intensive workforces, leading organizations through acquisitions and integrations, and leveraging data to proactively identify workforce trends and mitigate employee relations issues before they escape. This leader will foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and preventive labor relations while maintaining a strong presence in the field.

This is a hands‑on leadership role that requires close partnership with operational leaders. The Vice President will serve as a trusted advisor to the business while remaining directly involved in employee relations, workplace investigations, labor relations, workers' compensation oversight, and workforce analytics. The ideal candidate is an operations‑oriented HR executive who thrives in complex labor environments and has built a career supporting frontline workforces. The VP of HR reports to the Chief People Officer.

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k with company match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition Reimbursement Program

Responsibilities:

Employee Relations & Labor Relations

• Lead employee and labor relations strategy and serve as a key advisor to leadership on union‑related matters.
• Conduct complex workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, misconduct allegations, retaliation claims, harassment concerns, and other sensitive matters.
• Partner closely with operations leaders to address workforce concerns, resolve employee relations issues, and support positive labor‑management relationships.
• Build productive working relationships with union representatives.
• Provide guidance on disciplinary actions, performance management, conflict resolution, corrective action processes, and contract administration.
• Support grievance management, labor negotiations, dispute resolution, and collective bargaining agreement interpretation.
• Drive preventive labor relations initiatives through culture audits, workforce assessments, employee engagement efforts, open communication practices, and early grievance resolution.
• Proactively identify and address workforce concerns before they escalate into larger employee relations or labor issues.
• Promote collaborative problem‑solving and proactive workforce management across all levels of the organization.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws, labor regulations, and company policies.

Talent Acquisition & Talent Development

• Oversee the Talent Acquisition leadership and provide strategic direction to recruiting team.
• Ensure recruiting strategies effectively support both hourly and salaried hiring needs across the organization.
• Recruit and manage requisitions for key leadership, specialized, and business‑critical positions, as needed.
• Develop workforce planning initiatives that support organizational growth, operational objectives, and long‑term talent needs.
• Lead succession planning efforts for critical operational, technical, and leadership positions.
• Partner with executive and operational leaders to identify, assess, and develop high‑potential employees.
• Build and maintain talent pipelines that support organizational growth, workforce stability, and leadership continuity.
• Support leadership development initiatives and workforce capability‑building programs to strengthen organizational bench strength.
• Align talent acquisition, succession planning, and talent development strategies to ensure the organization is positioned to meet current and future workforce needs.

Organizational Growth & M&A

• Lead HR due diligence efforts related to mergers, acquisitions, and business integrations.
• Partner with executive leadership to support organizational restructuring, workforce transitions, and change management initiatives.
• Develop integration plans that align people, culture, and operational objectives.
• Support employee communications and workforce stabilization efforts during periods of change.

Leadership & Business Partnership

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and operational executives.
• Drive practical HR solutions that support business objectives while maintaining a strong employee‑focused culture.
• Balance strategic leadership responsibilities with a highly hands‑on approach to workforce management.
• Perform other duties, special projects, and strategic initiatives as assigned to support the evolving needs of the business and Human Resources function.

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 15–20+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with a significant focus on Employee Relations.
• Extensive experience working with unionized workforces and labor relations matters.
• Demonstrated experience conducting complex workplace investigations personally.
• Experience leading HR activities during mergers, acquisitions, and post‑acquisition integrations.
• Experience supporting large frontline labor populations in industries such as: Waste & Recycling, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas.
• Experience supporting multi‑site operations across multiple states.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, labor law, and HR compliance.
• Proven ability to build credibility with both executive leadership and frontline employees.
• Travel is required to support multiple operating locations and workforce needs. The role requires regular onsite presence and engagement with field operations.

EEOC: Circular Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Circular Services is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Circular Services are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Circular Services will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.