Associate HR Director, Operations

Select Division•Chicago, IL

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

Lactalis Heritage Dairy, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring an Associate HR Director, Operations position based in Chicago, IL. The Associate HR Director, Operations plays a key role in supporting the HR strategy across our technical functions of Industrial, Supply Chain and Quality. This role collaborates particularly closely with Supply Chain and Quality VPs, providing executive coaching and broader HR guidance on employee relations, talent and organizational development, and engagement initiatives. This position is responsible for ensuring our Supply Chain and Quality organizations are strategic partners to our Industrial teams, creating one combined “Operations” unit within Lactalis Heritage Dairy (LHD). Reporting to the HR Director for Operations who will be primarily supporting our Industrial sites, this role may take on indirect leadership of a small subset of manufacturing sites depending on workload.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
8+ years of Human Resources Business Partner experience required; multi-site and international CPG experience preferred.
3+ years of Industrial HR experience required.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Proven track record managing complex employee relations, workplace investigations, retention initiatives, and industrial workforce dynamics.
Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulatory compliance standards.
Strong financial and analytical capability to evaluate, monitor, and optimize labor costs in alignment with business budgets.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to facilitate discussions and deliver effective presentations.
Excellent planning and organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple competing priorities.
Ability to translate broader operational targets into actionable talent and HR strategies.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Experience leading organizational design, workforce planning, and change management initiatives.
Demonstrated expertise in drafting, updating, and implementing corporate HR policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.
Experience in Food Industry preferred.
Experience with SuccessFactors, Paylocity, and Alchemy is preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop strong relationships with Human Resources (HR), as well as plant and Distribution Center leadership teams, as appropriate.
Guide plant HR teams on employee relation topics, including onboarding, recognition, performance, and investigations.
Recommend programs addressing attraction, turnover, and engagement; contribute and support during program implementation
Document progressive job titles, skills and rates by Hourly positions then communicate across the plants
Document progressive competencies and compensation (base salary + bonus) by Salaried position, reflecting established Salary Structure
Leverage Shared Services (benefits, payroll, HRIS) to assist and engage employees; encourage appreciation for Total Rewards
Support Talent Acquisition and Talent Development at the field locations.
Facilitate and manage the training plan, collaborating with manufacturing leadership to identify development needs and ensure training programs support operational goals.
Lead the Management Review process, providing structure and oversight to ensure ongoing evaluation and improvement of workforce performance and engagement.
Facilitate and support employee communication and appraisal processes.
Interface regularly with Corporate HR Team, and, where needed Legal, Compliance, and Safety.