Associate Manager, HRBP

Unilever • Independence, MO

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Knorr manufacturing facility in Independence, MO—located just 15 minutes east of downtown Kansas City—is a unionized, 24/7 operation. The Associate Manager, HR Business Partner serves as the primary on site HR contact and trusted partner to approximately 300 hourly team members and front line leaders. This role plays a critical part in delivering a positive employee experience while ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant application of company policies and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Working closely with HR Operations and People Partner teams, the Associate Manager, HRBP supports employee relations, performance management, onboarding, engagement, and change initiatives in a fast paced manufacturing environment.

Requirements

• 5+ years of HR experience in a manufacturing or factory environment; union experience strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting employee relations investigations and handling grievances.
• Solid working knowledge of employment law and employee relations practices.
• Strong communication, judgment, and problem solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Kronos timekeeping; UKG payroll and Workday or similar HR systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee relations questions, concerns, and grievances.
• Fairly and consistently administer the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in a union environment.
• Support union negotiations and collective bargaining processes, including implementation of agreements.
• Conduct employee relations investigations, including interviews, documentation, corrective actions, and counseling.
• Promote a respectful, inclusive, and proactive employee relations environment.
• Coach and counsel hourly employees and front line leaders on performance, conduct, attendance, and policy matters.
• Support leaders through the performance management process, including feedback conversations and documentation.
• Provide guidance to supervisors on delivering effective feedback and corrective action in compliance with employment laws.
• Act as a subject matter expert for HR policies, processes, and systems, partnering with centralized HR support teams as needed.
• Manage escalation of HR issues through resolution while maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders.
• Administer medical accommodation processes in alignment with company policy and federal and state regulations.
• Participate in affirmative action and compliance related activities.
• Monitor employee engagement and climate indicators and identify opportunities to improve the employee experience.
• Partner with leaders to address people trends and implement practical, local solutions.
• Support continuous improvement of HR processes and ways of working at the site level.
• Partner with recruitment on hourly hiring needs and support the end to end onboarding process.
• Coordinate onboarding activities with safety, operations, payroll, and benefits teams to ensure a smooth new hire experience.
• Lead or participate in local HR projects and initiatives from start to finish.

Benefits

• health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage)
• retirement savings benefits
• life insurance and disability benefits
• parental leave
• sick leave
• paid vacation and holidays
• access to numerous voluntary benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level