Director of Human Resources & Labor Relations

AvanSix•Hopewell, VA

13h

About The Position

The Director of Human Resources & Labor Relations is responsible for leading all HR activities across Operations and Manufacturing, with direct oversight of the HR Generalists who support these critical functions. This role partners closely with senior leadership to drive organizational transformation, talent development, and positive employee and labor relations. The Director will champion strategic workforce planning, compliance, and continuous improvement, ensuring HR programs and practices align with business objectives and foster an engaged, high-performing workforce.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s in HR/OD/Business preferred.
8-10 years of HR Generalist experience, with at least 3-5 years in a unionized, manufacturing or operations environment.
Demonstrated labor relations experience, including experience leading a collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

Nice To Haves

A curious personality who asks questions that add value to discussions.
Collaborative team member who builds strong working relationships across the enterprise.
Knowledge of contemporary HR and manufacturing processes, including continuous improvement methodologies (Six Sigma, Lean preferred).
Strong business and financial acumen; ability to link business objectives to HR strategies.
Experience leading and developing HR teams; proven ability to influence and drive change without direct authority.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization; including ability to explain data and insights to key stakeholders in a digestible format
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and to maintain confidentiality
Ability to manage large workload, quickly understand priorities, and be very responsive to customer needs; capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously with tight deadlines
Ability to build strong working relationships with stakeholders at all levels (ie both executive and lower levels)
A resilient person who demonstrates the ability to see failures as minor setbacks, with the tenacity to bounce back quickly and turn challenges into opportunities
Proficiency in HRIS and analytics tools; ability to leverage data for decision-making.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic partner to Operations and Manufacturing leadership, supporting business objectives and driving change management initiatives.
Lead, coach, and develop HR Generalists, fostering a collaborative and high-performing HR team.
Act as a coach and counsel to senior leaders, managers, and employees to mature People-focused, Customer centric, Performance driven culture.
Develop and execute workforce plans aligned with current and future operational needs.
Set the tone and partner actively with managers and HR centers of excellence on improving the employee experience including talent acquisition, onboarding, learning & development, performance management, and succession planning for hourly and salaried employees.
Partner with Workforce Development Managers across manufacturing sites to ensure hourly workforce hiring and training effectiveness and efficiency and monitor key associated people metrics (retention, certifications, progression).
Establish and maintain positive labor and collective bargaining relationships
Act as point of escalation for sites and Labor Relations Manager to resolve employee relations issues (including grievances and investigations) promptly and effectively.
Ensure execution of people programs/processes, including goal setting, performance reviews (including hourly probationary reviews), compensation planning, and benefits annual open enrollment.
Ensure compliance with all internal policies and external state and federal regulations (FMLA, EEOC, NLRA, etc.)
Partner with Health, Safety, and Environmental teams to implement effective programs and meet enterprise and site objectives.