Human Resources Manager

Cayuga Milk Ingredients • Auburn, NY

34d • Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Manager plays a critical role in supporting a fast-growing dairy manufacturing organization by leading talent acquisition, strengthening employee relations, and partnering directly with operations to build a stable, high-performing workforce. This role operates in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and requires a hands-on HR leader who is comfortable spending significant time on the production floor working alongside plant leadership and employees. The primary focus of the position is developing and executing high-volume recruiting strategies for hourly manufacturing roles, ensuring the organization can rapidly scale while maintaining workforce quality, engagement, and retention. The HR Manager will also support employee relations, management development, and training initiatives that help build a strong organizational culture rooted in accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. In addition, this role will help modernize HR processes by leveraging data analytics and transitioning manual, paper-based processes to electronic documentation and HR systems that improve efficiency, reporting capability, and compliance. This position is ideal for a high-potential HR professional seeking to grow into a senior HR role within a dynamic and expanding organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in: Human Resources Business Administration Organizational Development or related field preferred
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience, with 2+ years as a Manager or Business Partner
• Demonstrated experience leading high-volume recruiting initiatives
• Experience managing employee relations matters and workplace investigations
• Experience supporting training or workforce development programs
• Experience implementing or utilizing HRIS systems (preferably Paylocity) and data reporting tools.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws and HR best practices
• Experience with HRIS, Applicant Tracking Systems, and digital HR platforms
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel for data analysis
• Ability to analyze HR data and translate insights into actionable workforce strategies
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to build scalable recruiting processes that support rapid workforce growth.
• Comfortable working directly with plant leadership and engaging employees on the production floor .
• Strong ability to manage workplace issues professionally and fairly.
• Ability to leverage HR data and analytics to improve workforce planning, recruiting strategies, and retention.
• Interest and capability in modernizing HR systems and transitioning manual processes to digital platforms.
• Proven experience in developing supervisors and future leaders within the organization.
• Ability to navigate all areas of the facility, including office spaces, warehouse areas, and the exterior perimeter.
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) as necessary to safely perform job duties.
• Ability to stand, sit, and carry out tasks throughout a full shift, with appropriate meal breaks.
• Physically capable of standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, twisting, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, and crouching as needed.
• Able to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds independently and heavier objects with reasonable accommodations.
• Visual acuity sufficient to perform job duties accurately.
• Capable of assessing weights, judging distances, and working at various heights.
• Typically, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm with varying start and stop times.
• Must be available to meet with off-shift personnel as necessary.
• Must be available to support a 24/7/365 operation as necessary.
• Job is onsite with consideration given for occasional remote work to support work-life balance.

Nice To Haves

• HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR) preferred but not required
• Experience supporting manufacturing, food processing, or industrial environments strongly preferred
• Experience working in fast-paced or high-growth organizations

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle recruiting for hourly and some salaried roles across manufacturing, maintenance, quality, warehouse, and administrative functions.
• Develop and execute high-volume recruiting strategies to support rapid workforce growth in a 24/7 dairy manufacturing environment.
• Build and maintain strong talent pipelines through partnerships with: Local technical schools and colleges Workforce development organizations Community organizations and job centers Industry networks and recruiting platforms
• Implement creative sourcing strategies to attract manufacturing talent in a competitive labor market.
• Manage recruiting metrics including time-to-fill, candidate flow, offer acceptance rates, and early retention.
• Continuously improve hiring processes to ensure efficient onboarding of new employees while maintaining hiring quality.
• Serve as a hands-on HR business partner to plant leadership, working closely with operations managers, supervisors, and shift leaders.
• Maintain a strong presence on the production floor to build relationships with employees and understand operational challenges.
• Provide guidance to managers on workforce management, performance expectations, coaching, and employee engagement.
• Support operations in maintaining a stable workforce capable of meeting production demands while maintaining safety and quality standards.
• Assist leadership with workforce planning to anticipate hiring needs related to production expansion, seasonal demand, or operational changes.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to employees and supervisors on workplace concerns, policy interpretation, and conflict resolution.
• Address employee relations matters in a timely, fair, and consistent manner.
• Conduct investigations related to workplace concerns or policy violations as necessary.
• Support performance management processes including coaching, corrective action, and employee development.
• Promote a positive workplace culture that values communication, accountability, and respect.
• Partner with operations leadership to develop and support training programs for manufacturing employees, including: New employee onboarding Supervisor and leadership development Skills training for production roles Workplace compliance training
• Help establish structured onboarding programs that improve new employee retention and engagement.
• Support development of career pathways for high-performing hourly employees.
• Assist in building leadership capabilities among frontline supervisors and managers.
• Utilize HR data and analytics to support informed decision-making related to recruiting, retention, workforce stability, and employee engagement.
• Track and analyze key HR metrics such as: Time-to-fill Turnover rates Early tenure retention Workforce trends Recruiting pipeline effectiveness
• Lead initiatives to transition HR processes from paper-based systems to electronic documentation and digital HR platforms.
• Identify opportunities to maximize the capabilities of the HRIS (Paylocity).
• Partner with leadership to implement HRIS and applicant tracking systems that improve efficiency, data accuracy, and reporting capabilities.
• Ensure HR records and documentation are maintained in secure electronic systems in compliance with company policy and regulatory requirements.
• Use workforce data to identify trends and recommend improvements to hiring strategies, retention programs, and workforce planning.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws as well as company policies.
• Maintain accurate HR documentation and employee records.
• Assist in administration of HR programs including performance management, onboarding, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Support benefits administration and employee communication regarding HR policies and programs.
• Assist with development and implementation of HR policies and employee handbook updates.
• Help foster a strong workplace culture aligned with the company’s values of safety, quality, teamwork, and accountability.
• Support initiatives aimed at improving employee retention, engagement, and workforce stability.
• Contribute to HR strategies that support organizational growth and operational excellence.

What This Job Offers

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