Human Resources Manager - International Spices

Woodland Gourmet • Fremont, NE

1d • $85,000 - $117,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Manager is the senior onsite HR leader at International Spices, a manufacturing company within the Woodland Gourmet portfolio. The role reports directly to the Vice President, Human Resources at Woodland Gourmet and has a dotted-line relationship to the President of International Spices. The manager leads the facility’s human resources functions, aligning local workforce strategies with enterprise-wide HR initiatives while supporting business performance, operational excellence, food safety standards, and employee engagement.

The role partners with plant leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and change management; leads recruitment and staffing plans; advises employees and leaders on workplace concerns; and oversees compliance, risk management, payroll, compensation, benefits, training, performance management, and implementation of HR policies and processes. It also supports engagement, retention, leadership development, succession planning, and continuous improvement in HR operations.

This is an onsite leadership role in a manufacturing facility, with regular presence on the production floor. The work may take place in office, manufacturing, and warehouse settings, with exposure to industrial noise, odors, food-processing equipment, and varying temperatures. The employee must be able to wear required PPE, including hairnets, gloves, and protective footwear. The estimated salary is $85,000 to $117,000, and the role is eligible for an annual bonus subject to the incentive program’s terms and conditions. The company offers a competitive compensation package with benefits.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5–8 years of progressive HR experience, including experience in manufacturing or food production environments.
• Experience supporting hourly workforces in regulated environments.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and workplace safety regulations.
• Strong business and operational acumen.
• Ability to influence executive leadership and frontline management.
• Excellent judgment and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on execution capability.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and integrity.

Nice To Haves

• HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary HR partner to the President and plant leadership team.
• Align site-level HR strategies with Woodland Gourmet’s enterprise HR framework.
• Advise on organizational design, workforce planning, and change management.
• Support business growth, integration, and operational initiatives.
• Lead full-cycle recruitment for production, maintenance, quality, and administrative roles.
• Develop staffing plans for seasonal production and capacity requirements.
• Implement workforce forecasting strategies in partnership with operations.
• Advise leaders and employees, lead investigations, and resolve workplace concerns.
• Drive engagement initiatives that promote retention and a high-performance culture.
• Ensure consistent application of policies and fair employment practices.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Partner with operations and the Safety Manager to support OSHA compliance and food safety standards, including GMP, HACCP, and SQF.
• Manage workers’ compensation, unemployment claims, and regulatory reporting.
• Maintain accurate HR records and reporting metrics.
• Oversee site payroll processing, ensuring accurate and timely processing, legal compliance, coordination with Finance, and resolution of payroll inquiries and discrepancies.
• Administer compensation and incentive programs in line with corporate guidelines.
• Manage employee benefits, including enrollment, vendor coordination, employee communication, and issue resolution.
• Partner with Woodland Gourmet HR on annual benefits planning and open enrollment.
• Lead employee engagement activities, including surveys, action planning, recognition programs, and retention strategies.
• Oversee onboarding for hourly and salaried employees.
• Identify training needs across production and leadership teams.
• Support leadership development and succession planning.
• Guide managers through goal setting, performance evaluations, and development planning.
• Support rollout and communication of annual and mid-year performance reviews.
• Support accountability and performance improvement processes.
• Implement enterprise HR policies at the site level and ensure consistent procedures and documentation standards.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes and systems.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned to support business objectives and operational needs.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package with benefits.
• Annual bonus eligibility, based on the incentive program terms and conditions.
• Employee benefits program designed to support healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.

What This Job Offers

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