Human Resources Manager

James Hardie•Chicago, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The HR Manager, Organization & Talent serves as a strategic partner to the HR Vice President supporting Sales and Global Operations, James Hardie’s two largest organizations, representing approximately 5,000 employees. This role partners closely with the Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Sales Officer (CSO), and their leadership teams to shape and execute organizational and talent strategies that enable business performance. Global Operations includes nearly 30 manufacturing and recycling facilities, as well as Global Operations Centers of Excellence including Supply Chain, Quality, Advanced Manufacturing, EH&S, Procurement, and Engineering. The Sales organization consists of Field Sales, Retail, National Accounts and Sales Operations professionals across the U.S and Canada. This role operates across this complex and diverse organization drive organizational and talent priorities, manage critical cross-Sales and Global Operations HR processes, and lead initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness and design, talent pipeline and capability, and organizational engagement and retention. This position serves as a strategic connector between business leaders, the HR VP, HR Business Partners, HR Centers of Excellence and HR Operations. The role balances strategic partnership with hands-on execution and requires strong business acumen, executive presence, analytical capability, and the ability to influence and drive results across a complex organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or related field.
7+ years of progressive HR experience, with experience in talent management, organizational effectiveness, design and development, HR business partnering and HR project/program management.
Experience partnering with senior leaders and operating as a trusted advisor in a complex, multi-site, and matrixed organization.
Demonstrated experience in talent management processes, including talent assessment, succession planning, performance management, and annual compensation processes.
Experience with organizational design, workforce planning, and other organizational effectiveness initiatives.
Strong project and program management skills with the ability to lead complex initiatives from development and planning through execution.
Strong analytical capability and demonstrated ability to use data to diagnose issues, identify trends, and drive action.
Excellent communication and executive presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and communicate complex topics clearly.
Proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and influence outcomes without direct authority.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a manufacturing, industrial, or similarly complex operating environment preferred.

Responsibilities

Partner closely with the HR VP, COO, CSO, and their leadership teams to understand business priorities and translate them into organizational and talent strategies.
Diagnose organizational and talent needs and proactively identify opportunities, risks, and actions that can improve business performance.
Lead and support cross-Sales and/or Global Operations organizational design initiatives, including organizational structure, role clarity, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.
Partner with leaders to assess organizational capabilities and identify critical talent and capability gaps.
Leverage organizational, talent, and workforce data to provide insights and recommendations that inform leadership decisions.
Serve as a trusted thought partner to the HR VP, the Sales and Global Operations Leadership Team and senior business leaders on organizational and talent matters.
Plan and lead key HR processes across Sales and Global Operations, including Talent Assessment & Succession, Performance Management, and other enterprise and/or functional talent processes.
Facilitate talent discussions with leadership teams and translate talent assessments into actionable succession development and talent acquisition priorities to activate throughout the year.
Partner with leaders to strengthen talent pipeline depth, readiness, and development for critical roles.
Identify talent risks and opportunities and partner with leaders and HR COEs to develop targeted actions.
Ensure effective execution of annual HR processes through clear planning, communication, stakeholder alignment, and follow-through.
Continuously identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and business impact of core HR processes.
Own and manage the HR Management System for Sales and Global Operations to create visibility, alignment, and accountability across key HR priorities.
Further establish and manage the HR operating rhythm, including leadership meetings, agendas, metrics, project status reviews, and follow-up actions.
Develop and maintain dashboards and scorecards that provide visibility into organizational, talent, and HR performance.
Prepare executive-level materials, insights, and recommendations to support decision-making.
Monitor progress against key priorities, proactively identify barriers and risks, and drive appropriate action and escalation.
Continuously improve the HR management system to strengthen focus, accountability, and execution across the organization.
Lead or contribute to cross-functional organizational effectiveness and talent initiatives across Sales, Global Operations, and HR that drive consistency, scalability, and business impact.
Partner across HR Centers of Excellence, including Talent Management, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, as well as HR Operations and other functional teams, to deliver integrated solutions.
Translate business needs into clear requirements and ensure HR programs and solutions effectively address those needs.
Drive alignment and accountability across multiple functions and teams, often without direct authority.
Share insights and best practices across the organization to strengthen the overall effectiveness of HR, drive learnings and continuous improvement.
Support broader HR initiatives that extend beyond Sales and Global Operations and contribute to enterprise-wide outcomes.