Human Resources Manager- Detroit Thermal Systems

Piston Automotive • Romulus, MI

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The HR Manager at Detroit Thermal Systems (DTS) serves as a strategic and operational business partner to plant leadership, supporting a large-scale, complex, and fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for driving end-to-end HR execution at the site, including employee relations, talent development, labor relations, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness. The HR Manager plays a critical role in enabling plant performance during launch, ramp-up, and steady-state operations, ensuring the organization has the leadership, capability, and culture required to perform at a high level. The ideal candidate is a hands-on HR leader who thrives in dynamic, high-pressure environments, demonstrates strong business acumen, and can influence leaders to drive accountability, engagement, and performance across the plant.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• Minimum 8+ years of progressive HR experience, preferably in manufacturing environments
• Experience supporting plant operations and leadership teams in a manufacturing setting
• Strong experience in employee relations
• Strong experience in labor relations (union environment preferred)
• Strong experience in performance management
• Demonstrated business and financial acumen, with the ability to connect HR decisions to operational outcomes
• Proven experience supporting fast-paced, high-pressure manufacturing environments (including launch, ramp-up, or transformation settings)
• Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and drive accountability without direct authority
• Experience partnering with plant leadership to support organizational readiness, performance, and engagement
• Strong capability in managing complex employee and labor relations issues
• Ability to balance strategic HR partnership with hands-on execution

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Plant Manager and site leadership team to align HR strategy with operational and business objectives.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders on organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and leader capability and performance.
• Support plant execution by ensuring the organization is staffed, structured, and operating effectively.
• Support HR execution through plant launch, ramp-up, and stabilization phases, ensuring readiness across workforce planning, onboarding, leadership capability, training, culture, and engagement.
• Partner with leadership to drive accountability and ownership during high-pressure operational periods.
• Lead all aspects of employee relations, including investigations, corrective actions, performance management, and terminations.
• Partner with plant leadership on labor relations and collective bargaining agreement compliance.
• Coach leaders through complex employee situations, ensuring consistency and fairness.
• Lead and execute performance management processes, including coaching leaders on performance conversations, developing performance improvement plans (PIPs), and supporting talent reviews.
• Drive succession planning and leadership development across all levels.
• Ensure the plant is building a sustainable talent pipeline.
• Identify staffing needs and partner with Corporate Talent Acquisition for hiring execution.
• Use data and workforce analytics to support planning and decision-making.
• Ensure the plant is staffed appropriately to meet operational demand.
• Oversee and manage all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, development, retention, and offboarding.
• Serve as subject matter expert for HR systems and processes.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance in all HR administrative processes.
• Drive a strong, engaged workforce aligned with One Piston culture and values.
• Act as cultural ambassador, reinforcing accountability, respect for people, and operational excellence.
• Partner with leadership to maintain high levels of employee engagement and communication.
• Coordinate and deliver management training on leadership development, performance management, employee relations, compliance, and workplace standards.
• Enable leaders to effectively manage teams in a fast-paced, operational environment.
• Partner with EHS leadership to support safe workplace practices.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Reinforce safety as a core component of plant culture.
• Administer site-level compensation and benefits programs.
• Partner with Finance and Corporate HR to resolve employee inquiries.
• Support market competitiveness through wage analysis and local market insight.

What This Job Offers

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