Manufacturing, HR Business Partner

Ford Motor•Chicago, IL

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing HR Business Partner serves as a strategic partner and hands-on HR leader embedded in automotive manufacturing plants and parts depots. The role supports hourly and salaried employees and partners with leaders to advance business objectives through HR initiatives. It manages employee lifecycle processes, promotes a positive and productive workplace, ensures compliance, and supports talent development, employee engagement, and labor relations on the production floor. The HR Business Partner advises plant leadership, translates business strategy into HR initiatives, and applies operational knowledge of lean manufacturing and logistics environments. The role leads talent management and workforce planning, uses HR analytics to guide decisions, manages organizational change, and fosters an inclusive, high-performance culture. It also oversees union and employee relations, collective bargaining, grievances, investigations, contractual compliance, HR risk management, payroll and attendance processes, leave programs, and workplace wellness and safety initiatives. This position requires onsite presence at the manufacturing plant and a rotating schedule. The stated schedules are Shift A: Monday–Thursday, 5:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Shift B: Tuesday–Friday, 5:00 p.m.–3:30 a.m.; and Shift C: Friday–Saturday, 5:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., and Sunday–Monday, 5:00 p.m.–3:30 a.m. The work is primarily seated, includes walking and standing on the manufacturing floor at least 20% of the time, and involves occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds. The work environment has low to moderate noise levels related to standard office or classroom equipment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, organizational development, another related discipline, or commensurate work experience.
With a bachelor’s degree, 2–4 years of relevant HR and labor experience.
Ability to work a rotating schedule.
Ability to work onsite at the manufacturing plant.
Occasional lifting of no more than 10 pounds; ability to walk and stand on the manufacturing floor at least 20% of the time.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

Relevant experience in a manufacturing setting.
PHR or SHRM-CP certification.

Responsibilities

Advise plant leadership and translate business strategy into HR initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness and the employee experience.
Use operational knowledge and engagement on the production floor to identify workforce needs and develop strategically aligned HR solutions.
Design and execute talent management strategies, including performance optimization, leadership development, succession planning, compensation, and talent acquisition.
Analyze future workforce needs and implement hourly talent programs such as apprenticeships, reskilling, and strategic placements.
Use HR analytics platforms, including Visier and Voice, to identify workforce trends and inform operational leadership decisions.
Lead change management initiatives across stakeholder groups and mitigate risks during lean and organizational transformation.
Promote an inclusive, high-performance culture aligned with the company’s 7 Proactive Leadership Standards; lead recognition, DEI initiatives, and cultural events.
Maintain a visible presence on the plant floor, build employee relationships, and address workplace concerns.
Coordinate interactions with local government agencies and lead charitable initiatives that support community engagement and the plant’s external reputation.
Engage with labor unions and employee representatives, develop positive labor relations, and participate in collective bargaining and negotiations.
Resolve complex union grievances, arbitrations, and disciplinary matters; conduct impartial investigations and support fair, timely outcomes.
Interpret and implement collective bargaining agreements consistently and ethically, and ensure contractual compensation obligations are met.
Lead HR compliance and risk management, identify and mitigate legal, reputational, and operational risks, and collaborate with legal counsel and corporate investigators on sensitive matters.
Manage payroll, attendance, vacation tracking, and other employee lifecycle processes for accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.
Administer leave programs, including FMLA, workers’ compensation, and ADA-related processes, using HRIS systems for tracking and compliance.
Partner with safety and occupational health leaders on safety audits, employee well-being, and workplace wellness initiatives.