Senior Human Resource Business Partner

AWC Career•Baton Rouge, LA

About The Position

AWC is a leading provider of automation, controls, and valve solutions across the Gulf Coast and beyond. As a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP), our success is driven by people who take ownership, solve problems, build strong relationships, and continuously improve the way we serve our customers. Our culture is built on Safety, Family, Mutual Respect, Quality, Service, Partnerships, and Rewarding Results. We believe strong organizations are built through trust, accountability, and leaders who create environments where employees can learn, contribute, grow, and perform at a high level together. As our organization continues to grow, we are seeking an experienced Senior HR Business Partner who can influence leaders, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and foster our culture where high performance and mutual respect coexist. If you are an experienced HR professional who enjoys solving complex people challenges, coaching leaders, and helping organizations perform at their best, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you. The Senior HR Business Partner will serve as a trusted advisor to leaders across the organization, helping them navigate employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, and organizational structure. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in the real-world complexity of leadership - someone who builds trust quickly, helps employee co-owners realize their potential, coaches through difficult situations, and partners with leaders to build effective teams through clarity, accountability, and practical problem-solving. The successful candidate will be viewed not simply as “HR support,” but as a credible business partner who helps leaders solve problems, strengthen teams, improve organizational effectiveness, and build long-term success across the business.

Requirements

10–15+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong track record of influencing leaders, improving organizational effectiveness, and driving business outcomes
Experience supporting operational, industrial, manufacturing, field service, or multi-site environments strongly preferred
Demonstrated ability to build credibility and trusted partnerships with operational and technical leaders across multiple levels of an organization
Bachelor’s degree required
Engineering, technical, or analytical backgrounds are highly valued, as we appreciate problem solvers who approach people challenges with structured thinking

Nice To Haves

Experience building strong relationships and trust with both frontline employees and senior operational leaders
Demonstrated ability to influence leaders through credibility, judgment, and practical business partnership rather than policy enforcement alone
Background supporting industrial, manufacturing, field service, or multi-site operational environments
Lean, continuous improvement, or process improvement mindset with the ability to identify root causes and simplify complexity
Ability to balance employee trust, operational realities, and business performance in fast-paced environments
Experience helping organizations scale leadership capability, accountability, and workforce effectiveness without creating unnecessary bureaucracy

Responsibilities

Partner with Leaders on Organizational & People Strategy
Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders on employee relations, team dynamics, organizational effectiveness, and leadership challenges
Influence leaders through credibility, sound judgment, and practical business thinking
Help managers think strategically about how they structure, lead, and develop their teams to achieve business results
Provide guidance on organizational design, role clarity, span of control, and reporting structures
Partner with leaders to align workforce resources with operational priorities while maintaining healthy team dynamics and accountability
Workforce Effectiveness & Organizational Capability
Help leaders assess whether challenges stem from capacity, capability, leadership, workflow, or structural issues
Support leaders in evaluating staffing models, workload distribution, and team composition
Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness through better role definition, process alignment, communication, and talent deployment
Assist leadership in making informed decisions around hiring, restructuring, succession planning, or reallocating people resources
Help instill leadership habits and management disciplines that create scalable, high-performing teams
Leadership Coaching & Performance Management
Coach leaders through difficult employee situations with confidence, professionalism, and fairness
Support managers in setting expectations, delivering feedback, building accountability, and strengthening team trust
Guide leaders through performance improvement conversations, corrective action, and when necessary, terminations
Help leaders balance empathy, accountability, and operational expectations in a way that strengthens credibility with employees
Employee Relations & Trust Building
Build authentic relationships with employee-owners and leaders across multiple levels of the organization
Address workplace concerns early and helps resolve issues before they escalate into larger organizational problems
Foster a culture of trust, respect, accountability, and open communication
Serve as a calm, credible presence during sensitive or high-pressure situations
Help leaders strengthen employee trust through consistency, fairness, communication, and follow-through
Investigations & Risk Management
Conduct workplace investigations related to employee concerns, policy violations, ethics matters, or misconduct
Gather facts objectively and provide clear, balanced findings and recommendations
Ensure fair and consistent application of company policies and employment practices
Help leaders navigate sensitive situations while protecting trust, integrity, and organizational credibility