Senior Human Resources Manager

Axillon Aerospace•San Diego, CA

7d•$155,000 - $190,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Human Resources Manager is the strategic and operational HR leader for a 380-person aerospace manufacturing facility in San Diego, California. The role partners closely with the Site General Manager and leadership team to advance business performance through talent, culture, employee engagement, compliance, and organizational effectiveness. It leads all areas of Human Resources, including employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, benefits, labor compliance, organizational development, succession planning, and workforce planning. The position balances strategic business partnership with hands-on HR operations in a fast-paced, highly regulated manufacturing environment supporting aerospace and defense customers. It leads and develops site HR staff, including an HR Business Partner and Coordinator, and drives continuous improvement in HR processes and service delivery. The role is primarily onsite, includes regular presence on the manufacturing floor and frequent interaction with production, engineering, quality, and executive leadership, and may involve travel of up to 10% to other facilities. The annual base salary range is $155,000–$190,000, with eligibility for performance-based incentives and a broader total rewards program.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
8–12+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
Minimum 5 years supporting manufacturing operations.
Minimum 3 years in an HR leadership role.
Strong knowledge of California employment law.
Experience leading complex employee relations matters.
Experience partnering with senior business leaders.
Demonstrated success in organizational change and talent development.
Excellent communication, influencing, and coaching skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification.
Aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing experience.
Knowledge of government contracting requirements and ITAR/EAR regulations.
Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience.

Responsibilities

Advise the Site General Manager and leadership team on organizational design, workforce planning, talent strategy, and employee engagement.
Translate business objectives into people strategies that improve operational performance.
Coach leaders on performance management, leadership effectiveness, conflict resolution, and change management.
Lead organizational initiatives supporting business growth, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
Lead complex employee relations investigations and recommend actions to minimize organizational risk.
Foster accountability, inclusion, and high performance; ensure consistent application of company policies and employment practices.
Resolve sensitive workplace issues while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
Partner with recruiting to attract and retain manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, and leadership talent.
Develop workforce plans aligned with production demand and business growth; monitor hiring metrics and improve recruiting effectiveness.
Support onboarding programs that accelerate employee integration and retention.
Lead annual performance reviews and talent assessments; identify high-potential employees and succession plans with leaders.
Develop leadership capability through coaching, development programs, and training; support career development and internal mobility.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, California state, and local employment laws and relevant employment requirements.
Support internal and external audits.
Partner with Corporate HR and Compensation to administer competitive compensation programs and support salary planning, promotions, incentive programs, and market analyses.
Assist employees with benefit programs and wellness initiatives.
Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance leaders; align staffing plans with production schedules.
Drive initiatives to improve retention, attendance, productivity, and employee engagement, using HR metrics to identify trends and recommend corrective actions.
Lead site HR processes, including performance management, onboarding and offboarding, investigations, leave administration, policy administration, HRIS transactions, and employee communications.
Ensure accurate HR reporting and workforce analytics.
Lead and develop the site HR staff, build a collaborative and customer-focused HR team, and champion diversity and engagement initiatives.
Drive continuous improvement of HR processes and service delivery.
Build trusted partnerships with site leadership, improve engagement and retention metrics, reduce time-to-fill for critical manufacturing positions, and strengthen leadership capability.
Support site productivity, quality, and safety objectives while maintaining compliance with employment regulations and company policies.