Workforce Engagement & Development Manager

Hays Electrical Services•Cedar Rapids, IA

About The Position

The Workforce Engagement & Development Manager (WEDM) is a field-embedded leadership role combining hands-on workforce management with strategic people development, without the administrative overhead or perception of a traditional HR function. The role links day-to-day project execution with executive strategy and is responsible for the morale, training, and readiness of a dedicated cohort of 100 field employees. The WEDM is visible on-site, builds trust with crews, communicates credibly with directors and executives, and translates field conditions into decisions and investments that help keep projects staffed, skilled, and running smoothly. The position calls for a blend of field operations experience and people-development instincts to address friction before it results in attrition, downtime, or compliance risk. The role oversees workforce morale and employee relations, deployment optimization, skills and certification readiness, career pathing, compliance, crew composition, and chain-of-command practices. It also provides regular reporting to the Director of Field Operations and executive leadership and represents the field’s perspective in leadership discussions.

Requirements

3–5 years of combined experience in field operations, such as scheduling, dispatch, or supervision, and people management or employee relations.
Strong conflict de-escalation and coaching skills.
Comfort communicating with executives.
Working knowledge of Workforce Management Systems (WMS) and HRIS platforms.
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or equivalent field experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience in construction, electrical, industrial, or technical trades environments is strongly preferred.
PHR, SPHR, or SHRM-CP certification is a plus but not required.
Bilingual ability is a plus depending on site demographics.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary, visible point of contact for 100 dedicated field employees regarding pay questions, policy interpretation, benefits, and day-to-day workplace concerns.
Identify and de-escalate interpersonal and site-level conflicts; document and investigate concerns thoroughly and consistently.
Coach site supervisors on fair and effective evaluations, build and manage improvement plans, and lead difficult conversations, including disciplinary action.
Conduct regular pulse checks, stay interviews, and exit interviews; identify morale and attrition risks and drive targeted fixes at crew and site levels.
Partner with scheduling and dispatch to track shift coverage, optimize rosters, and rapidly fill vacancies within the assigned 100-person cohort.
Audit cohort skill gaps and coordinate safety training, license renewals, trade certifications, and cross-training to keep crews project-ready.
Build structured career paths that move entry-level field employees into skilled, lead, and supervisory roles.
Ensure cohort employees meet client and project requirements, including background checks, drug screens, medical clearances, and site badging, before deployment.
Monitor and maintain compliant E1–E4 classification ratios and Full Crew Rate staffing targets, adjusting crew composition to align skill mix and cost profile with project requirements.
Ensure the onsite chain of command is clearly defined, communicated, and followed; monitor for reporting-structure breakdowns and escalate promptly.
Translate field trends in morale, turnover, training compliance, and readiness into clear, concise updates for the Director of Field Operations and executive leadership.
Represent the voice of the field in leadership discussions and communicate company priorities and strategy to crews.
Prepare and deliver regular cohort-health reporting using the stated KPIs, and flag risks before they affect project delivery.
Maintain at least 95% assignment utilization and minimize unallocated bench time.
Ensure 100% compliance with mandatory site-access certifications and meet targeted internal upskilling milestones.
Reduce the time required to resolve employee concerns and onsite disputes.
Deliver timely, accurate cohort reporting to the Director and executive leadership on an agreed schedule.