If you combine broad human resources (HR) experience in a manufacturing environment with strong change management skills, the ability to build effective relationships plant-wide and with Corporate, and a strong work ethic, this position offers you some very compelling opportunities. In it, you will:

• Own a critical HR leadership role responsible for a large assembly plant and client group of 1200+.
• Join an essential business experiencing rising demands, particularly from the e-commerce industry, and strong growth. We anticipate adding 300-400 employees to our team in 2021 and you will ensure we have the processes in place to support the current and future states. 
• Provide both strategic and tactical leadership to support day-to-day operations and long-term goals. For example, in short order, you'll shore up the HR structure ensuring team members understand their areas of ownership while also building a cultural foundation that will support rapid growth and create an environment where employees can build a successful career.
• Work in a visible role where you will enjoy wide exposure and corporate attention. Whether you're building your resume for future advancement or creating a space where you can be happy and challenged for years to come, you will have ample opportunities to spotlight your talent, and can influence HR processes across the wider organization.
• Showcase your leadership abilities potential to advance within our organization, perhaps stepping up to a Director role. We are dedicated to hiring from within whenever possible.

Relocation assistance is available to the right candidate.

Utilimaster moves ahead of the competition when commercial trucks and upfit services require precision, planning, peerless people, and the perfect vehicle. Our vehicles deliver for well-respected global brands in the package delivery, ecommerce, food and beverage, linen and laundry, grocery and pharmaceutical markets. Utilimaster is a top-tier go-to-market brand of The Shyft Group (NASDAQ: SHYF), North America’s leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets. The Shyft Group rebranded in 2020 to reflect a new focus on high-growth end markets to help ensure long-term profitable growth.

To meet the basic qualification for this role, you will have a minimum of 8 years of human resources experience in a manufacturing environment. In addition, to be a good fit for the Senior Human Resources Manager opportunity, you will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or Business (highly preferred), or an equivalent combination of education and experience  Quick question for you - click here
• A minimum of 6 years of experience and demonstrated success in an HR management role  Quick question for you - click here
• Experience in a large facility with a minimum of 500 people  Quick question for you - click here
• Thorough understanding of employment laws and regulations
• Exceptional project management experience; proven ability to handle multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Proven ability to support leaders across the organization
• Intermediate computer skills and experience with MS Office Suite
• Experience with HRIS and/or ATS systems, preferably UKG, UltiPro or Kronos (we are in the process of a UKG implementation)
• PHR, SPHR, or GPHR certifications preferred
• Union labor experience preferred
• Experience in the automotive assembly space is an advantage

Just as important will be the following competencies and characteristics:

• Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to:
  • Inspire others to action
  • Drive employee engagement
  • Mentor, direct and manage subordinates
  • Make sound judgment with the ability to make timely, sometimes difficult decisions
• Capable of translating big picture strategies into actionable plans to deliver results
• Capable of coaching and counseling employees and leaders regarding work-related challenges
• Tested change management skills; disciplined ability to carry out what must be done even when difficult or unpopular
• Unquestionable integrity and ability to work in a highly confidential environment
• Demonstrated ability to effectively resolve conflict
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
• Commitment to excellence and high standards
• Excellent interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills

As an essential business, we have strong protocols in place protecting our employees and safeguarding their health. We'll expect you to be in the facility Monday through Friday. This is a large, demanding facility and we anticipate that you'll work long hours, which may include evenings and weekends. Of course, as you implement best practices and effective changes, your schedule will ease. 

Reporting to the Director, Human Resources, your high reaching mission will be to continuously pursue HR functional excellence and support the Shyft Group’s strategy with a specific focus on maximizing organizational capabilities and creating a high performing, highly engaged culture.

As Senior Human Resources Manager, you will manage a 10-12 person HR team of direct and indirect reports, including a training manager, HR generalists, a talent acquisition specialist, and admin. There are also payroll representatives who report to the Corporate Payroll Manager. The plant runs two shifts covering 24/5 operations, with some weekday overflow work. Ultimately you will be responsible for all HR functions at the Bristol facility.

To give you a sense of the role, here is a sampling of specific responsibilities. You will:

• Plan, organize, and direct HR-related activities to meet or exceed established goals in a cost-effective manner
• Lead, communicate, and coach to cultivate a motivated employee environment of trust, teamwork, accountability, self-confidence, and business ownership
• Develop, implement, and monitor department budget and manage expenses within approved budget constraints
• Identify, document, and implement opportunities for continuous improvement
• Stay up to date on overall activities of the team, identify problem areas and take corrective actions
• Collaborate with other HR team members to drive consistent process excellence across Human Resources in areas such as talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, rewards and recognition, employee engagement, employee and leadership development, succession planning, communications, etc.
• Assist leaders in defining and executing workforce planning to ensure appropriate staffing levels
• Manage the talent acquisition process for all positions; proactively work with external firms/agencies to prepare for future vacancies
• Assist in establishing and supporting HR-specific performance metrics
• Establish performance monitoring and assessment and reward processes, ensuring process and tools are understood and fully utilized
• Collaborate with leaders in upgrading the skills and capabilities of employees through identification, development and retention of talent
• Drive talent review and management processes including succession planning for key roles
• Ensure compliance with legislative requirements and employment laws including an Affirmative Action Plan
• Conduct investigations and advise leaders in the appropriate resolution of employee-related issues
• Manage and interpret policies and practices within the facilities, ensuring fair and consistent application
• And more

This description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Pictured: Utilimaster's success depends on the hard work and craftsmanship of our many talented employees.

Career catapult
This may be the hardest job you ever love. You will be busy from day one with both strategic and tactical responsibilities. Simultaneously, you will have plenty of opportunities to demonstrate your creativity, leadership, and ability to deliver results. If you succeed in this role, you'll become a prime candidate for new opportunities.

High visibility
This is not a maintenance role The Bristol plant is already experiencing some rapid growth pains, Covid-19 challenges, high turnover of hourly employees and more. We're looking for a strong leader who views the challenges as opportunities for improvement, will roll up his/her sleeves and get to work. This is a large and important facility, meaning you'll have a lot of visibility at the top. Your success will be noticed. 

Stability and growth
The Shyft Group is financially sound and will continue to be an aggressive market disrupter through strategic acquisitions, relevant product innovations, and aggressive growth models. Our ongoing growth will create opportunities for strong performers.

Focused transformation
Utilimaster alongside The Shyft Group’s family of well-respected brands continue as leaders in every segment in which they compete. The Shyft name represents speed, efficiency, agility, and a high-intensity approach, which corresponds with the company’s pivot in market focus and the forward momentum garnered in the work truck, specialty service, and delivery vehicle markets.

Driven to deliver
Ever evolving and advancing, The Shyft Group is driven to make an impactful difference in how effectively goods, people, and services are delivered in today's and tomorrow's marketplace. Through our unmatched industry knowledge, engineering expertise, and manufacturing reach, we continue to deliver job-enhancing, efficiency-driving, ever-reliable products and services.

Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive salary and bonus, we offer medical, dental, vision, and prescription insurance plans; a health savings account; a flexible savings account; wellness credits; a wellness program; a 401(k) plan with a corporate match; an employee stock purchase program and more.

Video: The Shyft Group is an innovative and evolving organization that is driven to make an impactful difference in how effectively goods and services are delivered in today’s and tomorrow’s marketplace.

If you're looking for a job where everything is well-established and ready to roll when you walk through the door, this is not the role for you. However, if you truly enjoy building things and making things better, and if you're passionate about HR and the talent you bring to the table, we definitely want to hear from you. 

It's worth repeating: You will be busy, and there will be some long hours. You should be able to "breathe underwater" and also help others keep a level head when stress levels run high. To excel in this role you will be versatile and flexible, and able to pivot quickly to manage constantly changing priorities effectively. You will step out and build relationships across the facility, earn credibility, challenge leaders to make changes, and be a dedicated culture leader. Against this backdrop, you'll need to maintain a commitment to excellence and uphold high standards.

In addition, in order to be an outstanding Senior Human Resources Manager, you will:

• Strike the right balance between supporting employees and supporting the company's goals and vision
• Bring an innovative approach to creating systems, processes and best practices
• Own the HR big picture for this facility, but also pay attention to details
• Coach, counsel and inspire your own team as well as leaders and employees in the facility
• Resolve conflict and problems effectively and timely
• Develop and maintain positive employee relations and engagement
• Remain approachable so that issues are resolved quickly and efficiently while prioritizing what needs to “rise to the top”