Senior Human Resources Manager

Overview

• This Senior HR Business Partner Manager is open due to a retirement of the previous leader.
• The role was initially posted at a senior level, then upgraded to a Senior Manager role due to the scope and leadership demands.
• Two prior finalists declined the role due to competing offers, reinforcing the importance of fit and readiness rather than speed.
• The primary need is for a strategic HR leader who can:
• Mentor and stabilize a growing HR team
• Serve as a true thought partner to operations leadership
• Focus on strategy and leadership rather than transactional HR work
• This is for an HRBP Senior Manager (NA Manufacturing Operations) position
• This position would report to the HRBP Director.
• Fully onsite at Corporate Headquarters in Holland, MI. M-F. 8-5. 25 percent of time travel (remote plants)
• The position is a manager level role, and will have roughly 5 direct reports, with some dotted lines, all operations based HRBPs. There are 2 leaders (HRBP Manager/HRBP Supervisor) who report to them, that are newer in their roles, hence this open position must have experience with leading of leaders and understand those needs/guidance/mentorship.
• We have 9 plants total, 4 in Holland (all in one location here at headquarters), 2 in Big Rapids, 1 in Ludington, 1 in North Carolina and 1 in Mississippi.
• The candidate must have at least 3 years of in-depth supervisory experience, along with 7 years of experience in HR with a Bachelor’s or 5 years’ experience with a Master’s. Really needs strong experience in manufacturing and similar or larger size/scope to global company.

• Supports 9 furniture manufacturing plants across multiple locations. (4 in Holland (all in one location here at headquarters), 2 in Big Rapids, MI 1 in Ludington, MI 1 in North Carolina and 1 in Mississippi)
• Partners directly with the Director of Operations and senior plant leadership.
• Workforce retention and upskilling
• Leadership capability development
• All plant-level HR roles are filled
  ; this role sits at the enterprise/SG&A level
  .

• HR team composition:
• Majority of HR team members are newer hires with varied experience levels. 17 total team with 5 Direct Reports
• Turnover was intentional
  , driven by a shift in leadership expectations.
• The team is motivated but lacks consistent structure, direction, and alignment.
• This role must provide:
• Stability and consistency
• Mentorship and development for emerging HR leaders
• Ideal candidate brings 3 years MINIMUM (strict!) of leadership-of-leaders experience
  .

• Rapidly progressed from supervisor to leading all nine plants in 5–6 years
  .
• Oversees three group managers
  , two of whom partner closely with HR leaders.
• This role must act as a trusted advisor
  :
• Helping push operations forward
• While ensuring decisions stay within appropriate boundaries
• Strong influence, confidence, and judgment are critical.

• A leader who:
• Thinks strategically and delegates effectively
• Avoids getting pulled into day-to-day transactional HR tasks
• Can raise the bar for HR leadership and performance
• Manufacturing or similar industry experience is non-negotiable due to workforce complexity and scale.

• Difficulty finding candidates who:
• Have led larger HR teams
• Successfully transitioned from individual contributor to enterprise-level leader
• Search expanded beyond West Michigan to include relocation candidates.
• Willingness to consider candidates slightly above range if the fit is strong
  .

• Salary midpoint approximately $130-140k - can go to 150k or higher but needs to be stellar
• Target bonus:
  enterprise-based
  , tied to overall company performance (not individual metrics) 15% bonus with cell phone stipend
• Relocation assistance is available. Ideally would like someone from Midwest because of cold weather