P&O Business Partner

Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a P&O Business Partner to join our rapidly growing company.

Champion Petfoods is an award‑winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award‑winning company.

The P&O Business Partner serves as the lead on‑site People & Organization (P&O) Business Partner for Champion’s Dog Star Kitchen (Auburn, KY), reporting to the Senior P&O Director – Global Supply Chain and serving as a member of the site leadership team.

This role provides P&O partnership and strategic guidance to factory leadership, supervisors, and associates, ensuring alignment with Champion’s Global Supply Chain priorities and the Mars Five Principles while supporting Champion’s position as an ultra‑premium brand.

This role is responsible for driving leadership capability development, supporting workforce planning, and delivering proactive P&O solutions that strengthen associate engagement, safety, and performance.

The successful candidate will bring strong knowledge of HR practices and compliance within manufacturing or operational environments, with proven ability to coach leaders, build effective relationships, and foster inclusive, high‑performance cultures.

They will be adept at balancing strategic priorities with day‑to‑day associate support, ensuring consistent P&O program delivery and a positive workplace experience for all associates.

• Serve as the lead on‑site P&O Business Partner at the Champion Dog Star Kitchen, partnering with factory leadership, supervisors, and associates to deliver proactive P&O solutions, provide strategic guidance and responsive day‑to‑day support.
• Implement P&O strategies and programs at the site level, ensuring execution aligns with Champion’s Global Supply Chain priorities, the Mars Five Principles, and Champion’s ultra‑premium brand identity.
• Drive leadership capability development through alignment with global programs, providing coaching and guidance to line managers on performance management and associate development to enhance leadership effectiveness.
• Partner with operations leadership to address workforce planning needs, staffing models, and labor cost optimization.
• Collaborate with the recruiting team to ensure successful site‑based hiring, effective onboarding, and strong candidate and associate experiences.
• Support engagement, recognition, and culture‑building programs that foster associate connection, safety, and high performance within the factory environment.
• Partner with the Associate Relations Manager to support resolution of employee relations matters at the site, ensuring consistent application of processes, compliance with U.S. labor and employment law, and a positive associate experience.
• Collaborate with COEs (Compensation, Benefits, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, L&D) to ensure site‑specific needs are met while maintaining consistency with global frameworks.
• Track and analyze P&O metrics for the site (turnover, absenteeism, recruitment cycle time, engagement survey results), recommend actionable solutions, and partner with leadership to act on insights.
• Support change management initiatives tied to supply chain projects, technology implementations, and organizational shifts, ensuring site leaders and associates are engaged and prepared.
• Ensure site‑level P&O practices are compliant with legal and regulatory standards while proactively identifying risks. Partner with leaders on audits, health & safety programs, and labor relations matters.

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, with experience in manufacturing, distribution, or supply chain environments strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field required; HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM‑CP) preferred.
• Ex…