Senior HR Generalist

Senior Human Resources Generalist

Blacksburg, Virginia

Department

Human Resources

Reports To

Human Resources Manager

Employment Type

Full-Time

FLSA Status

Exempt

Work Location

Blacksburg, Virginia

Environment

Manufacturing Facility

Position Summary

The Senior Human Resources Generalist is a key member of the plant Human Resources team and provides hands-on HR support to employees and leadership in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This position serves as a trusted HR resource and supports employee and labor relations, recruiting and onboarding, performance management, attendance, training and development, workforce planning, policy administration, and HR compliance.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working directly on the manufacturing floor, building relationships with employees and supervisors, addressing employee concerns, and balancing employee needs with operational and business requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Employee & Labor Relations

• Serve as a primary HR resource for employees, supervisors, and managers regarding workplace concerns, policies, and HR practices.
• Support positive employee relations through consistent, fair, and timely application of company policies and practices.
• Assist with employee investigations, corrective actions, attendance concerns, and other employee relations matters.
• Support labor relations activities in a unionized manufacturing environment, including grievance administration, contract interpretation, and preparation for labor-management discussions.
• Partner with leadership to address workplace concerns before they escalate.

Recruiting, Staffing & Onboarding

• Partner with operations leadership to understand hourly and salaried staffing needs.
• Coordinate recruiting, interviewing, selection, pre-employment activities, and onboarding.
• Support new-hire orientation and ensure employees receive a positive and organized onboarding experience.
• Coordinate with staffing partners and hiring managers regarding temporary and direct-hire staffing needs.
• Monitor staffing levels, vacancies, turnover, and other workforce trends.

Performance & Talent Management

• Support the performance management process and coach supervisors on providing timely, effective employee feedback.
• Assist leaders with employee development plans, succession planning, and talent-development activities.
• Coordinate employee training and track completion of required programs.
• Help identify development opportunities for hourly employees, supervisors, and emerging leaders.

Attendance, Payroll & HR Administration

• Support administration of attendance policies and related employee documentation.
• Partner with supervisors to ensure employee timekeeping information is accurate and concerns are addressed promptly.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation.
• Support employee status changes, promotions, transfers, compensation changes, and other personnel actions.
• Prepare and analyze HR reports and metrics related to headcount, absenteeism, turnover, staffing, training, and other workforce measures.

Compliance & Policy Administration

• Ensure HR practices are administered consistently and in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality of employee and business information.
• Support HR audits, recordkeeping requirements, and compliance initiatives.
• Partner with HR leadership on implementation of corporate HR programs and plant-specific initiatives.

HR Business Partnership

• Build strong working relationships with plant leadership, supervisors, employees, and union representatives.
• Provide supervisors with practical HR guidance and coaching.
• Participate in plant meetings and workforce-planning discussions.
• Maintain regular visibility on the production floor and proactively identify employee and organizational concerns.
• Support organizational change and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Perform additional HR responsibilities and projects as business needs require.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant HR experience.
• Progressive Human Resources Generalist experience.
• Demonstrated experience handling employee relations matters.
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR practices.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to appropriately manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work effectively with employees at all levels of an organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and HR information systems.

Preferred

• HR experience within a manufacturing, distribution, or industrial environment.
• Experience supporting a unionized workforce.
• Experience with grievance administration and collective bargaining agreement interpretation.
• Experience supporting high-volume recruiting and hourly workforce staffing.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Experience utilizing HR data and metrics to identify workforce trends and recommend solutions.

Key Competencies

• Employee & Labor Relations
• Manufacturing HR Support
• Sound Judgment & Decision-Making
• Conflict Resolution
• Coaching & Influencing
• Relationship Building
• Recruiting & Workforce Planning
• HR Compliance
• Confidentiality
• Organization & Follow-Through
• Data Analysis
• Continuous Improvement

Work Environment

This position supports an active manufacturing facility and requires regular interaction with employees and supervisors on the production floor. The Senior HR Generalist must be comfortable working in both office and manufacturing environments and adjusting work hours periodically to provide HR support across plant operations and shifts.

Role Scope

This role is positioned above a traditional HR Generalist and below the Human Resources Manager. The Senior HR Generalist is expected to independently manage employee and labor relations matters, staffing, investigations, supervisor coaching, onboarding, and HR metrics while serving as a strong secondary HR leader for the plant.