Head of People

Position Overview
The
Head of People
leads AeroSpec's human resources strategy and operations, they help build and retain a high-quality team of craftspeople, engineers, and production professionals. This role focuses on capability building, organizational design, workforce planning, and ensuring our culture of craftsmanship thrives as we scale.

This is a hands-on leadership role that blends strategic insight with tactical execution.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic HR Leadership

• Develop and refine an HR strategy aligned to business goals and culture of craftsmanship
• Lead workforce planning to ensure the right skills and capacity for current and future production needs
• Drive succession planning for technical and leadership roles
• Evaluate and improve organizational structure, accountability, and role clarity
• Assess employee capability, experience, and development needs to support long-term growth

Talent Acquisition & Retention

• Build an efficient recruiting process tailored to specialized manufacturing and engineering talent
• Develop and maintain accurate, compelling job descriptions that highlight craftsmanship and teamwork
• Conduct compensation benchmarking and ensure competitive, equitable pay practices
• Create retention strategies that address motivators for skilled tradespeople and engineers, including recognition and career development

Training, Development & Capability Building

• Build and maintain a company-wide skills matrix to document technical capabilities
• Design mentorship programs to support knowledge transfer and craftsmanship excellence
• Oversee onboarding programs focused on culture, safety, and quality expectations
• Implement cross-training initiatives to support flexibility in low-volume production
• Provide leadership development training for supervisors, leads, and managers

Performance, Culture & Engagement

• Implement a simple, effective performance management system tied to capability, quality, and teamwork
• Create employee feedback tools such as surveys and stay interviews
• Help define and reinforce cultural values (craftsmanship, ownership, problem-solving)
• Provide conflict resolution support and leadership coaching when needed

Compliance & Policy

• Maintain and update HR policies and the employee handbook in line with current labor laws
• Ensure HR practices meet OSHA and other safety and labor regulations
• Manage employment documentation including offers, evaluations, and corrective actions
• Review independent contractor classifications for compliance

Operational Efficiency

• Introduce or optimize HR systems for HRIS, timekeeping, and performance tracking
• Develop HR dashboards and KPIs (turnover, time-to-hire, training hours, skill development progress)
• Review payroll and benefits vendors for cost-effectiveness and compliance

Change Management & Organizational Support

• Support leadership through company growth, restructuring, and cultural initiatives
• Develop communication plans for HR programs and company-wide changes
• Facilitate alignment between production, engineering, and administrative teams

Qualifications
Required

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field
• 7+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, ideally in manufacturing, production, or skilled-trade environments
• Proven experience in workforce planning, talent development, and organizational effectiveness
• Strong understanding of HR compliance, safety, and labor laws
• Exceptional communication, leadership coaching, and conflict-resolution skills
• Demonstrated success building HR processes in a growing or evolving company

Preferred

• Experience in low-volume or custom manufacturing
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Background in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or skills-based workforce development

About AeroSpec
AeroSpec is a leader in design-engineer-build solutions for advanced manufacturing. We develop custom automation equipment for cutting-edge products across diverse industries. Our team delivers innovative engineering, precision manufacturing, real-time supply chain insight, and world-class automation systems that serve companies of all sizes.

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