Vice President of Human Capital

Job Summary:

The Vice President of Human Capital provides strategic long term direction and directly manages all aspects of Human Resources, Benefits and Labor Relations functions, for all Michigan Sugar Company facilities and employees. This role ensures consistent HR practices and alignment with the company's vision to drive organizational performance and fosters a culture of improvement; transforming the traditional HR department into a driver of human capital excellence that is recognized as a value-add. The Vice President of Human Capital originates and leads all Human Resources, Benefits and Labor Relations functions striving to provide an employee-oriented, high-performance, collaborative culture that emphasizes flexible employee relations, empowerment, continuous improvement, quality, and productivity with a focus on world class execution. The Vice President of Human Capital oversees the company’s entire talent management, acquisition, and retention strategy, including recruiting plans, interview selection, onboarding processes, and diversity and inclusion initiatives; focusing on enhancing the employee experience, reducing turnover, acquiring top talent, and nurturing a culture of growth. The Vice President of Human Capital will strike a balance between legal compliance and business acumen, ensuring HR practices align with regulatory requirements while curating those practices to meet potentially unique company goals. Primary Responsibilities: Human Capital Management: Develop relationships at all levels of the organization and become a strategic thought partner to hiring managers, teams, and executive leadership Develop and implement comprehensive talent acquisition and retention strategies and employment branding to attract, motivate, and retain top talent. Leverages company resources to fulfill overall staffing requirements, building a dynamic structure that positions the company for strategic growth. Consult with the executive leadership team to understand, align, and promote the company’s culture, mission, and values to drive organizational effectiveness; through workforce needs assessment, organizational design, performance management and compensation systems implementation, and succession planning. Lead performance management across the company to support the company’s goals and objectives; provide ongoing coaching to leadership team and front-line leaders to increase capability around leading and managing people. Develop, maintain, and promote effective employee relations programs and monitor employee engagement levels and opportunities for improvement. Partner with leaders to support and enhance strategies for retaining top talent to ensure the organization is positioned to achieve production goals and growth objectives and reduce turnover and attrition in the plants. Lead training and development programs to support employee growth and skill enhancement; encourage and support ongoing employee development and company initiatives. Oversee investigations when employee complaints or concerns are brought forth. Review, guide, and approve management recommendations for employment terminations. Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring all HR practices are aligned with these values. Labor Relations & Policies: Manage strategic and tactical labor relations activities spanning multiple facilities and collective bargaining agreements. This includes but is not limited to contract preparation and negotiations, contract administration, grievance management and dispute resolution, arbitration planning, and execution, striving for consistency, and developing a labor relations strategic plan consistent with the direction of the company. Oversee the development and administration of Human Resources policies and Labor Relations programs, to align the workforce with the goals, values, and culture of the company, ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and drive employee engagement initiatives to enhance the overall employee experience. Develop, implement, and maintain HR policies and procedures that align with company goals and legal requirements. Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations. Provide guidance and support to managers on employee relations issues. Oversee disciplinary actions, grievances, and conflict resolution processes. Conduct a continuing study of Human Resources and Labor Relations policies, programs, and best practices and keep management informed of new developments, recommending continuous improvement opportunities. Benefits & Rewards: Responsible for company’s total compensation program to ensure salary, bonus, and benefits programs remain competitive based on market research supporting the recruitment and retention of a superior team. Oversee the design, implementation, and administration of employee benefit and retirement programs through direct and indirect participation with vendors and service providers; optimize benefits offerings and costs. 401k program administration focused on compliance, education of employees, increasing plan assets, and promoting long termfinancial planning. Communicate and deliver benefits programs with a high level customer service model. Leadership and Team Development : Build and lead a high-performing HC team, providing mentorship, coaching, and professional development opportunities. Lead the development, execution, and measurement of department’s goals and objectives in conjunction with company’s strategic plan. Set clear performance expectations and hold team members accountable for achieving HC goals. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the HC department. Collaborate with the executive team to align HC strategies with overall business objectives. Participate in company leadership meetings and provides counsel and guidance on Human Resources matters. Technology: Oversee operation and maintenance of Human Resources Information System (HRIS) by evaluating and assigning adequate resources for design, use, and upgrade of HRIS platform to remain compliant and achieve company priorities. Position Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience in Human Resources, master’s degree is a plus. SPHR or PHR preferred. 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including at least 5 years in a senior HR role. Experience in a manufacturing environment preferred. Broad knowledge and experience in labor relations/contract negotiations, compensation and benefits administration, organizational planning and development, employee relations, health and safety, compliance, talent management, acquisition, and retention, and training and development. Working knowledge of basic office software programs; previous HRIS experience. Proven ability to develop and implement HR initiatives that drive business results and create a culture of growth and positive employee engagement. Demonstrated ability to lead at a strategic level and develop team members. Demonstrated ability to serve as a successful participant on the executive leadership team that provides company leadership and direction, including the ability to interact effectively with the company Board of Directors. Demonstrated ability to successfully implement change management. Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication. Excellent interpersonal and coaching skills. Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.   Key Competencies: Strong negotiation skills and ability to bring issues to resolution. Strategic thinker with focus on continuous improvement, innovation, and managing change. Ability to balance business acumen with HR best practices. Demonstrated personal leadership and positive can-do attitude. Flexible and able to work in fast-paced and varying environments. Ability to work well with others in a team environment. Leading self by demonstrating ethics and integrity, displaying drive and purpose, exhibiting leadership stature, increasing capacity to learn, managing self, increasing self-awareness Leading others by communicating effectively, developing others, valuing diversity and difference, building and maintaining relationships, and managing effective teams and work groups. Provides model behavior to demonstrate corporate values.

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