Senior Director, Human Resources (Contract – 6+ Months)
Location: Wisconsin (Candidates must reside in Wisconsin or a neighboring state)
Primary Work Location: Hybrid/Remote with regular onsite meetings in
Eau Claire, WI as business needs require. The majority of the work will support the Wisconsin operation.
Pay Rate: $72.00–$82.00+/hour ($150,000–$170,000 equivalent, depending on experience)
Duration: 6+ Month Contract with strong potential for extension or permanent hire
Start Date: ASAP
Highlights: This role requires a seasoned HR leader with expertise in union labor law, employee relations, and change management, including experience supporting organizations through acquisitions, divestitures, or ownership transitions in both manufacturing and corporate environments.
About the Opportunity
We are partnering with a leading manufacturing organization to identify an experienced
Senior Director of Human Resources to provide strategic HR leadership during a significant period of organizational transformation.
The business is currently undergoing a strategic review that may include a divestiture or acquisition, making this a highly visible opportunity for an HR leader with experience navigating organizational change, labor relations, and complex business transitions.
This role will primarily support operations in
Wisconsin, while also providing strategic oversight for additional manufacturing locations. The ideal candidate will be a trusted advisor to executive leadership, partnering closely with Operations and corporate leaders to drive talent strategy, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and change management.
This position offers the opportunity to make an immediate impact while positioning yourself for potential long-term employment.
What You'll Do
Strategic HR Leadership
- Serve as the primary HR business partner for senior operations and business leadership.
- Provide strategic guidance on organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, talent strategy, succession planning, and employee engagement.
- Partner with executive leadership during organizational transformation, restructuring, acquisitions, divestitures, or other significant business initiatives.
- Lead HR initiatives that support business objectives while maintaining a positive employee experience.
Labor & Employee Relations
- Act as the lead HR resource for employee and labor relations matters across manufacturing operations.
- Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements.
- Partner with union leadership to foster productive labor-management relationships.
- Investigate grievances and support arbitration preparation when necessary.
- Participate in collective bargaining negotiations.
- Provide guidance regarding labor law, contract interpretation, mediation, letters of agreement (LOAs), memorandums of agreement (MOAs), and unfair labor practice matters.
Organizational Change & Business Partnership
- Help lead HR strategy during periods of organizational change, including acquisitions, divestitures, and business transitions.
- Advise leadership on organizational design and workforce planning.
- Drive change management initiatives that improve organizational performance.
- Coach leaders through complex employee situations and organizational challenges.
- Support employee engagement initiatives by analyzing survey results and implementing action plans.
HR Operations & Compliance
- Review and improve HR policies, procedures, and best practices.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
- Monitor HR metrics and recommend improvements based on business trends.
- Partner with HR colleagues across multiple locations to ensure consistency and operational excellence.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives throughout the HR organization.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, or related field required.
- Master's Degree and/or SHRM or HRCI certification preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
- 5+ years supporting unionized manufacturing environments.
- Experience partnering directly with senior leadership and executive teams.
- Demonstrated success supporting organizational change initiatives including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructures, or large-scale business transformations.
- Strong employee relations and labor relations background.
- Experience supporting both manufacturing operations and corporate functions.
- Strong knowledge of employment law and collective bargaining.
- Experience developing HR strategies that align with business objectives.
Preferred Industry Experience
Experience within one or more of the following industries is highly preferred:
- Manufacturing
- Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
- Food Manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Healthcare
Technical Skills
- SAP SuccessFactors preferred
- HRIS experience required
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Strong data analysis and reporting skills
What We're Looking For
This role is ideal for someone who thrives in dynamic, evolving environments and enjoys partnering with executive leadership to solve complex business challenges.
The successful candidate will have experience:
- Leading HR during acquisitions, divestitures, or organizational restructuring
- Navigating complex union environments
- Advising executives through organizational change
- Building credibility with both leadership and frontline employees
- Balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution
- Influencing without direct authority
- Driving employee engagement and organizational effectiveness
Although this role does not currently have direct reports, you'll work closely with an established HR team across multiple locations and serve as a key strategic partner to senior leadership.
Why This Opportunity?
- Highly visible leadership role reporting into senior HR leadership
- Opportunity to help shape the future of a growing manufacturing organization during a transformational period
- Significant executive exposure and partnership with Operations leadership
- Strong potential for contract extension or permanent employment
- Competitive hourly compensation
- Hybrid flexibility while remaining connected to business leaders and operations
Work Arrangement
- Hybrid/Remote position
- Majority of support focused on the Wisconsin operation
- Must be able to attend onsite meetings in Eau Claire, WI as needed
- Candidates must reside in Wisconsin or a neighboring state
- Occasional travel to additional manufacturing locations as business needs require
Interviews are underway, and the team is looking to bring someone on board as soon as possible. Qualified candidates with strong union manufacturing HR leadership experience are encouraged to apply.
As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan.
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About Kelly
Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we’re obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it’s about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It’s the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It’s the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your life-just ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.
Kelly is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and we take affirmative action to recruit, employ, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in the workforce. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to the Kelly Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California’s state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment. Kelly participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
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