HR Manager/ HRBP – Multi-Site Manufacturing (Hybrid)

Wheeling, IL • $90K–$120K + 10% Bonus • Succession Path to HR Director

About the Company

This is a growing, nearly $1B manufacturing and distribution company that hits the sweet spot:

big enough for resources and scale, small enough for your voice to matter.

They operate as a 600-employee enterprise with a sharp, high-performance corporate headquarters. HR has a seat at the table here — not on the sidelines.

The company has recently brought key manufacturing operations in-house, strengthening quality, culture, and leadership consistency across sites. They’re scaling fast and investing in people, structure, and the next generation of leadership.

You’ll report to a veteran VP of HR with 10 years in the organization, known for developing talent and creating real upward mobility. There’s a 12–24 month runway to the HR Director role open for the right high-potential leader with nproven success. Someone hungry to be a bigger fish in a more agile, entrepreneurial environment.

If you prefer HR that feels like business, not bureaucracy, this is the lane.

About the Role

The HR Manager – Multi-Site Manufacturing is a strategic and operational HR partner supporting facilities across IL, MN, MI, LA, IA and CA (up to 30% travel). You’ll lead core HR functions, partner closely with plant leadership, and build scalable people processes during a period of real growth and modernization.

This is not a back-office role — it’s hands-on, people-facing, and central to the company’s leadership evolution.

Key Responsibilities

Lead HR support for multiple manufacturing sites across IL, MN, MI, LA, IA and CA
Serve as the primary HR partner to plant leadership and operations teams
Manage employee relations, investigations, and coaching with a commercial mindset
Lead the full performance management lifecycle (goal setting → calibration → development)
Drive workforce engagement, retention strategy, and leadership development
Navigate both union and non-union environments
Mentor and guide early-career HR talent (direct report + future expansion)
Build and refine scalable HR systems, processes, and metrics
Support corporate HR initiatives and adapt them to plant-level realities
Partner with the VP of HR and HR Director on org design and succession planning

Qualifications

7+ years of HR experience in manufacturing, distribution, or industrial operations
Experience supporting multi-site or plant-based workforces
Strong background in employee relations, coaching, and leadership support
Comfort working in environments where HR is evolving, modernizing, and scaling
Ability to build structure without slowing down the business
Strong analytical, KPI-driven approach to performance and people strategy
Union experience a plus
Bilingual English/Spanish a plus
Willingness to travel up to 30%

What Makes You a Fit

A high-potential HR leader ready for more scope and influence
Someone who can influence up, down, and across an operations-heavy organization
Comfortable with ambiguity and excited to build structure
Naturally commercial — you think in terms of impact, outcomes, and the business story
Motivated by being a bigger fish in a tight, collaborative, growth-minded environment

Why People Stay

True hybrid schedule (Tue–Thu onsite)
Strong leadership from a VP of HR who grows people
Stable, profitable company with serious momentum
Resources of a $1B business + agility of a 600-person organization
Direct succession path to HR Director
High-impact role with visibility across operations and corporate

If you’re a forward-thinking HR leader looking for a role with real runway — not lip service — let’s talk confidentially. Please email zach@crucialhire.com: "HR Manager (multi-site) 1021" for fastest results.

Crucial Hire

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