Carex is working with a manufacturing industry partner to find an experienced and strategic Vice President, Human Resources to join their Executive Leadership Team in Madison, WI. This leader will play a critical role in shaping organizational strategy, driving talent initiatives, strengthening employee engagement, and building a high-performing workforce across multiple manufacturing locations.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on, forward-thinking HR executive who understands the complexities of a multi-site, multi-shift manufacturing environment and brings a proven track record of improving employee retention, developing leaders, and aligning people strategies with business objectives. This individual will oversee all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition, compensation, benefits, employee relations, organizational development, and HR operations.
This position offers the opportunity to influence business strategy, lead a collaborative HR team, and foster a people-first culture that prioritizes employee development, recognition, and long-term retention. The role is based onsite in Madison, WI, with periodic travel to additional locations.
What You’ll Do
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Serve as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, contributing to organizational strategy and translating business objectives into actionable human resources initiatives.
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Develop and execute a comprehensive people strategy focused on talent acquisition, employee retention, leadership development, workforce planning, and organizational culture across four manufacturing locations.
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Lead, mentor, and develop the HR team, fostering accountability, collaboration, professional growth, and continuous improvement.
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Drive measurable improvements in employee retention, particularly within production environments, by analyzing turnover trends, identifying root causes, and implementing targeted retention strategies.
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Champion a positive, employee-focused workplace culture through engagement initiatives, recognition programs, and partnerships with organizational leaders and employee committees.
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Establish and maintain a competitive, market-based compensation philosophy using industry benchmarking, compensation studies, and workforce data to support internal equity and external competitiveness.
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Oversee employee benefits programs, including broker and carrier relationships, 401(k) plan administration and committee oversight, and workers’ compensation programs.
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Provide strategic guidance on employee relations matters, conflict resolution, performance management, and leadership practices while supporting a positive, non-union work environment.
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Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations while overseeing the development and administration of HR policies, procedures, and recordkeeping practices.
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Evaluate and optimize HR operations across multiple locations, clarifying responsibilities between centralized HR functions and site-level HR leadership.
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Oversee recruitment, selection, onboarding, and workforce planning initiatives to support the staffing needs of a 24/7, multi-shift manufacturing operation.
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Develop and strengthen talent pipelines through employer branding, university and technical college partnerships, co-op and internship programs, and outreach to nontraditional talent pools.
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Design and implement leadership development, employee training, and organizational development programs, including needs assessments, budgeting, vendor selection, and program evaluation.
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Lead HR’s involvement in the implementation and optimization of UKG systems, leveraging HR technology, workforce analytics, and performance metrics to improve decision-making and operational effectiveness.
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Develop internal and external communication strategies that strengthen employee engagement and position the organization as an employer of choice.
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Manage the human resources departmental budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and alignment with organizational priorities.
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Support organizational quality management systems and continuous improvement initiatives.
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Partner closely with executive leadership to navigate organizational change, address workforce challenges, and develop innovative solutions that support long-term business success.
What You’ll Bring
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Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
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Typically 8+ years of progressive human resources experience, including significant leadership responsibility within a manufacturing environment; demonstrated results and leadership effectiveness are highly valued.
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Proven success leading HR functions for a large, direct-labor workforce within a multi-shift manufacturing operation.
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Demonstrated ability to contribute to executive-level business strategy and translate organizational objectives into measurable people initiatives.
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Track record of successfully reducing employee turnover, improving retention, and strengthening employee engagement.
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Experience overseeing compensation strategies, market benchmarking, benefits administration, broker relationships, 401(k) programs, and workers’ compensation.
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Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment laws, regulatory compliance, and employee relations best practices.
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Experience leading, mentoring, and developing HR teams through a collaborative, empowering leadership approach.
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Strong business acumen and the ability to leverage workforce analytics, compensation data, and HR metrics to guide strategic decisions.
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Executive presence and the ability to build credibility and productive relationships with senior leadership, production supervisors, and employees at all organizational levels.
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Comfortable working directly with employees and leaders in a manufacturing environment, including regular engagement on the production floor.
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Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, and conflict-resolution skills, with the ability to navigate complex and sensitive employee matters.
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Demonstrated ability to lead through organizational change, manage competing priorities, and challenge established practices to drive continuous improvement.
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Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and effectively manage sensitive information.
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Experience leading human resources functions across multiple locations preferred.
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Experience with UKG HRIS platforms strongly preferred.
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Professional HR certification, such as SPHR or SHRM-SCP, preferred.
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Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and ERP systems; knowledge of ISO standards and quality management systems is beneficial.
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Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is a plus.
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Ability to travel periodically to support operations across multiple locations, including occasional regional and national or international travel.
Carex Consulting Group is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.
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