Human Resources Manager - International Spices

Job Title

Human Resources Manager

Exempt

Fremont, Nebraska

International Spices

Vice President, Human Resources – Woodland Gourmet

President – International Spices

The Human Resources Manager serves as the senior HR leader onsite at International Spices, a manufacturing company within the Woodland Gourmet portfolio. This role reports directly to the Vice President, Human Resources at Woodland Gourmet and maintains a dotted-line relationship to the President of International Spices. The HR Manager is responsible for leading all human resources functions at the facility, aligning local workforce strategies with enterprise-wide HR initiatives while supporting business performance, operational excellence, food safety standards, and employee engagement.

• Act as the primary HR partner to the President and plant leadership team
• Align site-level HR strategies with Woodland Gourmet’s enterprise HR framework
• Provide counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, and change management
• Support business growth, integration, and operational initiatives

• Lead full-cycle recruitment for production, maintenance, quality, and administrative roles
• Develop staffing plans to support seasonal production and capacity requirements
• Implement workforce forecasting strategies in partnership with operations

• Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership and employees
• Lead investigations and resolve workplace concerns
• Drive engagement initiatives to promote retention and a high‑performance culture
• Ensure consistent application of policies and fair employment practices

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
• Partner with operations and Safety Manager to support OSHA compliance and food safety standards (GMP, HACCP, SQF)
• Manage workers’ compensation, unemployment claims, and regulatory reporting
• Maintain accurate HR records and reporting metrics

• Oversee and manage payroll processes for the site, ensuring accurate and timely processing, compliance with wage and hour laws, coordination with Finance, and resolution of payroll‑related inquiries and discrepancies

• Administer compensation and incentive programs aligned with corporate guidelines
• Manage employee benefits programs, including enrollment, vendor coordination, employee communication, and issue resolution
• Partner with Woodland Gourmet HR on annual benefits planning and open enrollment
• Lead employee engagement initiatives, including surveys, action planning, recognition programs, and retention strategies

• Oversee onboarding programs for hourly and salaried employees
• Identify training needs across production and leadership teams
• Support leadership development and succession planning efforts

• Guide managers through goal setting, performance evaluations, and development planning
• Support the roll out and communication on the annual and mid‑year performance review process
• Support accountability and performance improvement processes

• Implement enterprise HR policies at the site level
• Ensure consistent application of procedures and documentation standards
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes and systems

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned to support business objectives and operational needs

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 5–8 years of progressive HR experience, including manufacturing or food production environments
• Experience supporting hourly work forces in regulated environments
• Strong knowledge of employment law and workplace safety regulations
• HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR) preferred

• Strong business and operational acumen
• Ability to influence executive leadership and frontline management
• Excellent judgment and conflict resolution skills
• Strategic thinker with hands‑on execution capability
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and integrity