Director of Talent & Culture

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Director of Talent & Culture

Location: Sussex, WI(onsite)

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Position Summary

The Director of Talent & Culture serves as the senior HR leader and cultural champion for our growing manufacturing business. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role balances strategic leadership (55%), hands-on execution (40%), and administration (5%).

The Director shapes the employee’s experience from talent acquisition through development and engagement — while actively building and driving an ownership culture that aligns employees with company performance. Supported by our PEO partner (Insperity) for payroll, benefits, and compliance administration, this role is free to focus on people strategy, culture, leadership, and workforce growth.

In addition to HR leadership, this role provides direct support for company-wide events and board meetings, ensuring alignment between talent and business strategy. This is a highly visible role at the intersection of workforce, culture, and executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Culture (55%)

• Serve as the CEO’s partner and trusted advisor on executive team performance, talent strategy, leadership, and company culture.
• Champion continuous improvement in safety, financial wellness, education, learning and development, and engagement. Lead engagement, recognition, and retention initiatives.
• Partner with the executive team to execute talent strategies aligned with business goals.
• Build and drive an ownership culture that connects day-to-day performance with long-term value creation for employees and stakeholders.
• Develop and implement succession planning, career pathing, and development programs.
• Build and foster talent onboarding, wellness, and community involvement programs.
• Monitor HR trends and metrics, delivering strategic insights to the CEO and board.
• Act as a cultural ambassador and maintain visibility and connection throughout the organization.

Tactical HR & Engagement (40%)

• Lead end- to- end recruitment efforts to maintain strong talent pipelines. Implement creative candidate attraction and employee retention strategies.
• Drive high-impact onboarding and assimilation programs to boost retention and early engagement.
• Provide leadership coaching, employee relations support, and conflict resolution guidance for leaders and employees.
• Partner closely with frontline leaders to strengthen leadership skills and organizational culture.
• Ensure workplace compliance. Partner with the Director of EHS and frontline leaders to exceed OSHA standards and realize top-quartile performance as measured by TRIR.
• Manage compensation and benefits in partnership with the CFO and PEO.

Administrative & Executive Support (5%)

• Coordinate and support board of directors meetings, assembling HR-related reports, dashboards, and culture updates for inclusion in board materials.
• Lead and coordinate company-wide events, town halls, and community programs, board meetings/dinners, and recognition activities.
• Liaise with Insperity for payroll, benefits, and HRIS administration.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required;
  Master’s or HR certification (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP/PHR/SPHR) highly preferred.
• 7-10+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally with a blend of strategic and operational leadership in manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting or preparing materials for executive or board-level meetings.
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and communication skills, with ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on involvement.
• Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and influence skills, with ability to be trusted by both executives and frontline production employees.
• Strong HR compliance knowledge, with the ability to apply legal and best-practice guidance onsite in partnership with PEO support.
• Manage sensitive and confidential situations…