Employee Relations Manager – Battery Pack Assembly

About the company

At Sustainable Talent, we build high-performing teams that match our clients' goals and values. We are partnering with a leading global automotive manufacturer to staff a brand-new battery pack assembly plant in Jeffersonville, Indiana. This is a rare chance to help build a greenfield operation from the ground up.

Your tasks

The Opportunity As an Employee Relations Manager, you'll have a unique opportunity to be part of the start-up team launching a state-of-the-art battery pack assembly facility from the ground up. At the forefront of the automotive industry's transformation toward electrification, you'll play a critical role in shaping the workforce, culture, and employee relations strategy that will support the facility's successful launch and long-term operations.

In this role, you'll partner closely with manufacturing leadership and cross-functional teams to establish effective HR practices, foster positive employee and labor relations, and drive workforce readiness in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Capabilities Required

• Strategic HR Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to manufacturing leadership, providing strategic HR guidance that supports business objectives, operational performance, and a positive workplace culture.
• Employee & Labor Relations: Manage complex employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, investigations, conflict resolution, performance management, and labor relations issues, ensuring fair and consistent practices.
• Plant Launch & Workforce Readiness: Support the development and implementation of HR strategies, policies, and processes required to successfully launch and scale a new battery manufacturing facility.
• HR Process Development: Establish and continuously improve employee relations programs, policies, and procedures that promote consistency, compliance, operational efficiency, and positive employee experiences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Talent Acquisition, Workforce Development, Total Rewards, HR Operations, Communications, and other business functions to align workforce initiatives with manufacturing objectives.
• Employee Engagement & Culture: Champion initiatives that foster employee engagement, trust, accountability, inclusion, and a high-performance culture. Oversee employee feedback programs and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Workforce Planning & Organizational Effectiveness: Collaborate with leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, change management, and employee development strategies to support evolving business needs.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Analyze employee relations trends, engagement data, and workforce metrics to identify risks, recommend solutions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Operational Excellence: Apply lean principles and progressive HR practices to improve processes, strengthen employee relations, and promote equitable and consistent application of workplace policies.

• Strategic HR Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to manufacturing leadership, providing strategic HR guidance that supports business objectives, operational performance, and a positive workplace culture.
• Employee & Labor Relations: Manage complex employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, investigations, conflict resolution, performance management, and labor relations issues, ensuring fair and consistent practices.
• Plant Launch & Workforce Readiness: Support the development and implementation of HR strategies, policies, and processes required to successfully launch and scale a new battery manufacturing facility.
• HR Process Development: Establish and continuously improve employee relations programs, policies, and procedures that promote consistency, compliance, operational efficiency, and positive employee experiences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Talent Acquisition, Workforce Development, Total Rewards, HR Operations, Communications, and other business functions to align workforce initiatives with manufacturing objectives.
• Employee Engagement & Culture: Champion initiatives that foster employee engagement, trust, accountability, inclusion, and a high-performance culture. Oversee employee feedback programs and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Workforce Planning & Organizational Effectiveness: Collaborate with leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, change management, and employee development strategies to support evolving business needs.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Analyze employee relations trends, engagement data, and workforce metrics to identify risks, recommend solutions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Operational Excellence: Apply lean principles and progressive HR practices to improve processes, strengthen employee relations, and promote equitable and consistent application of workplace policies.

Requirements

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in manufacturing HR, employee and labor relations, organizational development, and change management, along with an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to navigate the challenges and opportunities of a new manufacturing operation.

• Bachelor’s degree
• 8+ years' experience in Human Resources processes including, but not limited to, compensation planning, salaried and hourly personnel relations

Nice to Have

• Master’s degree in human resources
• 8+ years' experience in performance management, employee coaching/counseling, employee engagement, employee development, organization development, and workforce planning
• 4+ years of experience in Manufacturing, Warehousing, or Consumer Products.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate resources across multiple functions
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and conflict management skill
• Ability to guide and influence all levels
• Strong business acumen, including financial analysis
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Experience partnering with cross-functional teams
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team
• Strong analytical, problem solving, and organization skills

What we offer

The salary range for this position is $115,500 – $218,100. This position includes a comprehensive benefits package. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

How to apply

Apply Today If you're ready to help launch a new plant and build a team from day one, we'd love to hear from you.

Other

Employee Relations Manager – Battery Pack Assembly Location: Jeffersonville, IN (Remote to start, then On-site)

The role will start remotely, with the expectation that the candidate will later transition to onsite work in Jeffersonville, Indiana. During construction, you may attend onsite meetings or work from a temporary onsite office.