Director of HR and Safety

This exciting opportunity will shape the company’s future through strategic talent development, robust safety programming, and strong corporate, union, and community partnerships. You will provide organizational leadership and support in all human resources, talent development, and safety matters. This includes developing the organization’s structure, succession planning, change management, leadership and employee development, and safety programming. This role is accountable for labor relations, including Collective Bargaining Agreements.

You’ll maintain working relationships with Corporate Human Resources, union leadership, regulatory bodies, educational institutions, executive staff, and management. This requires leadership and support for the company’s vision, mission statements, and values, striving for a positive, adaptive, inclusive, and safe work environment balanced to benefit customers, shareholders, and employees. The home office is in Fergus Falls, MN. A hybrid opportunity is available up to two days per week.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Employee and Leadership Development Lead the development of leaders and employees throughout the company. Ensure effective program and content delivery and program evaluation. Effective Workplace Employee Engagement, Respectful Workplace, Inclusion and Belonging, Culture. Create environments of opportunity with accountability where people are valued and empowered to do their best work. Build respectful relationships and create an environment where people thrive. Lead Employee Experience & Great Place to Work initiative.

Guide company-wide employee engagement assessment and response strategies. Support the company in educating and training leaders and employees to promote a respectful workplace. Evolve and lead inclusion and belonging efforts. HR Operations Excellence Ensure HR operations excellence in areas of selection, retention, employee relations, and performance management. Drive process improvement for all talent systems. Oversee participant in resolving employee relations matters and participate in Code of Business Ethics investigations as needed.

Compliance Monitor and ensure the organization’s compliance with federal, state, and local employment, safety, and labor laws and regulations and recommended best practices. Review and modify policies and practices to maintain compliance. Talent Management Ensure strategic workforce plan and hiring plan is developed and results obtained by coordinating/advising line management and other recruiting resources. Ensure effective recruiting, assessment, and selection methods are used for hiring and promotion.

Participate in sourcing, recruiting, hiring, and retaining senior-level talent. Develop and support career architecture and planning efforts. Succession Planning Ensure an effective company-wide succession planning program is administered and reported annually. Lead efforts to ensure desired results are achieved. Support HR team development and succession in HR. Organizational Development Innovate for business impact, lead change efforts as needed. Work with leaders to design an effective organizational structure.

Seek to enhance organizational performance. Facilitates Change Operate as change management facilitator across company. HR Systems & Technology Drive process improvement on HR systems and use of technology to enhance stakeholder capability and experience. Optimize use of human resource management systems, leveraging effective AI applications. Ensure HR systems are documented and sustained. Compensation/Benefit Program Management Manage the Employee Value Proposition and the compensation and benefits programs to deliver it.

Ensure the design and administration of plans meet the needs of the business and the employees. Leverage Corporate resources. Drive communications process to ensure understanding and appreciation of total rewards package provided. Budgeting Manage budget for all Human Resources & Safety functions, including loading rates. Workers Compensation Ensure worker compensation claims are processed promptly and accurately. Oversee third-party providers to ensure professional services to employees with claims.

Labor/Employee Relations Negotiate and administer collective bargaining agreements. Safety Develop and implement safety policies and procedures in compliance with local, state, and federal rules and regulations, including the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Lead HR and Safety teams, supporting the professional development of staff. Create a compelling vision for the functions and execute to achieve. Required

Skills & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or equivalent with at least ten years of progressive HR experience. Relevant Master’s degree preferred. Demonstrated expertise and experience in performing or managing multiple HR disciplines is required, including some of the following: employee relations, employment,…