People Operations Manager

The People Operations Manager leads HR initiatives within a manufacturing environment, aligning workforce strategy with operational goals. This role combines strategic HR leadership with hands-on support for plant operations, focusing on workforce planning, employee relations, safety compliance, and employee development. The position partners closely with operations and leadership teams to ensure effective staffing, a positive workplace culture, and strong organizational performance. 

Key Responsibilities 

Workforce Management

• Oversee recruiting, onboarding, and retention for production, shipping, maintenance, and service teams
• Ensure staffing levels meet production schedules
• Support production staffing forecasting and labor planning with supply and customer service leadership
• Partner with managers and directors to manage scheduling and overtime

Employee Relations

• Serve as the primary contact for workplace issues on the production and warehouse floor
• Handle conflict resolution, grievance management, and employee engagement
• Promote a positive, safe, and inclusive workplace culture

Training & Development

• Develop training programs for operators, technicians, and supervisors
• Track required certifications such as OSHA, forklift, and machine-specific training
• Implement leadership development programs for future line supervisors

Compliance & Safety

• Partner with Environmental Health & Safety to ensure compliance with OSHA and industry standards
• Support audits and investigations of workplace incidents
• Drive safety culture initiatives aligned with manufacturing risks

Performance & Compensation

• Manage performance reviews, corrective action plans, and rewards programs for production, shipping, and service teams
• Benchmark compensation against industry standards
• Support labor cost forecasting with finance and operations

Change Management & Culture

• Lead employee engagement initiatives tailored to shift-based workforces
• Support change initiatives such as automation, new production lines, and restructuring
• Build trust between management and supply teams

• Strong HR foundation including employment law, payroll, and compliance
• Strong understanding of manufacturing environments
• Excellent communication with both leadership and supply teams
• Conflict resolution and employee engagement skills
• Data-driven decision-making using metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, and training ROI