Director of Human Resources

Who We Are:
Challenge’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Together we own Safety! Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:

Reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources, the Director of Human Resources is accountable for leading, directing, evaluating, and continuously improving the human resource function at each assigned facility. This role requires collaboration with other directors, general managers, and senior leadership to implement the company’s mission and people strategy.

What You'll Do:

• Lead your designated HR teams in developing and implementing Challenge’s People Operating System and completing daily HR activities (up to 25% travel).
• Coordinate and lead workforce planning and recruitment efforts for our hourly team and coordinate talent across multiple locations.
• Responsible for reviewing background checks and making individual determinations when necessary.
• Collaborate with and lead cross-functional teams to promote the Company's cultural goals and take steps to lower turnover while boosting employee engagement.
• Responsible for improving business processes to ensure that policies and procedures are efficient, accurate, and friendly to employee-owners.
• Work with plant-level leadership and other directors to ensure compliance with the Company handbook and collective bargaining agreement, where applicable.
• Ensure consistent application of Company policies and participate in revising employee handbooks and collective bargaining agreements.
• Coach the plant human resources teams and plant leadership on matters of discipline and policy.
• Develop and coach plant HR managers and generalists.
• Establish and maintain department records and reports. Participate in administrative staff meetings and attend other meetings as needed.
• Maintain organizational charts and employee directories by ensuring that employee status changes are reviewed and approved in a timely manner.
• Responsible for reviewing all proposed involuntary employee separations to ensure fair and due process has been consistently applied.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment and applicable labor laws.
• Participate in unemployment and other legal hearings/matters when necessary.
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the Vice President of Human Resources and senior leadership.

When and Where:
This will be a 1st Shift / 830AM-5PM M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI. 
Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in human resources or related field;
• 5 + years functioning as an HR Manager in a similarly sized company;
• Automotive or Manufacturing experience preferred;
• Understands the “big picture” impact of decisions – how the key drivers of the business impact the company’s financial statements;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.  Comfortable communicating in difficult situations in both individual and group settings;
• Uses an objective and balanced approach toward data collection, analysis and decision-making;
• Global & Cultural Awareness;
• Demonstrated expertise in key HR disciplines, including the areas of; Attraction & Retention, Alignment and Performance Management, Compensation & Benefits, and Training & Development;
• Possess strategic awareness and the ability to lead a team to meet strategic goals;
• Able to inspire, influence, and develop other people
• P