Senior Human Resources Manager
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Location: CWI location – Pomfret Center, CT
Reports to: Director of Human Resources – US operations
Direct Reports: HR Managers, HR Business Partners, HR Specialists
Industry: Manufacturing / Industrial Operations

Position Summary

CWI is seeking a Senior Human Resources Manager to serve as a strategic and operational HR leader within a manufacturing environment. This role requires a seasoned people leader with deep expertise in employment and labor law, extensive experience leading complex agency actions, and a proven ability to develop leadership capability at scale.

The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing, industrial, or fulfillment center experience, demonstrated success managing HR teams, and the credibility to partner with senior operations leaders while navigating a highly regulated, fast-paced environment. An employment or labor law background (JD strongly preferred) is highly desirable.
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Key Responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior manufacturing and operations leadership, aligning HR strategy with business objectives, workforce planning, and operational priorities.
• Lead and develop a high-performing HR team, setting clear expectations, coaching leaders, and building a strong HR bench.
• Drive consistency, rigor, and accountability across HR practices while balancing business agility.

Employment & Labor Law / Agency Management
• Lead and manage employment and labor-related agency matters, including but not limited to:
o EEOC, DOL, OSHA, NLRB, state labor agencies, and unemployment proceedings.
• Act as the primary HR owner for investigations, agency responses, audits, hearings, mediations, and litigation support.
• Partner closely with internal and external counsel; independently assess risk and recommend pragmatic, business-aligned solutions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, wage and hour, accommodations, leaves, and disciplinary actions.
• Design and enforce consistent disciplinary, investigation, and escalation frameworks across manufacturing operations.

Manufacturing Workforce & Labor Relations
• Support large, often non-exempt employee populations in a manufacturing, industrial, or fulfillment center setting.
• Partner with operations leaders on attendance, performance, safety, and workforce engagement challenges.
• Provide guidance on labor relations issues.
• Ensure HR practices support productivity, safety, and operational continuity.
Leadership & Talent Development
• Design, implement, and continuously improve leadership development programs, including:
o Frontline supervisor and manager training
o High-potential and succession-focused leadership programs
o New leader assimilation and onboarding experiences
• Lead talent reviews, succession planning, and performance management processes.
• Build leadership capability across all levels, with a strong focus on decision-making, communication, accountability, and people leadership.

Organizational Effectiveness & Change
• Lead organizational design, workforce planning, and change management initiatives.
• Diagnose people and performance issues; use data and insight to recommend structural or process improvements.
• Drive engagement, retention, and culture initiatives within manufacturing operations.

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Required Qualifications
• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment supporting large, operational workforces.
• Extensive hands-on experience managing employment and labor agency actions (EEOC, DOL, OSHA, NLRB, state agencies).
• Proven experience leading and developing HR teams.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, investigations, disciplinary processes, and risk management.
• Experience building and delivering leadership development programs and talent pipelines.
• Ability to operate confidently with senior leaders in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.

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Preferred Qualifications
• Juris Doctor (JD) with background in employment or labor law strongly preferred.
• Prior experience as an employment or labor attorney, or in a role requiring direct legal interpretation and application.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement exposure.
• Multi-site manufacturing HR leadership experience.
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Key Competencies
• Strategic thinking with strong business acumen
• Executive presence and influencing skills
• Deep employment law and risk management expertise
• People leadership and team development
• Change leadership in operational environments
• High judgment, discretion, and decision-making capability
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Why CWI
At CWI, this role offers the opportunity to:
• Lead HR at the intersection of manufacturing operations, labor risk, and leadership development
• Make a visible impact on workforce effectiveness and leadership capability
• Partner with leaders who value strong, pragmatic HR leadership
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