Manager, Regional Human Resources

J.M. Smucker · Orrville

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Your Opportunity as the Manager, Regional Human Resources

The Manager, Regional Human Resources is the senior HR leader for a designated manufacturing region, leading 7–12 Plant HR Managers and Associate HR Managers across multiple sites within an assigned Strategic Business Area. This role owns the people, organization, and culture agenda that enables safety, quality, reliability, cost, service, and productivity performance.

Based in Orrville, the role partners with Operations leadership, Plant Managers, HR Centers of Excellence, and the Corporate Organization Business Partner to translate business strategy into practical workforce, talent, and organization plans.

The ideal leader balances strategy and execution, enterprise mindset and plant realities, HR expertise and operational acumen, with strong judgment on complex and sensitive matters.

Location: Orrville, OH (Corporate)

Reports to: Director, Operations Community of Practice

Work Arrangements: Hybrid, based at the Orrville corporate campus, with regular plant travel in the assigned region (approximately 50%)

In this role you will:

Strategic HR & Business Partnership

• Serve as the primary HR partner to plant leadership; translate Operations and productivity priorities into clear people and organization plans.

• Understand regional cost structures, operating metrics, capital plans, network priorities, and workforce implications of automation, AI, and digital manufacturing.

• Partner 1:1 with the aligned Corporate Organization Business Partner for seamless HR support from corporate through the plant floor.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop 7–12 Plant HR Managers and Associate HR Managers across multiple sites.

• Build HR capability and succession depth; assess talent objectively, address gaps with candor and care, and create clear operating rhythms.

• Coach HR and plant leaders through complex conversations and serve as an escalation point for sensitive employee matters, pay actions, and regional risk.

Manufacturing & Operational Excellence

• Apply operational excellence and high-performance work system principles across regional plants.

• Connect people practices to safety, quality, reliability, cost, service, productivity, staffing, and talent outcomes.

• Operate credibly in union and non-union environments; partner with Labor Relations on contracts, grievances, union engagement, effects bargaining, and workforce continuity.

• Simplify HR processes and use technology, analytics, and AI to improve decision quality and capacity.

Organization Design, Organization Effectiveness & Change Leadership

• Lead organization design, workforce planning, and change work tied to automation, network evolution, startups, expansions, closures, and long-term supply chain objectives.

• Equip plant leaders to communicate change, align teams, and drive adoption.

• Lead sub-teams and workstreams on complex enterprise projects from strategy through execution.

Talent, Succession & Capability Building

• Own regional talent reviews, succession planning, high-potential development, career pathing, and rotations.

• Improve internal promotion rates, succession depth, and caliber of talent hired and developed across plant roles.

• Coach plant leaders on performance management, development planning, team effectiveness, and leader assimilation.

Core Day-to-Day HR Practices

• Ensure consistent investigations, policy interpretation, compliance, and administration of core HR practices across the region.

• Guide hourly staffing strategy and execution from sourcing through onboarding.

• Lead engagement and turnover strategies using survey, exit, stay, and labor market insights.

HR COE Partnership & Enterprise Leadership

• Partner with Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, and HR Shared Services to deliver integrated solutions.

• Represent plant needs to COEs and contribute standards, tools, best practices, and talent insights through the Operations Community of Practice.

• Use workforce analytics to monitor organizational health and recommend action.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Management, Organizational Development, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive HR and leadership experience, including senior, business-facing roles.

• 5+ years leading HR professionals across multiple locations.

• Significant manufacturing, operations, or supply chain experience, including direct site support.

• Experience in union and non-union environments, including contract administration and grievance resolution.

• Track record of strengthening talent, succession depth, leadership capability, and organizational effectiveness.

• Experience leading organization design, restructuring, workforce optimization, and large-scale change.

• Experience partnering with Labor Relations, Legal, Compliance, and COEs in a matrixed environment.

• Experience using HR technology, workforce data, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to drive decisions and outcomes.

Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role (not required):  

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, or a related discipline (MBA, MS, MA)
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification and/or active affiliation with relevant HR networks and organizations.
• Experience in consumer-packaged goods or comparable high-volume, multi-site manufacturing experience.

The Right Place for You 

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs. 

We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. 

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