Job Category: Human Resources (HR)

Human Resources Generalist

  • Location: St Paul, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52910

HR Generalist – College Recruiting & Safety Focus
Saint Paul, MN (Hybrid)
$75,000 – $85,000 (flexible to ~$90K for the right candidate)

Our client, a growing distribution company with ~250 employees/contractors across seven states, is adding an HR Generalist to their team. This is a hands-on, high-visibility role reporting directly to the HR leader. You’ll get exposure to nearly every facet of HR while owning two key programs: college recruiting and safety.

The Role
This is roughly 70% tactical HR generalist work, 30% program ownership. You won’t be the HR business partner for senior leadership, but you’ll have real autonomy over a well-established college recruiting pipeline and the safety program, with meaningful room to grow into additional areas (benefits strategy, culture initiatives, and more) as you show interest and aptitude.

What You’ll Own:

  • A well-established rotational entry-level sales pipeline program (multiple hires per year): partnering with engineering schools across the Upper Midwest, attending career fairs, and building lasting relationships that create a real talent pipeline (not just a fair-attendance calendar)
  • Safety program leadership: managing workers’ comp, coordinating OSHA/insurance inspections, biannual training, and first responder certification. Low-risk distribution environment, well-supported by a dedicated safety team.

Director of Benefits

  • Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52893

Our client is seeking a strategic and collaborative Director of Benefits to lead the design, delivery, and evolution of a comprehensive U.S. and global benefits portfolio. Reporting to the senior leader of Total Rewards, this highly visible role partners closely with executive leadership to develop innovative benefits strategies that enhance employee well-being while supporting long-term business objectives.

This leader will balance strategic planning with operational excellence, leading a high-performing team while driving enterprise-wide initiatives related to healthcare, retirement, wellness, compliance, and HR technology.

Job Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute the organization’s long-term benefits strategy, including health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programs.

  • Lead enterprise initiatives focused on healthcare strategy, retirement program enhancements, employee well-being, and HR technology optimization.

  • Oversee day-to-day administration of benefits programs across a geographically dispersed workforce, including annual enrollment and program governance.

  • Partner with Finance, HR, Payroll, HRIS, Legal, Communications, and executive leadership to ensure programs remain competitive, compliant, and financially sustainable.

  • Manage relationships with brokers, consultants, carriers, and third-party administrators, including vendor selection, contract negotiations, and performance management.

  • Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations while maintaining strong governance and audit readiness.

  • Develop, coach, and mentor a collaborative Benefits team while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and exceptional employee service.

  • Utilize data and analytics to evaluate program performance, improve the employee experience, and support executive decision-making.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced benefits leader who combines strategic vision with a hands-on, practical approach to execution. They are a trusted business partner who can confidently influence senior leaders, navigate complex organizational environments, and build strong relationships across the enterprise.

Qualified candidates will bring:

  • 8+ years of progressive benefits leadership experience, including people leadership within a complex, multi-site organization.

  • Deep expertise in health, welfare, retirement, and wellness program design, administration, and compliance.

  • Strong knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, leave regulations, and benefits governance.

  • Experience managing vendors, consultants, and benefit partners while balancing employee experience with financial stewardship.

  • Exceptional analytical, communication, and executive presentation skills.

  • Experience supporting manufacturing, distribution, logistics, retail, or other geographically dispersed workforces is preferred, along with exposure to Workday and global benefits programs.

Principal HR Business Partner

  • Location: Minneapolis , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52879

Our client is a well-established Minneapolis-based organization, is seeking multiple Principal HR Business Partners to join their HR Business Partner team. These roles support a specialized technical division and Distribution/Operations, reporting to a Director of HR Business Partners. This is a high-visibility opportunity for a strategic HR leader ready to influence at the senior leadership level and help elevate an already strong team.

This isn’t an order-taking HRBP seat. With direct access to senior business leaders and a mandate to shape talent strategy rather than just execute it, this role is built for someone who wants to operate as a true consultant and change agent, not a transaction processor. Add in a collaborative, high-retention culture and real runway to influence at the executive level, and this is the kind of seat strategic HR leaders don’t often get the chance to step into.

Office Administrator

  • Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52870

About the Opportunity:
SkyWater Search is conducting a search on behalf our client, which is a well-established, growth-oriented investment and holding company in the St. Cloud area, as they look to hire an Office Manager to be the face and operational heartbeat of their beautifully renovated 40,000 sq ft office space. This role blends reception, hospitality, event planning, and general office and tech support for a close-knit team of about 10 people on-site daily, with the space also hosting board meetings, retreats, and stakeholder events throughout the year.

The Role:
This is a highly visible, relationship-driven role for someone who takes pride in creating a polished, welcoming environment. You’ll be the first point of contact for guests and team members, manage the daily rhythm of the office (lunch ordering, snack and drink stocking, catering setup), coordinate quarterly retreats and an annual stakeholder event, and serve as a champion for a local nonprofit community run. You’ll also provide general tech support and act as a steady, organized presence in a space that can be a lot to manage on your own.

Plant Human Resources Manager

  • Location: St. Augustine, Florida
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52856

SkyWater Search Partners is representing a high-impact opportunity to join a successful, growth-oriented organization as the Human Resources Site Manager supporting a high-performing manufacturing plant of approximately 400 employees. This individual will serve as the senior HR leader on-site, working closely with plant leadership to drive business results through effective people strategies.

Acting as a true strategic partner, the HR Site Manager will lead all aspects of HR while fostering a strong, engaged, and compliant workforce. This role requires a hands-on leader who can operate both strategically and tactically, partnering with corporate HR to deliver scalable solutions aligned with business objectives.

Recruiter

  • Location: Princeton , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52819

Talent Acquisition Specialist / Recruiter
Manufacturing Company | Princeton, MN
On-site 5 days/week 
$65,000 – $85,000 base + discretionary bonus
*Only scheduling interviews with Minnesota-based candidates

A growing, multi-site manufacturing organization in central Minnesota is seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist to lead full-cycle recruiting across multiple business units and help build the next chapter of its workforce.

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible role where you’ll have direct impact on hiring strategy, employer branding, and workforce growth. The company has recently stabilized after market shifts and is now positioned for growth across diversified industries, including manufacturing, construction, energy, and industrial sectors.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a hands-on environment, enjoys building talent pipelines from the ground up, and wants to move beyond simply posting jobs into true talent sourcing and community engagement alongside a great HR leader to support their growth and development.

What you’ll own:

  • Full-cycle recruiting across hourly, skilled trades, engineering, operations, and professional roles
  • Proactive sourcing and pipeline development for manufacturing talent
  • Building employer brand awareness through job fairs, school partnerships, trade programs, and community outreach
  • Partnering closely with operations leaders and hiring managers across multiple locations
  • Supporting onboarding and candidate experience initiatives
  • Leveraging recruiting tools, AI, and process improvements to modernize talent acquisition efforts

What we’re looking for:

  • 3+ years of recruiting experience, ideally in manufacturing, skilled trades, industrial, construction, or related industries
  • Proven ability to source passive talent and build pipelines proactively
  • Experience hiring for both hourly and salaried roles
  • Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
  • Comfortable working onsite daily (with some flexibility over time) and engaging directly with plant leadership and employees
  • Experience with recruiting systems/ATS (Paycom experience is a plus)

Why consider it:

  • Visible, high-impact role with direct partnership to HR leadership
  • Opportunity to shape recruiting strategy and employer brand
  • Exposure to multiple business units and diverse hiring profiles
  • Long-term growth potential into broader HR, training, and talent development work
  • Strong benefits package including 401(k), PTO, and company-supported wellness and community initiatives

If you’re a recruiter in Minnesota who enjoys building, influencing, and creating momentum in a growing business, I would love to connect and meet with you. 

HRMS Manager (Workday)

  • Location: Eagan
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52803

SkyWater Search Partners has been retained by a respected, employee-owned organization to identify an HRMS Manager to serve as the organization’s Workday leader and internal subject matter expert.

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible role following a recent Workday implementation and help shape the future of HR technology, process improvement, reporting, and employee experience across a growing national organization.

The HRMS Manager will own the day-to-day administration, optimization, configuration, and enhancement of Workday while partnering closely with HR, Payroll, IT, Finance, and business leaders to maximize system capabilities and improve organizational effectiveness.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

  • Newly elevated role with significant visibility and ownership
  • Recent Workday implementation with opportunity to stabilize, optimize, and enhance the platform
  • Broad Workday scope across HCM, Recruiting, Talent, Performance, Learning, Compensation, and Payroll
  • People-first, employee-owned culture
  • Opportunity to influence business processes and HR strategy through technology
  • Strong executive support and investment in Workday

Payroll & HR Manager

  • Location: Belle Plain, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52771

Payroll & HR Manager

Belle Plaine, MN | Onsite 5 Days/week

SkyWater’s client is seeking a Payroll & HR Manager to join its leadership team at its headquarters in Jordan, Minnesota.

This is a unique opportunity to step into a highly visible role supporting a growing specialty organization that performs restoration and preservation projects across the United States. The company is known for its family-oriented culture, long-tenured employees, approachable leadership team, and commitment to investing in people, processes, and technology.

The Payroll & HR Manager will serve as the organization’s subject matter expert for payroll operations while also supporting key HR functions including onboarding, employee support, compliance, benefits administration, and HR systems.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys balancing day-to-day execution with process improvement and wants the opportunity to help modernize systems while supporting a dynamic field-based workforce.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Lead end-to-end payroll processing for a multi-state workforce
  • Ensure compliance with certified payroll, prevailing wage, and Davis-Bacon requirements
  • Manage employee records, onboarding, offboarding, and HR documentation
  • Serve as a resource for employees and managers regarding payroll, benefits, and HR policies
  • Partner with leadership to improve payroll and HR processes
  • Support implementation and optimization of Arcoro ATS and onboarding systems
  • Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations
  • Coordinate benefits administration and employee communications
  • Develop reporting and metrics to improve operational efficiency

What We’re Looking For

  • 5+ years of payroll experience, preferably within construction, engineering, specialty trades, or project-based environments
  • Experience processing multi-state payroll
  • Exposure to certified payroll, prevailing wage, or Davis-Bacon requirements strongly preferred
  • Understanding of job costing, multiple pay rates, workers’ compensation classifications, and field employee payroll administration
  • Working knowledge of HR processes including onboarding, employee relations, benefits, and compliance
  • Strong attention to detail and process orientation
  • Ability to work onsite and collaborate with employees across the organization

Why Join?

  • Established and respected specialty organization with decades of success
  • Family-oriented culture with approachable leadership
  • Significant visibility and ownership within the organization
  • Strong transition and mentorship from current leader
  • Opportunity to influence systems, processes, and future growth
  • Investment in technology and operational improvement initiatives
  • Salary Midpoint: $97,500 based on experience 

If you’re a payroll professional who enjoys ownership, problem-solving, and supporting a growing organization, I would love to connect with you. Please apply using the link below or send me your resume and availability to meet virtually at DSmith@skywatersearch.com

Human Resources Manager

  • Location: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52754

Are you a strategic HR leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment? SkyWater is partnering with a leading manufacturer in the Detroit Lakes area to hire their Human Resources Manager. In this role, you’ll partner closely with business leaders to shape talent strategies, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and foster a high-performing, engaged workforce. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact by connecting people strategies to business results while supporting both hourly and salaried employees’ day-to-day HR needs.

HR Manager

  • Location: Chanhassen, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52709

Human Resources Manager | Twin Cities West Metro | $115K–$130K + Bonus

I’m partnering with a growing, operationally driven organization in the Twin Cities west metro on a Human Resources Manager succession search, following the retirement of a long-tenured HR leader after 31 years with the company. This role reports directly to the Director of Operations..

This is a highly visible role for someone who enjoys being embedded in the business, balancing strategic partnership with hands-on execution across employee relations, compliance, payroll, compensation, benefits, leadership coaching, and culture.

What stands out to me about this opportunity is the level of influence and trust this person will have across the organization. The leadership team is looking for someone who can continue bringing structure, accountability, operational partnership, and strong HR judgment while strengthening people processes as the company continues to grow.

A few things that feel especially important for success:
• Strong employee relations and investigation experience
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Ability to coach leaders while also holding the line when needed
• Experience managing payroll and HR operations end-to-end
• Someone who genuinely enjoys building trust across all levels of an organization
• Practical HR leadership

The environment is a privately owned, collaborative, visible, and relationship-driven company. This is not a sit-behind-the-desk HR role, although there is some of that. They want someone who likes being in the business, solving problems, improving processes, and helping leaders lead better.

Compensation targets $115K–$130K base + bonus.

If you’d be open to learning more, feel free to apply to the link or message me directly on LinkedIn (Dannie Smith) or via email at DSmith@skywatersearch.com

visit us

601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305

call us

952-767-9000

stay connected

request talent Submit resume