Location: East Metro, Twin Cities, MN (onsite) Base salary: $150,000 to $175,000, plus annual bonus and profit sharing
About the company
Our client is a well-respected, privately held company in the commercial building industry, with more than 50 years in business and a strong regional reputation. The company has grown substantially in recent years, entirely through organic growth, and has a team spanning multiple states. Its culture is high-energy, relationship-driven and entrepreneurial, with a leadership team that is genuinely open to new ideas.
The role
The HR Director is the company’s senior HR leader and a member of the leadership team, reporting to the President. This is a hands-on leadership role: you’ll set the people strategy and advise executives while staying actively involved in day-to-day HR. You’ll lead a lean function and have real influence on how the organization grows from here.
Location: Burnsville, MN (on-site) Employment type: Full-time, exempt Compensation: $130,000 to $160,000 base, plus 15% annual bonus target and benefits
Our client is a privately held, growth-oriented company in Burnsville, MN. Led by a team with extensive public, private, and private equity roll-up experience, the company has professionalized its operations over the past three years and is now preparing for an acquisition that will take it from roughly 50 employees to well over 100, and from one union to potentially several.
The culture is transparent. Leaders roll up their sleeves, no one is above any task, and titles matter less than results.
The Opportunity
This is the company’s first dedicated HR hire. Today, HR is shared among the leadership team and supported by an outside consultant. You will build the HR function from the ground up as a team of one: owning employee relations and union relations, creating the systems and processes that don’t yet exist, and leading the HR side of integrating newly acquired employees. Strong union experience is a must have!
Key Responsibilities
Union and labor relations: Interpret, administer, and enforce collective bargaining agreements; participate in contract negotiations; advise plant and operations managers on grievances, discipline, and contract compliance.
Employee relations and coaching: Serve as a trusted thought partner to plant and operations leaders, coaching and mentoring supervisors and the hourly workforce beyond discipline and contract language.
M&A and integration: Lead HR integration for a pending acquisition and future ones, including aligning benefits and healthcare programs, communicating with newly acquired employees, and helping them feel part of the team.
Culture: Identify, document, and systematize what makes the existing culture work, and develop ways to measure it and extend it to new team members.
Talent acquisition systems: Build a repeatable hiring process, replacing ad hoc hiring with a clear approach to sourcing, interviewing, and offers.
Onboarding and offboarding: Own the end-to-end process, including compliant documentation and record retention, so every new hire and departure is handled consistently.
Compliance: Ensure compliance with Minnesota and federal employment law.
Performance management: Design and own a modern program to replace a legacy system that hasn’t been used in years: fair, simple, and consistently applied, and workable for salaried and hourly, union and non-union employees.
Build the function: Identify gaps and blind spots and set priorities for the HR roadmap as the company grows.
Required Qualifications
Significant HR experience in a unionized environment, including deciphering, administering, and negotiating CBAs
Experience with HR acquisition due diligence and integration
Strong working knowledge of Minnesota employment law
Proven ability to operate as a hands-on HR leader without a team: willing to build processes and systems and handle day-to-day work personally
Credibility and the ability to connect with everyone from executives to blue-collar and field employees
Strategic HR aptitude, with the confidence to coach leaders and make tough calls when needed
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in manufacturing, construction, aggregates, or another industrial setting
Experience in a private equity-backed or high-growth organization
Experience with UKG or similar HRIS and payroll platforms
Prior experience as the first or only HR professional at a company
Who Will Thrive Here
A builder who sees an empty function as an opportunity, not a burden
Direct, down-to-earth, and comfortable in a blunt, transparent culture; not stuffy or corporate
Emotionally intelligent, able to understand the culture before recommending changes
Self-sufficient and able to hit the ground running
Willing to earn influence through results rather than title
Location: North Metro, Twin Cities, MN (onsite) Type: Full-time, exempt Compensation: $90,000 to $105,000 base salary, plus benefits
About the Company
Our client is a fast-growing Twin Cities manufacturer of high-tech equipment serving a global customer base. Driven by strong demand in its industry, the company has grown rapidly over the past year and employs a few hundred people across production, engineering, and business functions. It is a close-knit organization where you can still get to know most of your coworkers, with low turnover, a mix of long-tenured and new employees, and a lot of momentum.
The Opportunity
The Senior HR Generalist joins a small, hands-on HR team at an exciting point. With the foundations in place, the team is now building the next phase of HR: new systems, new programs, and better ways to serve a quickly growing workforce. This role is a true senior generalist position, roughly half strategic and half hands-on, with ownership of select HR functions and a voice in shaping how HR delivers services across the company. It is ideal for someone who thrives on variety, shifting priorities, and the chance to build.
We’re partnering with a privately owned, private equity-backed company to hire their first ever HR Leader. The growth plan is bold: expand the footprint, acquire strong regional businesses, and build the leading platform in the region. They have the momentum and the backing. Now they need an HR leader who can build the foundation that lets them scale.
This a chance to design an HR function from the ground up, with direct access to ownership and senior leadership.
What you’ll do
Build and lead the HR function
Assess current HR processes, capabilities, and infrastructure, then create a practical roadmap for what comes next
Establish consistent policies and best practices across locations without creating red tape
Strengthen the core disciplines: employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, talent development, recruiting, retention, and compliance
Build a service-oriented HR team that gives managers and employees the tools they need to succeed
Fuel the buy-and-build strategy
Partner with executive leadership on the people side of acquisition due diligence and integration
Create a repeatable playbook for onboarding acquired businesses and aligning policies, systems, and practices
Retain critical talent, communicate change clearly, and protect the culture that made each business successful
Be a trusted partner to leadership
Coach operating leaders and front-line managers on employee relations, accountability, and team effectiveness
Translate growth goals into actionable people strategies
Bring consistency and structure while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit that got the company here
Own the employee experience
Lead recruiting and retention for drivers, dispatchers, and operational leaders, partnering with local managers to solve real workforce challenges
Track turnover, time-to-fill, and retention to show what’s working
Build HR approaches that fit a hands-on, operational workforce
Create scalable systems
Improve HR technology, employee data, and workforce reporting
Work with payroll and outside providers to tighten processes and controls
Support multi-state compliance, including wage-and-hour, workers’ compensation, and return-to-work coordination
Your first 12 months
Assess HR capabilities and address immediate workforce and compliance needs
Improve recruiting and retention for critical field and operational roles
Put practical, scalable processes, systems, and reporting in place across locations
Build the people-integration playbook for future acquisitions
What we’re looking for
Significant progressive HR experience, including leadership of a broad HR function at the Director level or equivalent
A track record of building, transforming, or professionalizing HR in a growing organization
Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, organizational change, or multi-entity environments
Background in a multi-site, operationally complex business with a substantial hourly or blue-collar workforce
Strong knowledge of employee relations, compliance, performance management, compensation, benefits, and HR operations
Experience implementing or improving HR systems and workforce reporting
The ability to partner with senior executives, coach operational leaders, and influence business decisions
Location: Eden Prairie, MN (on-site four days per week) Employment type: Full-time, exempt Compensation: $100,000 to $120,000 base, plus 10% annual bonus target and benefits
About the Company
Our client is a private equity-backed life sciences company headquartered in the southwest metro, with a production operations in southern Minnesota and a field sales team across several states. The business has grown significantly over the past several years and is positioned for continued expansion through organic growth and acquisitions. It’s a lean, collaborative, in-person team with a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Role Summary
The HR Manager will own the people function end to end. This is a hands-on role for an experienced HR generalist who wants to build the function now and grow a team later. A PEO partner handles much of the administrative workload, allowing this role to focus on hiring, onboarding, performance management, compensation, employee relations, and policy. The HR Manager reports to the President and has direct access to senior leadership.
Location: Plymouth, MN Work Model: Onsite, five days per week Compensation: $95,000–$125,000 base salary + 10% STI bonus
The Opportunity
SkyWater is partnering with a high-growth organization in Plymouth to hire an experienced HR Business Partner. The company has grown tremendously over the past decade, and HR plays a visible, influential role in supporting its leaders, employees, and culture.
This is a broad, hands-on position for someone who enjoys variety and can move comfortably between strategic partnership and day-to-day execution. You will coach leaders, recruit talent, support employees, strengthen the culture, and help the organization continue to scale.
The HR team is lean, collaborative, and responsible for a great deal. The ideal candidate will bring strong HR judgment, initiative, and the ability to step in and contribute without requiring significant direction.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with leaders to understand business needs and provide thoughtful, practical HR guidance
Coach managers through employee relations, performance management, team dynamics, and organizational challenges
Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders across the organization
Support full-cycle recruiting, including intake, sourcing partnership, interviews, selection, and onboarding
Help strengthen an engaging, accountable, and people-focused culture
Respond to employee questions and provide guidance regarding policies, benefits, and workplace practices
Support talent planning, employee development, retention, and organizational effectiveness initiatives
Assist with the development and implementation of HR programs, processes, and policies
Identify opportunities to improve the employee experience and create more scalable HR practices
Balance strategic priorities with the hands-on needs of a growing business
Collaborate closely with the broader HR team and step into other priorities as needed
Ideal Candidate Profile
Broad HR experience as an HR Business Partner, Senior HR Generalist, or in a similarly versatile role
Demonstrated experience coaching and advising leaders
Strong employee relations skills and sound judgment
Experience supporting recruiting and talent acquisition activities
Comfortable working across multiple areas of HR rather than within one narrow specialty
Proactive, resourceful, and capable of working independently
Able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong relationship-building, communication, and problem-solving skills
Willing to remain close to the work and contribute at both strategic and tactical levels
Energized by growth, change, and the opportunity to make a visible impact
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred
HR certification is valued but not required
What Makes This Opportunity Unique
Join a successful organization experiencing significant growth
Work directly with leaders and influence how the business supports its people
Take on a broad role with meaningful ownership and variety
Join a collaborative HR team where strong ideas and initiative are valued
Make a visible impact on culture, leadership effectiveness, and the employee experience
Build your scope and earning potential through strong performance and increased contribution
This opportunity is best suited for someone motivated by meaningful work, trusted partnerships, and the ability to make an impact. While the organization does not offer a heavily layered corporate career path, strong performance is recognized and rewarded.
Location: Plymouth, MN Work Model: Onsite, five days per week Compensation: $95,000–$125,000 base salary + 10% STI bonus
The Opportunity
SkyWater is partnering with a high-growth organization in Plymouth to hire an experienced HR Business Partner. The company has grown tremendously over the past decade, and HR plays a visible, influential role in supporting its leaders, employees, and culture.
This is a broad, hands-on position for someone who enjoys variety and can move comfortably between strategic partnership and day-to-day execution. You will coach leaders, recruit talent, support employees, strengthen the culture, and help the organization continue to scale.
The HR team is lean, collaborative, and responsible for a great deal. The ideal candidate will bring strong HR judgment, initiative, and the ability to step in and contribute without requiring significant direction.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with leaders to understand business needs and provide thoughtful, practical HR guidance
Coach managers through employee relations, performance management, team dynamics, and organizational challenges
Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders across the organization
Support full-cycle recruiting, including intake, sourcing partnership, interviews, selection, and onboarding
Help strengthen an engaging, accountable, and people-focused culture
Respond to employee questions and provide guidance regarding policies, benefits, and workplace practices
Support talent planning, employee development, retention, and organizational effectiveness initiatives
Assist with the development and implementation of HR programs, processes, and policies
Identify opportunities to improve the employee experience and create more scalable HR practices
Balance strategic priorities with the hands-on needs of a growing business
Collaborate closely with the broader HR team and step into other priorities as needed
Ideal Candidate Profile
Broad HR experience as an HR Business Partner, Senior HR Generalist, or in a similarly versatile role
Demonstrated experience coaching and advising leaders
Strong employee relations skills and sound judgment
Experience supporting recruiting and talent acquisition activities
Comfortable working across multiple areas of HR rather than within one narrow specialty
Proactive, resourceful, and capable of working independently
Able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong relationship-building, communication, and problem-solving skills
Willing to remain close to the work and contribute at both strategic and tactical levels
Energized by growth, change, and the opportunity to make a visible impact
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred
HR certification is valued but not required
What Makes This Opportunity Unique
Join a successful organization experiencing significant growth
Work directly with leaders and influence how the business supports its people
Take on a broad role with meaningful ownership and variety
Join a collaborative HR team where strong ideas and initiative are valued
Make a visible impact on culture, leadership effectiveness, and the employee experience
Build your scope and earning potential through strong performance and increased contribution
This opportunity is best suited for someone motivated by meaningful work, trusted partnerships, and the ability to make an impact. While the organization does not offer a heavily layered corporate career path, strong performance is recognized and rewarded.
Recruiter Location: Coon Rapids, Minnesota Work Model: Hybrid, 3 days/week onsite Travel: Occasional travel to other markets Compensation: Up to $120,000, based on experience Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Position Overview A growing, multi-state organization in the residential roofing and exterior services industry is seeking a driven, highly resourceful Recruiter to support continued expansion across several markets.
The primary focus of this role is recruiting high-performing, commission-based sales professionals for all company locations. This person will own the sales hiring process from sourcing through hiring coordination and partner directly with sales leadership, the HR Director and ownership. The role also supports office and administrative hiring, subcontractor recruiting and new-hire onboarding as the business grows.
A core part of the company’s growth model involves sales representatives working directly within communities impacted by severe weather. These professionals build relationships with property owners, identify potential restoration needs, and guide customers through the inspection and restoration process. Recruiting people who thrive in this entrepreneurial, door-to-door environment is critical to the company’s success.
The ideal recruiter knows how to spot the confidence, resilience, competitiveness and self-motivation that performance-based field sales requires, and is comfortable creating candidate interest rather than relying on inbound applicants.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Recruiting
Lead recruiting for sales positions across all company locations, with an emphasis on experienced, high-performing commission-based sales professionals.
Build and maintain pipelines that support current openings, seasonal hiring demands and anticipated growth.
Proactively source candidates through LinkedIn, job boards, referrals, networking, social media and direct outreach.
Identify talent from transferable backgrounds such as roofing, construction, home services, solar, telecommunications, pest control, insurance, automotive sales and athletics.
Partner with sales leadership to understand position requirements, performance expectations, compensation structures and the traits of successful sales professionals.
Conduct screens and interviews that evaluate motivation, communication, resilience, coachability and alignment with company values.
Clearly communicate the opportunity, compensation structure, training programs and the realities of commission-based, door-to-door sales.
Coordinate interviews, hiring recommendations and next steps with hiring managers and HR.
Office, Administrative and Subcontractor Recruiting
Recruit for office, administrative and operational support positions as assigned.
Support job posting development, sourcing, screening, interview coordination and hiring recommendations.
Assist with identifying and recruiting qualified subcontractors as business needs require.
Pipeline Management and Reporting
Track recruiting activity, candidate progress and hiring outcomes in the company’s systems.
Monitor metrics including sourcing activity, qualified candidates, interview volume, conversion rates and time-to-fill.
Provide regular recruiting updates to the HR Director and ownership.
Identify market trends and recommend improvements to sourcing strategies, workflows and candidate engagement.
Support workforce planning by anticipating hiring needs and building relationships with prospective candidates.
Onboarding, Retention and Process Improvement
Coordinate the handoff of new hires into onboarding with HR and hiring managers, including orientation scheduling and follow-up.
Help strengthen the onboarding process and early employee engagement.
Gather recruiting and new-hire feedback to improve candidate quality and retention.
Support employee referral programs and other initiatives that engage employees in attracting talent.
Hiring Manager Partnership and Candidate Experience
Build trusted relationships with hiring leaders across all locations.
Communicate recruiting priorities, candidate availability, hiring progress and challenges in a timely manner.
Maintain proactive, consistent communication with candidates throughout the process.
Represent the company at recruiting events, career fairs and company locations as needed.
Qualifications
Required
3 to 5 years of recruiting experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Demonstrated success recruiting sales professionals, ideally in commission-based, outside, field, or door-to-door environments.
Proven ability to proactively source passive candidates.
Strong interviewing skills and the ability to assess motivation, resilience, competitiveness, and transferable potential.
Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through.
Ability to manage multiple openings, markets, and shifting priorities.
Comfort working onsite five days per week and traveling occasionally to other company locations.
Preferred
Recruiting experience in roofing, restoration, construction, home services, solar, insurance, telecommunications or a similar industry.
Experience hiring across multiple states or markets, including seasonal hiring ramps.
Experience supporting onboarding, admin hiring, or subcontractor recruitment.
Familiarity with applicant tracking systems, LinkedIn Recruiter, and modern sourcing tools.
Experience building referral programs, talent pipelines or recruiting processes in a growing organization.
The Right Fit You’re proactive, persuasive and competitive, and you’re energized by finding talent others overlook. You enjoy starting conversations and creating interest in an opportunity rather than waiting for applicants. You understand that successful door-to-door sales professionals combine confidence, resilience, discipline, trustworthiness and drive, and you know how to assess those qualities.
This is a visible, high-impact role working directly with the HR Director and ownership, where you’ll shape how a growing multi-state company finds and hires its sales talent.
Location: Eden Prairie, MN | 4 days onsite, remote Fridays Compensation: $95,000–$115,000 base + bonus
SkyWater Search Partners is partnering with a well-established, growing organization in the commercial construction/services industry to hire a Payroll Manager. This is a highly visible opportunity for an experienced payroll leader to take ownership of a complex, multi-state payroll function during a significant period of transformation.
The organization supports approximately 750 employees across multiple locations and states, including both union and non-union populations. Payroll is currently being brought in-house, processes are being standardized across the organization, and the company is preparing for a transition to a new payroll platform.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys more than simply processing payroll. The Payroll Manager will have the ability to build processes, strengthen controls, influence branch-level payroll practices, and help shape the future state of the function.
What You’ll Do
Own end-to-end, high-volume payroll operations across multiple states, entities, pay frequencies, and employee populations
Manage weekly payroll for both union and non-union employees
Lead and develop a payroll team member while partnering with payroll administrators across multiple branch locations
Help lead payroll through a significant system transition, process standardization, and organizational change
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, wage and hour requirements, union agreements, and company policies
Support prevailing wage administration, certified payroll reporting, union reporting, rate changes, and fringe requirements
Champion SOX compliance, internal controls, documentation, and audit readiness
Oversee payroll adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, final pay, PTO payouts, garnishments, child support, tax levies, and other deductions
Manage payroll-related benefit reconciliations, including 401(k) and Employee Stock Purchase Plan activity
Review payroll calculations, reconciliations, reporting, and data integrity
Partner closely with HR, Finance, Benefits, IT, and operational leadership
Identify opportunities to streamline processes, strengthen controls, and improve the overall payroll experience
What We’re Looking For
5+ years of progressive payroll experience with demonstrated leadership experience
Experience supporting payroll system implementations, integrations, process improvements, or organizational change
Strong understanding of payroll taxes, wage and hour laws, garnishments, reconciliations, and compliance requirements
Experience with SOX controls and internal/external audits preferred
UKG and/or Oracle experience is a plus
Advanced Excel and strong analytical/reconciliation skills
Collaborative, adaptable, and comfortable working in a decentralized organization
Strong communicator who can build relationships across corporate and branch-level teams
Why This Opportunity?
This is a chance to join an established organization at a pivotal point in its payroll evolution. Rather than inheriting a fully built function and maintaining the status quo, you’ll have the opportunity to help bring payroll in-house, modernize systems and processes, establish scalable practices, and create the future state of payroll operations.
The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase opportunities, profit sharing, paid time off, parental leave, tuition reimbursement, professional development opportunities, and an annual bonus opportunity.
SkyWater is partnering with a leading multi-state energy organization to hire a strategic HR Business Partner. This role partners closely with senior leadership to align business strategy with people strategy. Acting as a trusted advisor, this individual will serve as the connective tissue between the HR Centers of Excellence and their respective business groups to deliver high-impact talent solutions and facilitate cyclical talent programs.
This is a hybrid role with the opportunity to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays and the remainder of the week onsite in Minneapolis.
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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
