Job Category: Human Resources (HR)

Plant HR Business Partner

  • Location: Anoka
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52992

HR Business Partner: Manufacturing

Anoka, MN | Onsite | Full-Time
Compensation: Up to $110,000

Are you an HR professional who enjoys being close to the business, building trusted relationships with leaders and employees, and seeing the impact of your work firsthand?

We’re partnering with a growing global organization to hire an HR Business Partner for its large, fast-paced manufacturing campus in Anoka, MN. This opportunity is open due to internal mobility and joins an established, collaborative HR team known for developing its people and creating opportunities for continued growth.

This is an ideal opportunity for an HR professional who has built a strong generalist foundation and is ready to deepen their experience as a true business partner within a complex operational environment.

What You’ll Do

  • Partner directly with leaders across a large, dynamic manufacturing operation experiencing continued growth and high demand.
  • Build strong relationships with leaders and employees through consistent, visible HR partnership.
  • Coach and advise leaders on employee relations, performance management, organizational effectiveness, talent development, and day-to-day people decisions.
  • Use data, business context, and HR expertise to identify trends, solve problems, and support informed decision-making.
  • Help leaders strengthen team effectiveness, accountability, communication, and employee engagement.
  • Support performance management, talent acquisition, career development, succession planning, and other key talent initiatives.
  • Navigate employee relations matters with sound judgment, consistency, and an understanding of employment practices and compliance requirements.
  • Identify opportunities to improve HR programs, processes, and practices as the organization continues to grow.
  • Partner with HR Centers of Excellence across compensation, benefits, payroll, talent acquisition, and HRIS to deliver effective solutions.
  • Maintain accurate employee data and process employee changes within Workday.
  • Contribute to broader HR initiatives while continuing to develop your own capabilities within an experienced HR team.

What We’re Looking For

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
  • 4+ years of progressive HR experience across multiple areas of the HR function.
  • Experience independently supporting a client group and serving as a trusted resource to leaders.
  • Manufacturing, distribution, operations, or another fast-paced employee environment is strongly preferred.
  • Strong foundation in employee relations, performance management, HR policies, compliance, and manager coaching.
  • Ability to balance strategic partnership with the hands-on realities of supporting a large operational workforce.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the confidence to work effectively across all levels of an organization.
  • Sound judgment and the ability to navigate sensitive employee and business situations.
  • Ability to prioritize competing demands, follow through independently, and adapt quickly as business needs change.
  • Experience with Workday or another enterprise HRIS is helpful.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

You’ll join a high-performing and highly collaborative HR team where you can learn from experienced HR leaders while building deeper business partnership experience of your own. The organization is growing, the employee population is complex, and HR has a meaningful seat at the table.

For someone who enjoys being onsite, wants exposure to a sophisticated manufacturing environment, and is looking for a company where strong performance can lead to continued career growth, this is an opportunity worth exploring.

Please apply using the link, or send your resume and a note of interest directly to DSmith@skywatersearch.com

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.

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. 

Senior Payroll Specialist

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

Senior Payroll Specialist

Belle Plain, MN | Onsite 5 Days/week

Multi-State Construction Payroll & Systems Specialist

Jordan, MN | Fully Onsite | $80,000–$95,000 Base Salary

The Opportunity

We’re partnering with a well-established specialty construction organization seeking a Multi-State Construction Payroll & Systems Specialist to take ownership of weekly payroll for a field-based workforce operating across multiple states and projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for a payroll professional who enjoys solving problems, improving systems, and digging into the details until everything ties out. You’ll build on your existing multi-state payroll foundation while developing specialized expertise in construction payroll, including prevailing wages, certified payroll, fringe benefits, job-cost coding, and multi-jurisdiction compliance.

You do not need construction payroll experience on day one. What matters most is strong full-cycle payroll experience, systems aptitude, sound judgment, and the intellectual curiosity to research an unfamiliar issue and carry it through to resolution.

An experienced payroll professional will provide hands-on transition support and training, creating an opportunity to learn a highly specialized area of payroll while gradually taking broader ownership of the function.

What You’ll Own

  • Manage full-cycle weekly payroll for a multi-state workforce, including time review, overtime, deductions, garnishments, benefit withholdings, per diem, reimbursements, and payroll adjustments.
  • Partner directly with project managers, superintendents, accounting, and field employees to research and resolve time, pay, wage, fringe, tax, and job-coding questions.
  • Maintain accurate employee pay rates, multi-state tax settings, deductions, workers’ compensation codes, job phases, and payroll-related employee data.
  • Learn and ultimately own prevailing-wage and certified-payroll administration, including wage determinations, fringe requirements, reporting, and documentation.
  • Manage payroll-tax filings, reconciliations, and multi-state payroll matters after training.
  • Prepare payroll journal entries and supporting schedules and assist with payroll-related general ledger reconciliations and audits.
  • Coordinate payroll-related onboarding records, I-9 and E-Verify administration, employee changes, benefit deductions, and established leave processes.
  • Serve as a key administrator of Arcoro onboarding workflows while supporting payroll, accounting, timekeeping, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and other workforce systems.
  • Identify recurring errors, inefficient processes, and opportunities for stronger controls; recommend practical improvements and document procedures.
  • Help create payroll processes that are accurate, scalable, well-documented, and less dependent on institutional knowledge.

This Is a Payroll-First Role

This position is designed for someone who wants to deepen their payroll expertise and systems ownership. It is not a traditional HR Generalist or employee-relations position.

You’ll have exposure to employee administration and HR-related processes, but your primary responsibility will be payroll, compliance, systems, reporting, and process improvement. Employee relations, investigations, compensation strategy, policy decisions, and employment-law matters remain with company leadership.

What We’re Looking For

  • 2+ years of hands-on, full-cycle payroll experience, including employees working in multiple states.
  • Strong attention to detail and the judgment to recognize when something doesn’t look right.
  • Natural curiosity and resourcefulness—you ask good questions, research unfamiliar issues, and follow them through to resolution.
  • Comfort working across payroll, accounting, timekeeping, onboarding, spreadsheet, and Microsoft 365 systems.
  • Ability to manage recurring deadlines and competing priorities within a weekly payroll cycle.
  • Strong Excel and data-management skills with an aptitude for learning new technology.
  • Clear, respectful communication with employees, field leaders, project teams, vendors, and company leadership.
  • Professional discretion and a strong commitment to confidentiality, accuracy, and reliable follow-through.

Helpful, But Not Required

Experience in any of the following areas would be valuable, but the company is prepared to train the right payroll professional:

  • Construction, specialty contracting, job-cost, union, or field-workforce payroll
  • Certified payroll and prevailing wages
  • Davis-Bacon requirements and fringe benefits
  • Multi-jurisdiction payroll taxes
  • Arcoro, SharePoint, or comparable payroll/workforce systems
  • Accounting, business, HR, or related education
  • FPC or CPP certification

Training & Career Growth

One of the most compelling aspects of this opportunity is the transition plan.

An experienced payroll professional will remain involved to provide hands-on training in the company’s projects, systems, payroll processes, prevailing-wage requirements, certified payroll, and construction-specific compliance.

The goal is not simply to inherit a weekly payroll process—it is to develop into a trusted internal payroll and systems resource.

As the organization and workload continue to grow, this role has the potential to advance into a Payroll Supervisor position with responsibility for training and overseeing a payroll or administrative assistant.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

  • Ownership: Become the go-to resource for a complex, multi-state payroll function.
  • Specialized expertise: Learn construction payroll, certified payroll, prevailing wages, and fringe administration—valuable skills that can significantly expand your payroll career.
  • Hands-on training: Learn directly from an experienced payroll professional rather than being expected to figure everything out alone.
  • Systems exposure: Work across payroll, accounting, timekeeping, onboarding, Arcoro, Microsoft 365, and SharePoint while helping improve how the function operates.
  • Leadership visibility: Work closely with company leadership, accounting, project teams, and field operations.
  • Career runway: Grow from individual contributor into broader payroll ownership and potentially payroll supervision as the organization expands.
  • Competitive compensation: $80,000–$100,000 base salary, depending on experience, plus a strong overall benefits package.

About the Company

Our client is an established specialty contractor supporting complex industrial and field-based projects throughout the United States. The organization has built its reputation around quality work, accountability, practical problem-solving, and supporting the employees delivering work in the field.

This is a fully onsite position in Jordan, Minnesota and is best suited for someone who values being close to the operation, building relationships with the people they support, and taking meaningful ownership of an important business function.

If you have strong multi-state payroll fundamentals and enjoy figuring out how systems, data, compliance requirements, and operational processes fit together, we’d love to hear from you.

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.

Plant HR Business Partner

  • Location: Anoka , Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52665

SkyWater is partnering with a long-standing industrial technology client who is looking for an experienced HR Business Partner to support their growing business in the north metro.

In this role, you would have the benefit of being part of a large, highly skilled, and collaborative HR team while also having the autonomy, ownership, and accountability of supporting your own client group on all talent management matters. 

This role operates withing a manufacturing plant environment and required to be onsite 5 days/week. 

Human Resources Director

  • Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52654

Our client is a well-established organization with a strong operational footprint and a collaborative, team-oriented culture. The company is seeking a strategic and hands-on HR leader to oversee all aspects of Human Resources while serving as a key member of the Leadership Team.

The Director of Human Resources will lead the overall HR strategy and execution for the organization, overseeing talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation and benefits, payroll oversight, workers’ compensation, return to work programs, compliance, organizational development, and HR operations.

This individual will partner closely with leadership to support business objectives while fostering a positive, high-performing, and employee-focused culture. The ideal candidate is both strategic and operational, with the ability to influence leaders, drive organizational initiatives, and remain hands-on in day-to-day HR functions.

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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305

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