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: Greater Minneapolis (Regular presence required in Edina & Sauk Rapids, MN) Work Model: Hybrid, three days onsite and two days remote Compensation: $150,000–$165,000 base salary plus 15% annual bonus Reports To: Chief Financial Officer
The Opportunity
A growing, private equity-backed consumer products and e-commerce company is seeking a Director of Human Resources to build and lead its people function through an exciting period of growth and transformation.
This is the organization’s first dedicated senior HR leadership role and an opportunity to make a visible, lasting impact. Reporting directly to the CFO and serving as a member of the leadership team, the Director of Human Resources will establish the strategy, systems, and programs needed to support an approximately 70-person workforce spanning corporate and manufacturing environments.
The ideal candidate is a highly capable HR generalist who can move fluidly between strategic leadership and hands-on execution. This person will become a trusted advisor to the executive team while building relationships with employees at every level of the organization.
What You’ll Do
Strategy and Leadership
Serve as the organization’s senior HR leader and primary advisor to the executive and leadership teams.
Develop a practical people strategy aligned with the company’s growth plans, culture, and business priorities.
Partner with leaders on workforce planning, organizational design, compensation strategy, succession planning, and talent decisions.
Support the company’s implementation of EOS by helping establish stronger leadership rhythms, accountability, communication, and people practices.
Conduct a current-state assessment of the HR function and create a prioritized roadmap for improvement.
Bring sound judgment, proactive recommendations, and an employee-centered perspective to leadership discussions.
Culture and Employee Experience
Help define and strengthen the company’s culture as the organization enters its next phase of growth.
Develop programs and practices that foster engagement, accountability, collaboration, and connection across locations.
Build an employee experience that reflects the company’s creative, entrepreneurial, and people-focused culture.
Strengthen onboarding and other key moments across the employee lifecycle.
Maintain an approachable, visible presence with both corporate and hourly employees.
Leadership and Talent Development
Coach managers and leaders on performance, feedback, communication, team effectiveness, and employee development.
Create practical tools and training that strengthen managerial confidence and consistency.
Establish and oversee performance-management and talent-development practices.
Partner with leaders on performance concerns, team structure, career development, and organizational effectiveness.
Help build a culture in which expectations are clear, feedback is timely, and strong performance is recognized.
Employee Relations and Compliance
Serve as the primary resource for employee relations, workplace investigations, performance concerns, and sensitive employee matters.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
Review and update the employee handbook, policies, procedures, documentation, and required training.
Develop consistent, thoughtful approaches to performance documentation and corrective action.
Assess risk appropriately and partner with outside legal counsel when necessary.
Provide limited compliance guidance related to the organization’s independent advisor network in partnership with leadership and outside counsel.
HR Operations
Provide oversight of payroll, benefits, leave administration, onboarding, HR documentation, and other core people processes.
Evaluate existing workflows and introduce greater consistency, efficiency, and automation.
Assess opportunities to implement or enhance HR technology.
Partner with an experienced administrative team member who currently supports payroll, onboarding, and other established HR processes.
Recommend future HR staffing or resources as the organization grows.
What We’re Looking For
Progressive human resources experience with broad exposure across employee relations, compliance, performance management, organizational development, compensation, benefits, payroll, and HR operations.
Previous experience serving as an HR Director, senior HR generalist, HR business partner, or strong second-in-command ready to step into the top HR seat.
Demonstrated experience building, evolving, or modernizing an HR function.
Ability to balance long-term strategy with the willingness to personally execute day-to-day HR responsibilities.
Strong business acumen and confidence advising senior executives.
Experience supporting both corporate and hourly employee populations; manufacturing experience is valuable but not required.
Proven ability to coach managers and navigate complex employee-relations matters with sound judgment and discretion.
Comfort operating in a smaller, entrepreneurial organization where priorities evolve and leaders wear multiple hats.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and change-management skills.
Experience working within an EOS organization is highly desirable. Familiarity with EOS or genuine enthusiasm for the model will also be considered.
Experience in a private equity-backed, consumer products, e-commerce, creative, or high-growth environment is a plus.
Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, or a related field preferred.
SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification is a plus.
Leadership Style and Cultural Fit
The right person will be:
Strategic, resourceful, and comfortable creating structure where it does not yet exist.
Highly collaborative and able to influence without relying on hierarchy.
Approachable and genuinely interested in knowing employees across the organization.
Comfortable working independently while maintaining close partnership with leadership.
Innovative and curious about using technology to improve HR and the employee experience.
Low ego, solutions-oriented, and able to bring expertise with warmth and humility.
Energized by the opportunity to build rather than simply maintain established programs.
Work Location and Travel Expectations
This is a hybrid position with three days onsite and two days remote each week. The offices are located in Edina and Sauk Rapids and regular presence at both locations is expected.
Weekly time at the Sauk Rapids manufacturing facility is expected to build relationships with the hourly workforce and provide accessible, hands-on HR support. Candidates should be comfortable traveling between the two Minnesota locations and should value in-person partnership and employee connection.
Why Join?
Step into the organization’s first dedicated senior HR leadership role.
Build a people function with significant autonomy and executive support.
Earn a meaningful seat at the leadership table.
Shape culture, leadership practices, systems, and the employee experience.
Join an approachable, collaborative executive team that values expertise without ego.
Partner with a supportive private equity sponsor focused on thoughtful, long-term growth.
Contribute to the next chapter of a well-established consumer brand with a loyal customer community.
Work in an environment that combines entrepreneurial energy, creativity, and operational growth.
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: North Metro, Minnesota Work Model: Onsite five days per week Travel: Occasional travel to other markets Compensation: Up to $95,000, based on experience Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Position Overview
A growing, multi-state organization within the construction and exterior services industry is seeking a driven, highly resourceful Corporate Recruiter to support continued expansion across several geographic markets.
This role will own full-cycle recruiting across sales, operations, production, administrative, and leadership functions, with a significant focus on identifying commission-driven, field-based sales talent.
A core part of the company’s growth model involves 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 individuals who can thrive in this highly entrepreneurial, door-to-door sales environment will be critical to success.
The ideal recruiter understands how to identify the confidence, resilience, competitiveness, communication skills, and self-motivation required for performance-based field sales. This person must be comfortable proactively creating candidate interest rather than relying primarily on inbound applicants.
Key Responsibilities
Full-Cycle Recruiting
Lead recruiting for sales, operations, production, administrative, and leadership positions across multiple markets.
Build consistent pipelines of commission-driven, door-to-door and field sales talent.
Proactively source candidates through LinkedIn, job boards, referrals, networking, social media, community relationships, and direct outreach.
Conduct phone screens and structured interviews to evaluate motivation, communication skills, competitiveness, resilience, coachability, and cultural alignment.
Coordinate interviews, candidate communication, offers, pre-employment requirements, and onboarding handoffs.
Maintain accurate candidate records, recruiting activity, and pipeline reporting within the applicant tracking system.
Sales Talent Sourcing
Identify candidates from transferable backgrounds such as construction, home services, roofing, solar, telecommunications, pest control, insurance, automotive sales, athletics, hospitality, and other performance-driven environments.
Clearly communicate the opportunity, expectations, earning potential, and realities of commission-based, door-to-door sales.
Evaluate whether candidates have the discipline and resilience to generate business, manage rejection, build trust quickly, and remain productive in an independent field environment.
Develop creative sourcing strategies to reach passive candidates who may not have previously considered the industry.
Multi-State Growth Partnership
Partner closely with company leadership to understand current and anticipated hiring needs across established and developing markets.
Respond quickly to changing hiring demands driven by company growth, geographic expansion, seasonal business needs, and severe weather activity.
Build talent pipelines before openings become urgent.
Adjust recruiting strategies based on local labor markets and the cultural nuances of each operating location.
Occasionally travel to other markets to learn the business, build relationships with local leaders, and better understand the characteristics needed for success within each team.
Hiring Manager and Candidate Experience
Build trusted relationships with hiring leaders and establish a clear understanding of each position and candidate profile.
Provide market feedback regarding candidate availability, compensation, competitors, and recruiting challenges.
Maintain proactive, timely communication with candidates and hiring managers throughout the process.
Represent the organization professionally and authentically in every candidate interaction.
Support a structured, consistent, and efficient selection process.
Track recruiting outcomes, including candidate flow, sourcing effectiveness, time to fill, offer acceptance, and early retention.
Qualifications
Required
3-5 years of full-cycle recruiting experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Experience recruiting sales professionals, ideally within commission-driven, outside, field-based, or door-to-door environments.
Strong interviewing skills and the ability to assess motivation, resilience, competitiveness, and transferable potential.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, organization, and follow-through.
Ability to manage multiple openings, markets, and shifting priorities simultaneously.
Comfort working in an onsite, highly collaborative environment five days per week.
Ability to travel occasionally to company locations in other states.
Preferred
Recruiting experience within construction, exterior services, home services, restoration, solar, insurance, telecommunications, or a similar industry.
Experience supporting hiring across multiple states or geographically dispersed markets.
Familiarity with applicant tracking systems, LinkedIn Recruiter, job boards, and modern sourcing tools.
Experience building recruiting processes, referral programs, talent pipelines, or employer-branding initiatives within a growing organization.
The Right Fit
The right person for this opportunity is proactive, persuasive, competitive, and energized by finding talent others may overlook. You enjoy initiating conversations, building relationships, and creating interest in an opportunity rather than waiting for candidates to apply.
You also understand that successful door-to-door sales professionals require a unique combination of confidence, resilience, discipline, trustworthiness, and personal drive. You know how to assess those qualities and connect strong candidates with an opportunity where their effort can directly influence their success.
This is a visible, high-impact role for a recruiter who wants to work closely with leadership, help strengthen the company’s talent strategy, and directly support the continued growth of a multi-state organization.
Human Resources Operations Manager (Workday) Minneapolis, MN | Hybrid
Our client, a well-established professional services organization based in the Twin Cities, is seeking a Human Resources Operations Manager to join their team. This is a newly redesigned role reporting directly to firm leadership, offering the opportunity to own HR technology strategy and drive meaningful process improvement for a growing organization.
Location: South Metro MN & Detroit Lakes, MN Travel: Up to 40% Work Setting: Onsite, supporting multiple locations and shifts Compensation: $80,000-$105,000 (based on experience) + STI + Full Benefits
The Opportunity
SkyWater Search Partners is partnering with a fantastic legacy manufacturing organization to hire a hands-on Learning & Development professional who will help strengthen workforce capabilities, employee development, and leadership readiness across its operations.
Reporting to the Director of Learning & Development, this individual will serve as a facilitator, program leader, and trusted advisor to operational leadership. The role will manage learning initiatives from planning through evaluation, deliver engaging development experiences, and help create meaningful career pathways, particularly for frontline manufacturing employees.
This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced learning professional who enjoys being close to the business, building strong relationships with leaders and employees, and translating organizational needs into practical development solutions.
The Company
Our client is an established, growing metalworking organization providing custom manufacturing services to prominent brands across several industries. With more than 1,000 employees across multiple facilities, the company continues to invest in its people, equipment, and operations to support its growth and deliver exceptional value to its customers.
Key Responsibilities
Learning Program Leadership
Manage learning and development programs from initial planning through implementation and evaluation.
Partner with leaders to identify skill, performance, and capability gaps and develop effective solutions.
Support onboarding, technical training, leadership development, career progression, succession planning, and broader workforce capability initiatives.
Monitor program outcomes and use data, feedback, and business results to drive continuous improvement.
Promote consistent learning standards and employee experiences across locations.
Facilitation and Employee Development
Facilitate engaging learning experiences that support employee growth, leadership readiness, and career advancement.
Deliver instructor-led, virtual, and blended programs that encourage participation, knowledge retention, and practical application.
Adapt facilitation methods for diverse audiences, including frontline manufacturing employees, supervisors, and organizational leaders.
Coach individuals and teams to reinforce learning and improve performance.
Serve as a resource on adult learning principles and effective development practices.
Program Coordination and Reporting
Maintain accurate training records, certifications, compliance documentation, learning rosters, and related reporting.
Coordinate program logistics, including scheduling, participant communication, materials, and learning resources.
Track required certifications and recertifications to ensure timely completion.
Generate and analyze learning metrics, dashboards, and reports that support business decisions and workforce planning.
Ensure learning content, documentation, and program materials remain current and accurate.
Business Partnership
Collaborate with operations, safety, HR, quality, and site leadership to identify learning and workforce capability needs.
Build trusted relationships with leaders and align development programs with operational priorities.
Advise supervisors and managers on employee development, onboarding, skill progression, and career pathways.
Gather feedback from leaders and learners to continuously improve programs and services.
Influence and support the adoption of learning initiatives across the organization.
Required Qualifications
Three or more years of experience in learning and development, training, workforce development, human resources, or a related field.
Experience facilitating instructor-led, virtual, or blended learning programs.
Experience coordinating projects, programs, or organization-wide initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to partner with leaders to identify performance, training, and development needs.
Strong presentation, facilitation, communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, programs, and stakeholders.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience working with learning systems, databases, or reporting tools.
Ability to travel up to 40%.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience within manufacturing, industrial operations, skilled trades, or another frontline workforce environment.
Experience supporting career development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline initiatives.
Experience leading or mentoring trainers, facilitators, or other learning professionals.
Experience supporting multi-site or multi-shift operations.
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.
Location: Downtown Minneapolis (hybrid, in-office Tuesday and Thursday)
About the Company
Our client is an established and growing media agency headquartered in downtown Minneapolis. With over 100 employees, this is a culture built on the belief that its people are its greatest competitive advantage. They’re looking for a VP of People to lead their people strategy through its next chapter.
The Role
As a member of the leadership team, the VP of People will own the full employee experience, from talent acquisition and development to culture, engagement, organizational structure, and the systems that let both people and business thrive. Reporting to the co-president overseeing operations, finance, HR, and legal, and partnering in equal day-to-day capacity with the co-president overseeing client delivery, this is not a caretaker HR role: the company is looking for a strategic, hands-on people leader with real executive presence, someone who will bring rigor and intentionality to how they invest in their people, guide the organization through cultural and change-management moments as it grows, and build the programs that have been missing, not just maintain the status quo.
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.
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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
