Job Category: Human Resources (HR)

HR Manager

  • Location: Washington, Minnesota
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52925

HR Manager

 Manufacturing | Central IL | Onsite Daily

If you’re the kind of HR professional who loves rolling up your sleeves, building relationships on the production floor, and owning the full employee experience from hire to retire, this opportunity was built for you.

We’re partnering with a long-time client, a highly respected, growth-oriented manufacturer, to help identify an HR Manager who will serve as the dedicated HR leader for one of its production facilities in Central Illinois  This is an outstanding opportunity for a Senior HR Generalist ready to step into their first HR Manager title, or an experienced HR Manager who still enjoys being deeply involved in the day-to-day work of Human Resources.

This is not a role where HR sits on the sidelines. You’ll be the trusted resource for approximately 160-170 employees and their leaders, balancing employee advocacy with business partnership while ensuring the operation runs smoothly every day.

What You’ll Do

You’ll own the full spectrum of site Human Resources responsibilities, including:

  • Lead full-cycle recruiting for hourly and salaried positions
  • Coordinate interviews, prepare offers, and manage onboarding from acceptance through orientation
  • Serve as the primary HR resource for employees and leaders throughout the employee lifecycle
  • Provide guidance on employee relations, coaching managers through employee issues while partnering on appropriate solutions
  • Support performance management, policy interpretation, investigations, and compliance
  • Administer HR processes, employee documentation, recordkeeping, and reporting
  • Assist employees with benefits questions and coordinate with corporate resources and vendors
  • Partner with operations leaders to support workforce planning, engagement, and retention initiatives
  • Support training and onboarding activities while additional organizational resources continue to evolve
  • Ensure HR practices remain compliant with employment laws, company policies, and manufacturing best practices

What Makes Someone Successful Here

The most successful person in this role won’t necessarily be the one with the longest resume; they’ll be someone who genuinely enjoys the operational side of HR.

You’ll thrive if you:

  • Enjoy balancing recruiting, employee relations, HR administration, and daily problem-solving
  • Take pride in staying organized and following through on commitments
  • Build trust easily with both production employees and leaders
  • Like working independently while having a larger HR team available for partnership and support
  • Are comfortable making decisions, prioritizing competing needs, and owning your work
  • Appreciate spending time where the business happens, on the manufacturing floor with employees, and behind your desk managing everything administrative. 

What We’re Looking For

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
  • Progressive Human Resources experience in a manufacturing, distribution, or industrial environment
  • Strong HR Generalist experience across recruiting, employee relations, benefits, onboarding, compliance, and HR administration
  • Experience supporting hourly manufacturing populations
  • Working knowledge of employment law and HR best practices
  • Strong communication, organization, and relationship-building skills
  • Ability to work onsite full-time in Central Illinois

SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certifications are welcomed but not required.

Why This Opportunity?

You’ll join a financially strong, values-driven manufacturing organization that believes its people are its competitive advantage. While you’ll be the dedicated HR leader for your location, you’ll also be supported by an experienced corporate HR team that values collaboration, responsiveness, and doing what’s right for employees.

This is a highly visible role with meaningful impact, significant autonomy, and the opportunity to build credibility as a trusted business partner while developing your career within a growing organization.

If you’re looking for an HR role where you can make a difference every day, not just through strategy, but through execution, relationships, and follow-through, we’d love to start a conversation.

Senior Compensation Analyst

  • Location: Delano
  • Type: Direct Hire
  • Job #52924

Senior Compensation Analyst / Total Rewards Analyst

West Metro, MN

Are you the kind of compensation professional who enjoys solving business problems, not just administering programs?

Our client is a market-leading, privately held organization with an exceptional culture, strong financial performance, and a genuine commitment to investing in its people. As the company continues to grow, they’re creating a strategic individual contributor role that will partner directly with senior HR leadership to shape compensation strategy while influencing the future of Total Rewards.

If you enjoy asking questions, analyzing data, benchmarking against the market, and bringing thoughtful recommendations that drive business decisions, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

What You’ll Do

Compensation will be the primary focus of this role, with opportunities to broaden your expertise across Total Rewards.

You’ll partner with senior leadership to:

  • Lead compensation benchmarking, market pricing, and salary structure analysis
  • Develop compensation recommendations for new hires, promotions, equity adjustments, and organizational changes
  • Analyze market trends and ensure competitive, equitable pay practices
  • Design and administer incentive compensation programs, including sales incentive plans, bonus programs, and profit-sharing initiatives
  • Build business cases and present data-driven recommendations that influence organizational decisions
  • Support annual compensation planning and salary review processes
  • Partner with Finance, HR, and business leaders to align compensation programs with business strategy
  • Help support benefits administration and vendor partnerships while contributing ideas that enhance employee well-being and thoughtfully manage costs
  • Leverage analytics, external market intelligence, and industry best practices to continuously improve Total Rewards programs

What We’re Looking For

We’re open to two primary backgrounds:

Our Ideal Profile

A Senior Compensation Analyst ready to take the next step into broader compensation strategy while expanding exposure to benefits and Total Rewards.

Also Worth Considering

An experienced HR Manager or HR Business Partner from a mid-sized organization who has developed significant compensation and benefits expertise and is looking to specialize more deeply in Total Rewards.

Regardless of title, you’ll likely bring:

  • Strong experience in compensation analysis, market benchmarking, and salary administration
  • Experience supporting incentive compensation, bonus, commission, or sales compensation programs
  • Excellent analytical and financial acumen with advanced Excel skills
  • Confidence translating complex data into practical business recommendations
  • Curiosity, initiative, and a consultative approach to problem-solving
  • Strong relationship-building and communication skills across all levels of an organization
  • Experience supporting benefits programs is highly valued
  • Value being onsite every day to build trust and collaboration

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This isn’t a role where you’ll simply maintain existing programs.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Influence compensation strategy across the organization
  • Partner directly with an experienced Total Rewards leader who values collaboration and fresh ideas
  • Expand your expertise beyond compensation into broader Total Rewards
  • Work for a financially strong, people-first organization with an outstanding reputation
  • Join a culture that values continuous improvement, innovation, and long-term employee investment

Position Highlights

  • Target compensation: Approximately $150,000 base (depending on experience)
  • Strategic individual contributor role (no direct reports)
  • Hybrid collaboration with an expectation of 4–5 days per week onsite West of the Twin Cities 
  • Comprehensive benefits package
  • Opportunity for long-term career growth within a highly respected organization

If you’re energized by solving compensation challenges, influencing business decisions with data, and helping build best-in-class Total Rewards programs, we’d love to connect.

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

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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305

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952-767-9000

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