Our client, a privately-held, successful manufacturing organization with multiple facilities, is seeking an experienced VP of Human Resources to join their executive leadership team. This role is based in the Chicago area.
This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in a fast-moving, multi-site manufacturing environment. The successful candidate will partner closely with senior operations leadership and have direct visibility with ownership, playing a key role in shaping the organization’s people strategy as the business continues to grow.
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.
A well-established, growing manufacturing organization in the north Twin Cities metro is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead payroll operations during a period of significant company growth and evolution. This is a high-visibility role, ideal for a payroll leader who is equally comfortable running day-to-day processing and proposing process or system improvements as the organization scales.
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.
Our client is a privately held, family-owned organization generating more than $500 million in annual revenue and employing approximately 1,000 people across a diverse portfolio of businesses serving customers throughout North America. With a long history of growth and an entrepreneurial, decentralized operating model, the company empowers its individual businesses while providing the resources, financial strength, and strategic direction of a unified parent organization. The organization continues to pursue long-term growth through operational excellence, strategic investment, and disciplined expansion. VP – Human Resources The VP – Human Resources leads the Corporate Human Resources and Safety Teams with a companywide perspective, partnering with senior leaders to turn business strategy into actionable initiatives. This role serves as both a catalyst and a competitive advantage by using technology, analytics, and modern practices to deliver measurable business impact while fostering a high-performing, inclusive culture. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role drives people and culture strategies that support growth. The VP – Human Resources also serves as a customer-service-focused consultant to the Senior Team, helping align workforce goals and strategies with a safe, compliant, and effective workplace. Responsibilities Human Resources Leadership
Develops and executes comprehensive human resources strategies aligned with corporate objectives and growth initiatives.
Oversees talent acquisition, workforce planning, onboarding, and succession planning processes.
Leads performance management programs, including goal setting, performance evaluations, and leadership development initiatives.
Manages compensation and benefits programs to ensure market competitiveness and alignment with organizational objectives.
Ensures compliance with applicable federal and state employment laws, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEOC, and state-specific regulations.
Oversees HRIS data integrity, reporting, and workforce analytics.
Serves as a trusted advisor to executives and managers regarding employee relations, investigations, conflict resolution, and organizational development matters.
Leads recruitment strategy for senior-level positions and partners with executives on candidate selection decisions.
Manages company compensation program research and provides recommendations to support competitiveness across applicable markets.
Oversees manager training initiatives that support leadership effectiveness, compliance, and consistent people management practices.
Safety & Compliance Leadership
Partners with the Safety Manager to develop, implement, and continuously improve corporate safety programs, policies, and procedures.
Ensures compliance with OSHA, DOT, and other regulatory requirements applicable to the organization’s operations.
Oversees incident investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective action planning.
Partners with divisional leadership to integrate safety into daily work processes and organizational culture.
Oversees workers’ compensation programs, claims management, and return-to-work processes.
Strategic & Cross-Functional Leadership
Facilitates the leadership team’s strategic planning process, driving alignment around enterprise priorities, key initiatives, and execution plans.
Collaborates with senior leadership to align human resources and safety initiatives with business objectives.
Leads change management efforts related to organizational restructuring, system implementations, and policy updates.
Communicates human resources and safety priorities clearly and effectively across all levels of the organization.
The responsibilities listed above are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position and may not include all essential functions as defined by the ADA. Qualifications
10+ years of experience in a Human Resources Director-level role, required
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field, required
SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification, preferred
Proven ability to lead teams, influence executives, and drive organizational change.
Demonstrated experience overseeing workplace safety programs in a manufacturing, distribution, or similar environment.
Strong knowledge of multi-state, federal, and local laws relating to employment.
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.
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.
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601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
