Location: Twin Cities Area Compensation: $70,000 – $80,000 base Schedule: 100% onsite (5 days/week)
About the Opportunity
We’re partnering with a well-established, family-owned manufacturing organization to hire a hands-on HR Generalist. This role is open due to a long-tenured employee retirement and is critical in maintaining the day-to-day HR function.
This is a true HR operations role, ideal for someone who enjoys being close to the business, supporting employees and leaders directly, and owning execution across the employee lifecycle.
What You’ll Do
You’ll serve as the primary operational resource for HR, ensuring processes are executed accurately, consistently, and in compliance.
Key responsibilities include:
Own full-cycle recruiting (job postings, scheduling, offers, onboarding coordination)
Serve as the first point of contact for employee and manager HR questions
Support employee relations and frontline supervisor guidance
Administer benefits processes (enrollments, changes, open enrollment support)
Maintain HRIS data, employee records, and compliance documentation
Support reporting and compliance (EEO-1, OSHA, unemployment, audits, etc.)
Partner closely with payroll on employee changes and leave tracking
Help bring structure to HR operations by documenting processes and creating SOPs
What Success Looks Like (First 3–6 Months)
Independently managing day-to-day HR operations
Confidently handling FMLA/PFML and leave-related questions
Keeping recruiting moving with minimal oversight
Building trust with employees and leaders across the organization
Bringing organization and structure to existing HR processes
What You Bring
5+ years of broad HR Generalist experience
Strong end-to-end recruiting ownership
Deep knowledge of FMLA, PFML, and leave administration
Experience supporting employee relations in a hands-on environment
Ability to manage a high-volume, transactional workload with strong follow-through
Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
Experience with HRIS systems (ADP preferred) and Excel
Manufacturing or similar environment experience strongly preferred
Work Environment
100% onsite, this is a highly employee-facing role
Manufacturing setting with both office and production floor interaction
Occasional flexibility needed to support different shifts
Collaborative, team-oriented, and non-corporate culture
What Makes This Role Unique
High visibility within a small HR team (HR Leader + Payroll + this role)
Opportunity to own and stabilize HR operations
Work in a values-driven, family-owned environment where relationships matter
Ideal for someone who prefers hands-on execution over strategy
Who This Role Is (and Isn’t) For
You enjoy being in the details and making HR run smoothly You like being onsite, building relationships, and solving issues in real time You take ownership and don’t need heavy structure to be successful
*Not a fit for someone seeking a remote or hybrid, highly strategic, or heavily resourced HR role
I have been retained by one of my industry leading industrial manufacturing clients to help them find their next Chief Human Resources Officer. The company is private equity backed and an event will take place over the next couple of years. Reporting to the CEO, this person may be based either in the Twin Cities or Milwaukee, WI. The company measures its sales in the hundreds of millions and is in a significant growth period…they expect a 70% increase in revenue over the next two years based upon current booked business. This role is critical to the company’s success, and this person will own both the strategy and execution of aggressive hiring plans including 50+ direct labor positions by midsummer, that are necessary to keep up with growth. This person will have responsibility for delivering full-scope HR services and for leading the development and execution of the human resource strategic and tactical/operating plans that supports the company’s strategic plans, growth objectives, and leadership principles. This position is an integral and highly visible member of the company’s senior leadership team, building a strong and inclusive culture and human resource capability to make the company an employer of choice and highly successful growth enterprise.
The Chief Human Resources Officer directs overall HR functions in accordance with the objectives and practices of the company and has essential accountabilities for Human Resource Planning and Strategy; Executive and Manager Partnership; Recruitment and On-boarding; Talent Management; Employee Development; Legal; Payroll and Benefits; and Compensation. Together with the leadership team, this person will work tirelessly to make the organization a great place to work.
This job requires a person who is willing to roll up their sleeves and be hands on with their approach providing coaching and leadership to their team. Travel will be roughly one trip per quarter to various facilities. The position offers a base salary of $225K along with a 30% target bonus + LTIP (equity that is tied to an event).
Are you someone who thrives in a people-centered, mission-driven environment? We’re looking for an exceptional Executive Assistant to partner closely with a senior leader who is deeply engaged with a broad community of stakeholders.
This is a highly visible and relationship-driven role, where you’ll serve as a trusted right hand, helping manage a dynamic schedule, coordinate meaningful interactions, and ensure day-to-day operations run seamlessly.
We are partnering with a med-tech/healthcare client on their Senior HRIS Analyst search. This role will serve as the subject matter expert supporting and optimizing their workforce management module for their global workforce.
The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, analytical curiosity, and a proactive mindset. This role is perfect for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, improving processes, and being hands-on with technology.
This is a highly collaborative role partnering across HR, Payroll, Finance, and IT to enhance system functionality, drive continuous improvement, and support enterprise HR initiatives.
A growing, distinctive consumer brand is seeking a Vice President, People & Culture to lead the people strategy and day-to-day HR function for a private equity-backed organization. This leader will serve as the company’s senior HR partner, working closely with the CEO, executive team, and broader leadership group to shape talent, culture, organizational effectiveness, and employee experience.
This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role. While the position carries meaningful strategic responsibility, the current scope is also operational and requires a leader who is comfortable rolling up their sleeves. The right person will be equally credible coaching executives, leading talent and organizational work, supporting recruiting, and managing the tactical realities of a lean HR function.
Why This Role Is Compelling
Opportunity to shape the people agenda for a distinctive, growing consumer brand with strong leadership access and influence
Broad scope across HR strategy, talent acquisition, performance management, engagement, organizational development, and leadership support
Visible seat at the table with the ability to influence how the company scales, collaborates, and develops talent
A culture that values partnership, practical problem solving, and leaders who build credibility through action
Ideal Candidate Profile
Broad HR athlete with strong business partnership skills and the ability to shift between strategic thinking and tactical execution
Credible with senior leaders yet practical and approachable with employees and managers across the organization
Comfortable in lean, evolving environments where priorities shift and not every process is fully built
Strong talent assessor who can support recruiting, evaluate fit, and help leaders raise the bar on hiring and performance
Able to introduce the right amount of structure without becoming overly bureaucratic or heavy-handed
Primary Responsibilities
HR Leadership and Business Partnership
Serve as the senior HR leader, partnering closely with the CEO and leadership team on organization, talent, culture, and people-related business decisions
Provide practical, high-judgment counsel on employee relations, performance issues, organizational changes, leadership effectiveness, and team dynamics
Represent the people and culture perspective in leadership discussions while balancing business needs, scalability, and employee experience
Talent Management and Leadership Development
Lead performance management, talent review, calibration, and succession-related discussions across the company
Strengthen leadership capability through coaching, tools, frameworks, and development support
Partner with leaders to identify top talent, address performance gaps, and create development plans
Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning
Play an active role in recruiting for professional and leadership positions, including role definition, job specification development, candidate assessment, and hiring manager partnership
Support workforce planning tied to company growth, organizational design, and evolving capability needs
Ensure recruiting processes are disciplined, well-calibrated, and aligned with future talent needs
HR Operations, Rewards, and Infrastructure
Oversee core HR processes including onboarding, offboarding, leaves, compliance, communications, and HR administration
Partner on benefits, compensation, and HR systems, including future benchmarking and pay structure work
Improve HR infrastructure and process efficiency
Culture, Engagement, and Organizational Effectiveness
Guide engagement efforts, survey follow-up, and employee listening mechanisms
Support initiatives that reinforce culture, values, and community impact
Contribute to leadership team effectiveness and cross-functional collaboration
Experience and Requirements
10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience across multiple disciplines
Experience partnering closely with a CEO and/or executive leadership team in a growth-oriented environment
Proven ability to operate as a hands-on HR leader in a lean setting
Experience leading performance management, talent assessment, and leadership development processes
Strong recruiting capability and partnership with hiring leaders
Experience improving HR processes, systems, and operating cadence
Experience in consumer, retail, branded products, manufacturing, or similarly fast-paced environments is helpful but not required
Experience with ADP or similar HRIS platforms preferred
Personal Attributes
Builder mentality with low ego and high accountability
Strong listener with sound judgment and the ability to influence
Resilient and comfortable navigating ambiguity and change
Commercially minded and able to connect people decisions to business priorities
This role is based in the Minneapolis area, with a hybrid model and an expectation of regular in-office presence to support leadership visibility and team engagement.
SkyWater Search Partners is representing a long-standing, highly-respected institution in Minneapolis as they look to hire a highly organized and proactive Senior Administrative Assistant to support senior leadership and help coordinate a wide range of programs, events, and operational initiatives. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys balancing administrative excellence with meaningful, people-focused work. This role will require an equal balance of organization skills, business communication, creativity and community building.
This is a fully onsite role in Minneapolis that follows typical core business hours, with the occasional Sunday participation.
SkyWater Search Partners is seeking a highly capable and proactive Executive Assistant to serve as a trusted partner to our client’s CEO and Executive Team. This is a critical, high-impact role responsible for ensuring seamless day-to-day operations, supporting strategic initiatives, and acting as a central point of coordination across leadership.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment, anticipates needs, and operates with a high level of professionalism, discretion, and ownership.
Why this role?
Established, stable company with 100+ years of success
Strong culture with long-tenured employees
Meaningful, high-impact work supporting executive leadership
Competitive benefits and a collaborative environment
SkyWater has been engaged by a large, industry-leading, privately held organization to find their next Senior HR Business Partner.
This role is ideal for a strategic HR practitioner who is naturally curious, business-minded, and energized by building strong relationships with leaders and teams. The Senior HR Business Partner will serve as a trusted advisor to align people strategies with business objectives, support multiple business groups, and drive key talent initiatives in partnership with senior leadership.
Our firm has been retained by a growing medical device organization entering an exciting phase of growth as it continues delivering innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes. As the company expands its capabilities across engineering, manufacturing, and commercialization, we are seeking a Head of Human Resources to lead the people strategy supporting the organization’s next stage of growth.
Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Human Resources is a critical hire responsible for building the HR function and establishing the people processes, systems, and practices that will support the company’s continued expansion. This is a newly created, highly operational role for a builder — someone energized by ambiguity, comfortable rolling up their sleeves, and excited by the opportunity to create something meaningful within a rapidly scaling organization.
This individual will design and implement the foundational processes, policies, and programs needed to support growth, including onboarding, performance management, compensation frameworks, employee relations, and workforce planning.
Day to day, this role is primarily operational, focused on building and running the HR function with limited infrastructure currently in place. The individual who succeeds here will bring both a strategic mindset and strong executional instincts and will have the opportunity over time to grow into a more senior HR leadership role as the function matures and the organization continues to scale.
Duties and Responsibilities
HR Function Build-Out
• Build the HR function by designing and implementing foundational infrastructure, processes, and programs, including onboarding, performance management, job architecture, and compliance frameworks. • Assess the current state of HR processes, systems, and practices across the organization and establish consistent, scalable approaches where needed while improving or formalizing informal practices. • Serve as a pragmatic partner to managers and leaders across the company, helping them build capability, navigate people challenges, and make thoughtful talent decisions. • Own day-to-day management of HR vendor relationships including payroll, HRIS, benefits administration, and recruiting platforms, evaluating and implementing vendors where gaps exist. • Lead the annual benefits renewal cycle, including working with brokers, benchmarking competitiveness, managing carrier negotiations, and overseeing open enrollment.
Talent Acquisition and Development
• Lead talent acquisition efforts to attract high-caliber talent across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and corporate functions. • Develop leadership development and succession planning initiatives that strengthen the company’s leadership pipeline. • Establish talent management strategies and processes needed to achieve organizational objectives, including succession planning, workforce planning, and pipeline recruiting.
Culture and Employee Engagement
• Champion a high-performing, collaborative culture that reflects the organization’s values and supports innovation and accountability. • Drive initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, reinforce leadership expectations, and enhance the employee experience. • Develop and implement energizing employee communication plans that reach all levels of the organization.
Organizational Design and Workforce Planning
• Partner with leadership to evaluate and evolve organizational structures to support growth and operational effectiveness. • Lead workforce planning efforts to ensure the organization has the capabilities and talent needed to execute its strategic priorities.
HR Operations and Compliance
• Provide hands-on leadership across core HR functions including employee relations, performance management, compliance, payroll, benefits, and HR policy development. • Lead the development and implementation of competitive health, retirement, wellness, and benefits programs. • Respond to employee relations matters with urgency while identifying trends and implementing proactive initiatives.
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Board Engagement
• Partner with executive leadership and private equity partners to support potential mergers and acquisitions, contributing to diligence related to organizational structure, leadership capability, culture, and talent risk. • Lead post-acquisition integration efforts including alignment of people processes, organizational design, leadership structure, and culture. • As appropriate, attend and present at Board of Directors meetings regarding people strategies, organizational performance, and HR initiatives.
Candidate Requirements
The successful candidate will bring strong ethical, intellectual, professional, and personal values along with the following qualifications:
• Experience in medical device, life sciences, manufacturing, or another regulated industry strongly preferred. • 10–15 years of progressive HR leadership experience, ideally within growth-oriented or entrepreneurial environments. Experience building or significantly strengthening an HR function is highly valued. • Demonstrated ability to partner with senior leaders to align people strategies with business objectives. • Experience across talent acquisition, leadership development, employee relations, and organizational design. • Strong work ethic and willingness to operate in a hands-on capacity within a scaling environment. • High energy, self-motivated, and operationally oriented with a data-driven approach to decision making. • Comfortable operating in ambiguity and energized by building new capabilities and infrastructure. • High level of self-awareness and ability to build credible relationships across the organization. • Strong business acumen with a bias for practical, effective action. • Strategic thinker with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. • Experience supporting or leading M&A diligence and post-acquisition integration efforts is preferred. • Ability to travel as needed.
Education
Bachelor’s degree required.
Compensation and Benefits
This role reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer and offers a competitive salary and performance-based bonus opportunity. The organization provides comprehensive health benefits, a 401(k) program with company match, and additional benefits designed to support employee wellbeing.
Location
The organization is headquartered in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area and values an in-person environment that supports collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurial energy. The Head of Human Resources will maintain a strong onsite presence and engage closely with leaders and teams across the organization.
visit us
601 Carlson Parkway | Suite 900
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
