HRBP at Paradise Tomato Kitchens in Louisville, KY

SUMMARY:

The Plant Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) serves as a member of the plant leadership team and the primary HR partner to plant leadership, helping drive workforce performance, organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and employee engagement in support of PTK's business objectives. The HRBP works proactively to identify workforce risks, improve organizational effectiveness, strengthen leadership accountability, and ensure people-related decisions support operational performance and business results.

Operating within PTK’s HR operating model, the Plant HRBP is the leader-facing “front door” for HR at the plant and is responsible for executing enterprise HR programs, tools, systems, and standards developed by Centers of Excellence (COEs) including Talent & Culture, Senior HR Business Systems, and EHSS. The Plant HRBP ensures local adoption is effective, practical, and compliant, while providing feedback to COEs to improve enterprise tools and processes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business Partnership & Workforce Planning

• Partner with the Plant Manager and plant leadership team to align people strategies with production goals, labor plans, and operational priorities.
• Provide leader coaching on organizational effectiveness, team performance, leader behaviors, and accountability.
• Support workforce planning, staffing models, shift coverage strategies, and change management aligned to plant needs and enterprise direction.
• Analyze workforce trends and organizational risks including turnover, attendance, retention, talent gaps, bench strength, and workforce stability; partner with plant leadership to develop and execute plans that improve business outcomes.
• Identify organizational effectiveness challenges and partner with leaders to improve team structure, accountability, communication, decision-making, and overall team performance.

Employee Relations & Investigations

• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and leaders regarding workplace concerns; resolve issues early through proactive engagement and sound coaching.
• Lead and/or support employee relations matters, investigations, conflict resolution, corrective action, and terminations with fairness, consistency, and confidentiality.
• Maintain strong documentation standards and ensure decisions align with policy, precedent, and business risk tolerance.

Recruiting & Onboarding (Site Execution)

• Execute the enterprise recruiting process at the site in partnership with plant leadership, ensuring consistent selection practices and timely hiring.
• Coordinate hourly and site hiring activities (screening support, interview logistics, offer/onboarding steps) using enterprise tools and standards.
• Own site-level execution of onboarding, orientation, and training administration for new hires, ensuring alignment to enterprise program guidelines.

Performance Management & Leader Enablement

• Drive site execution of performance management processes, including performance coaching, documentation quality, and disciplinary consistency.
• Coach leaders on effective performance conversations, expectations setting, and follow-through.
• Participate in succession discussions and talent reviews as applicable; provide site perspective and support development actions owned through enterprise talent processes.
• Challenge, influence, and support leaders in addressing performance, behavioral, and organizational issues while reinforcing PTK leadership expectations and accountability standards.

Compliance & Policy Execution

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and internal HR policies; partner with plant leadership to uphold standards.
• Ensure consistent application of the employee handbook, attendance practices, and corrective action standards across departments and shifts.
• Support site responses to audits, investigations, and regulatory inquiries in coordination with the Senior HR Operations function and legal counsel as needed.

Payroll & Timekeeping (Site Execution; Enterprise Standards)

• Execute payroll/timekeeping for the plant site in accordance with enterprise payroll processes, timelines, controls, and HRIS standards.
• Resolve timekeeping/payroll exceptions at the site and escalate systemic issues to the Senior HR Operations owner for process/system correction.
• Serve as site backup support as assigned for payroll continuity.

Leaves, Accommodations & Return-to-Work (Site Execution; Escalation Supported)

• Support leaders and employees through leave, accommodation, and return-to-work processes using enterprise standards and guidance.
• Partner with the Senior HR Operations owner and EHSS (as applicable) to ensure consistent documentation, case handling, and risk management.

Culture, Engagement & Communications

• Champion and reinforce PTK values (including HEART) through leader coaching, consistent messaging, and visible presence on the floor.
• Execute engagement initiatives locally (communications, focus group support, action plan follow-through) using enterprise tools and expectations.
• Provide feedback to Talent & Culture COE on engagement insights, barriers to adoption, and improvement opportunities.
• Monitor organizational health and employee sentiment across the site; identify emerging risks, workforce concerns, and engagement barriers and partner with site leadership to address root causes.

Organizational Effectiveness & Change Leadership

• Partner with plant leadership to support organizational changes, workforce transitions, and major business initiatives while minimizing disruption and sustaining employee engagement.
• Assess organizational effectiveness challenges and recommend actions that improve collaboration, accountability, role clarity, communication, and team performance.
• Support leaders through change by providing coaching, communication support, and adoption strategies that reinforce desired outcomes.
• Identify and escalate organizational risks that may impact workforce stability, engagement, retention, or operational performance.

Safety Partnership (Enabled by EHSS COE)

• Partner with plant leadership and EHSS standards to reinforce safe behaviors, training compliance, and accountability expectations.
• Support incident response and employee communications in coordination with EHSS and plant leadership; ensure HR-related follow-up is completed.
• Support return-to-work coordination and employee support following injuries consistent with enterprise processes.

HR Data, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate employee data and documentation in HRIS and required files; ensure confidentiality and integrity of information.
• Analyze key workforce metrics (turnover, attendance, staffing, retention, employee relations trends, and workforce stability), identify root causes, and partner with plant leadership to develop and execute improvement plans.
• Identify recurring site issues and recommend process or leader-practice improvements; escalate enterprise-level needs to COE owners.

Other Duties as Assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience in a manufacturing/plant environment; experience partnering with operations leadership strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated strength in employee relations, investigations, performance management, and leader coaching in an hourly workforce environment.
• Working knowledge of employment laws and regulations (e.g., FLSA, ADA, FMLA, EEO) and ability to apply policy consistently.
• Experience executing HR processes using HRIS/timekeeping systems; strong attention to detail and process discipline.
• Ability to build trust with leaders and employees, maintain confidentiality, and exercise sound judgment.
• Strong communication and influence skills; able to coach leaders effectively and address issues directly and professionally.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and maintain high-quality output.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to fingers, handle controls; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms, stand; walk; and occasionally stoop. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, which can be accommodated.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.