Job Titl e: Human Resources Manager
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Fremont, Nebraska
Company: International Spices
Reports To: Vice President, Human Resources – Woodland Gourmet
Dotted Line Reporting: President – International Spices
Position Summary
The Human Resources Manager serves as the senior HR leader onsite at International Spices, a manufacturing company within the Woodland Gourmet portfolio. This role reports directly to the Vice President, Human Resources at Woodland Gourmet and maintains a dotted-line relationship to the President of International Spices.
The HR Manager is responsible for leading all human resources functions at the facility, aligning local workforce strategies with enterprise-wide HR initiatives while supporting business performance, operational excellence, food safety standards, and employee engagement.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic HR Leadership
Act as the primary HR partner to the President and plant leadership team
Align site-level HR strategies with Woodland Gourmet’s enterprise HR framework
Provide counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, and change management
Support business growth, integration, and operational initiatives
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
Lead full-cycle recruitment for production, maintenance, quality, and administrative roles
Develop staffing plans to support seasonal production and capacity requirements
Implement workforce forecasting strategies in partnership with operations
Employee Relations & Culture
Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership and employees
Lead investigations and resolve workplace concerns
Drive engagement initiatives to promote retention and a high-performance culture
Ensure consistent application of policies and fair employment practices
Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
Partner with operations and Safety Manager to support OSHA compliance and food safety standards (GMP, HACCP, SQF)
Manage workers’ compensation, unemployment claims, and regulatory reporting
Maintain accurate HR records and reporting metrics
Payroll Processing
Oversee and manage payroll processes for the site, ensuring accurate and timely processing, compliance with wage and hour laws, coordination with Finance, and resolution of payroll-related inquiries and discrepancies
Compensation & Benefits
Administer compensation and incentive programs aligned with corporate guidelines
Manage employee benefits programs, including enrollment, vendor coordination, employee communication, and issue resolution
Partner with Woodland Gourmet HR on annual benefits planning and open enrollment
Lead employee engagement initiatives, including surveys, action planning, recognition programs, and retention strategies
Training & Development
Oversee onboarding programs for hourly and salaried employees
Identify training needs across production and leadership teams
Support leadership development and succession planning efforts
Performance Management
Guide managers through goal setting, performance evaluations, and development planning
Support the roll out and communication on the annual and mid-year performance review process
Support accountability and performance improvement processes
Policy & Process Implementation
Implement enterprise HR policies at the site level
Ensure consistent application of procedures and documentation standards
Drive continuous improvement in HR processes and systems
Other Duties
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned to support business objectives and operational needs
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
5–8 years of progressive HR experience, including manufacturing or food production environments
Experience supporting hourly workforces in regulated environments
Strong knowledge of employment law and workplace safety regulations
HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR) preferred
Competencies
Strong business and…