HR Operations Manager

REPORTS
Reports to: HR Director / Head of HR
Key interfaces: Plant/Operations Management, Production Supervisors, Quality, Food Safety, Supply Chain, Finance/Payroll, HSE, Legal, IT, Employee
Scope: One or multiple production sites (shift-based workforce), warehouses/logistics, head office functions

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Ensure efficient, compliant, and high-quality HR service delivery for a processed agro-food organization. The HR Operations Manager runs core HR operations (workforce administration, payroll coordination, time &a attendance, employee relations, staffing support, compliance, and HR data), with particular focus on the realities of a
manufacturing environment: shift work, seasonal labor, safety, attendance discipline, and high operational continuity requirements.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1) HR operations delivery & governance

 Own day-to-day HR operations and service standards (response times, accuracy, employee experience).
 Maintain HR policies and procedures; ensure consistent application across plants/warehouses/offices.
 Build and manage HR operational calendars (pay cycles, contract renewals, medical checks, audits, training deadlines).
 Monitor and improve HR processes (onboarding, contract management, leave management, exit process).

2) Workforce administration

 Manage employee lifecycle administration: contracts, amendments, transfers, promotions, disciplinary records, separations.
 Ensure compliant management of shift patterns, overtime rules, breaks, and rest periods in line with labor law and CBAs.
 Oversee HR file management and documentation (paper + digital), ensuring confidentiality and audit readiness.
 Support production planning with workforce availability information (absences, restrictions, seasonal peaks).

3) Time & attendance, scheduling support, and payroll coordination
 Own the time & attendance process (clocking, shift rosters, overtime validation, absence coding).
 Ensure accurate payroll inputs: hours worked, overtime, premiums (night shift/holiday), allowances, deductions, advances.
 Coordinate payroll processing with Finance/Payroll provider; validate payroll outputs and resolve discrepancies quickly.
 Produce payroll-related reporting: labor cost trends, overtime ratios, absenteeism patterns.

4) Employee relations & discipline management

 Act as first-line HR lead for employee relations issues in plant and warehouse settings.
 Manage investigations and disciplinary processes with fairness, documentation, and compliance.
 Support grievance handling and conflict resolution; mediate between supervisors and employees.
 Coordinate relationships with employee representatives/unions (meetings, minutes, commitments tracking) where applicable.

5) Staffing operations: recruitment
support & onboarding

 Coordinate operational recruitment needs (operators, packers, drivers, technicians), including seasonal hiring.
 Manage onboarding logistics: documents, medical checks, induction, PPE issuance coordination, policy briefings.
 Ensure timely creation of employee records in HRIS and site access systems.
 Track probation periods and ensure structured evaluation and confirmation.

6) Compliance, audits, and risk management (food manufacturing)

 Ensure compliance with labor laws, site rules, and internal HR controls; keep documentation audit-ready.

 Support audits linked to certifications and customer requirements (e.g., labor practice sections in food safety or supplier audits).
 Coordinate mandatory trainings and certifications (code of conduct, harassment prevention, safety briefings).
 Partner with HSE to ensure alignment on accident reporting, work restrictions, and return-to-work processes.

7) HR data, reporting, and continuous improvement

 Maintain HR master data integrity in HRIS (employee details, contracts, pay
elements, job codes).

 Develop HR dashboards: headcount, turnover, absenteeism, overtime, recruitment cycle times, training compliance.

 Identify root causes for operational KPIs (e.g., overtime spikes) and propose improvements with Operations.

 Lead HR process improvement initiatives (digitalization, workflow automation, standardized templates).

8) HR support to operational performance and culture

 Coach supervisors on core people processes: attendance management, shift discipline, fair treatment, communication.

 Support engagement actions for shop-floor teams (recognition, communicationsessions, feedback mechanisms).

 Ensure HR presence on the floor to anticipate issues and build trust.

9) Team management

 Manage HR officers/site HR admins; allocate workload by site/shift requirements.
 Train the HR ops team on documentation standards, confidentiality, and customer-service mindset.
 Set operational SLAs and monitor team performance.

Qualifications

 Bachelor’s degree in HR, Law, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or related field.
 Typically 6–10+ years HR experience with at least 3+ years in HR operations in a manufacturing/industrial environment (FMCG/food is a strong plus).
 Hands-on experience with time & attendance, payroll inputs, and employee relations in shift-based settings.

Competences

A. Knowledge (what you must know)

 Labor law fundamentals, HR compliance, and documentation standards.
 HR operations processes (employee lifecycle, leave, contracts, disciplinary procedure).
 Manufacturing workforce dynamics: shifts, overtime premiums, attendance control, seasonal staffing.
 Payroll concepts (inputs, validation, deductions, statutory contributions—depending on country).
 Basics of HSE/occupational health interfaces (medical fitness, return-to-work, incident reporting).
 Data privacy and confidentiality requirements.

B. Know-how (what you must be able to do)

 Run time & attendance and ensure accurate payroll inputs and validations.
 Build clear HR operational procedures and ensure adoption by supervisors.
 Conduct investigations, manage disciplinary processes, and document cases properly.
 Coordinate high-volume onboarding and maintain HRIS data accuracy.

 Produce actionable HR dashboards and identify root causes (absenteeism, overtime drivers).

C. Interpersonal skills (how you work)

 Strong communication and credibility with shop-floor teams and supervisors.
 Fairness, integrity, and discretion with sensitive information.
 Calm conflict management and negotiation skills.
 Customer-service mindset while enforcing standards.
 Resilience and adaptability in fast-paced production environments.
 Hands-on leadership; ability to be visible on site and build trust.

EXPECTED RESULTS
 Accurate and timely HR operations delivery (contracts, onboarding, data
updates).
 High payroll input accuracy with minimal corrections and fast issue resolution.
 Consistent application of HR policies and reduced employee relations escalations.
 Improved attendance discipline and reduced unplanned absenteeism (where
targeted).
 Audit-ready HR documentation and strong compliance outcomes.