Description

The Senior People Manager leads and delivers People strategy and operations across six (6) U.S. Polymer Solutions sites, partnering with business leaders to translate strategy into effective people outcomes. The role is accountable for driving workforce capability, engagement, cost control, and risk mitigation through strong leadership, disciplined execution of core People processes, and sound judgment. This position leads key People projects and programs, ensures compliant and consistent delivery of Total Rewards—including payroll and benefits—and collaborates with internal and external partners to enable alignment, efficiency, and continuous improvement across the U.S. business.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior People Manager is a senior leadership role that partners closely with business leadership to shape and execute people strategies that enable commercial success across multiple U.S. sites. This role provides visible, credible People leadership—setting direction, modeling leadership behaviors, and driving organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and disciplined risk management.
As the senior People leader for the Polymer Solutions U.S. business, the role serves as a strategic advisor and thought partner to senior leaders and managers, influencing decisions on workforce planning, talent strategy, succession planning, and organizational design. The Senior People Manager actively coaches and challenges leaders to strengthen leadership capability, reinforce accountability, and build high‑performing, resilient teams. Acting as a trusted leader in employee relations, the role ensures consistent, fair, and legally sound decision‑making while reinforcing a culture of inclusion, engagement, and continuous improvement.
The Senior People Manager leads and owns end‑to‑end talent and leadership processes, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, merit and talent cycles, succession planning, and leadership development. The role plays a pivotal leadership role in driving and sustaining change—leading complex initiatives such as restructurings, workforce transitions, and business integrations—using data, insight, and sound judgment to guide leaders through change and measure organizational impact.
This position provides strong People governance and operational leadership by ensuring compliance with employment laws, company policies, and best practices, while continuously improving policies, processes, and HR programs aligned to business strategy. The role holds accountability for key operational areas including payroll, manpower and HR budgets, benefits administration and open enrollment, HRIS data integrity, KPI reporting, and effective collaboration with regional, global, and corporate People leadership teams.
The role requires regular travel (approximately 25%) across U.S. sites and periodic engagement with other business groups, maintaining leadership presence, consistency, and strong relationships across the organization.

Requirements

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

· Minimum 15 years’ experience gained in an international manufacturing sector or similar industry.

· Minimum 15 years’ experience working as a Business Partner in generalist human resources roles.

· Prior experience of having worked in a multi-site environment

Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s preferred).

Desirable: SHRM or HRCI Accrediation

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

· Up to date knowledge of US Human Resources legislation and best practice gained within a manufacturing or similar industry

· Proficient with Microsoft Office and HRIS software

SKILLS REQUIRED

· Demonstrable influencing, persuasion and coaching skills.

· Ability to constructively challenge accepted norms.

· Commercially focused, able to manage and process information with absolute confidentiality.

· Ability to prioritise and work accurately under pressure.

· Able to work under own initiative, and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances

· Able to multi-task and manage demanding, complex and varied workloads

· Ability to solve problems effectively and fairly while considering and analyzing different viewpoints on a specific issue.

· The ability to gather and interpret information and data and make appropriate recommendations and decisions.

· Good time management skills meet commitments and delivering to agreed timescales.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to deal with employees (union and non-union) and managers at all levels.

· Good writing and editing skills for all written correspondence, internal communications/announcements, policies and procedures.

· Attention to detail and seeks to remove the risk of error wherever possible.

· Deals with situations and people positively and with enthusiasm, demonstrating a helpful, calm and professional approach.

Reports to: People Vice President, Upstream &

Matrix to Global People Director, Polymer Solutions (Alphagary)

Location: Avon Lake Ohio U.S.A

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Management

Senior People Manager (Polymer Solutions)