Senior HR Generalist

Scope of Position: 

Reporting to the HR Manager, the Senior HR Generalist is a customer-centered role supporting all levels of associates on 3 shifts at our Franklin, NH facility. The Senior HR Generalist is responsible for all HR activities including: managing employee data in our Workday HRIS, associate communications, employment, orientation, employee relations, compliance efforts, investigations, safety compliance, and talent review and appraisal processes. The Senior HR Generalist will be an active member of the overall HR team and will provide support for all on-going HR projects and initiatives. The Senior HR Generalist will foster a workplace culture that exceeds employee expectations and embraces a continuous improvement mindset. 

This position is onsite Monday through Friday in Franklin, NH and reports to the HR Manager.  

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Ensure compliance with manufacturing-related employment laws and regulations. 

• Develop, update, and communicate HR policies and procedures, taking into account the specific requirements of the manufacturing sector. 

• Provides support in compliance areas of human resources including but not limited to employee relations, job evaluation, compensation management, benefits administration, training, AA/EEO, leave management and ADA.  

• Collaborate with manufacturing managers to understand staffing needs and develop effective recruitment strategies tailored to the industry for direct labor (full-time and contingent). 

• Conduct interviews, assess candidate qualifications, and participate in the selection process, with a focus on skills relevant to manufacturing roles. 

• Manage the onboarding process for new hires, ensuring a seamless integration into the manufacturing environment. 

• Maintains a high level of visibility, accessibility, and interaction with manufacturing team members. 

• Coach and counsel employees, front line leaders and managers on employee relation matters, performance management and conflict resolution. 

• Utilize an empathetic approach to understanding employee concerns, answer questions and help employees through organizational change. 

• Conduct investigations into employee complaints, providing recommendations for resolution. Partner with the legal team as appropriate for all ethics related issues. 

• Support the performance management process, providing guidance to supervisors and employees on performance expectations and development opportunities. 

• Support the implementation of performance improvement plans tailored to the manufacturing environment. 

• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives within the manufacturing environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance processes and efficiency. 

• Apply Lean and Six Sigma principles to drive operational excellence in HR processes and employee relations. 

• Partner with the manufacturing team to identify key people metrics to continually monitor and improve the employee experience. 

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records and HRIS data, with a focus on manufacturing roles and qualifications. 

• Generate HR reports and analytics to support problem solving and discussion on the overall health of the organization. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s Degree in business administration or similar is required. 

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience working in a manufacturing environment required.  

• Experience using HRIS systems for data management and data metrics to guide decisions. Workday experience is a plus.  

• Ability to problem-solve and analyze situations to identify potential issues and propose solutions to mitigate risks. 

• Drive employee relations, performance management and engagement activities. 

• Demonstrated ability to train management skills and manager accountability. 

• Expert organizational and time management skills. 

• An empathetic approach to understanding employee concerns. 

• Outstanding verbal, written and presentation communication skills. 

• Expert relationship management and demonstrated ability to establish trust and credibility with designated employee group(s). 

• Maintains highest level of integrity, ethics and confidentiality, flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities and projects. 

• Expert collaboration skills and ability to project manage within a larger Americas HR organization. 

• Enables and embodies curiosity with a strong desire to grow professionally, expanding HR professional toolkit. 

General Applicable Company Competencies  

• Commitment to Watts’ values of integrity, accountability, continuous improvement and innovation, and transparency. 

• Punctuality and dependability. 

• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work priorities and stressful conditions. 

• Adherence to all personnel policies, procedures, and standards of process as implemented by Watts. 

• Maintain productive and collaborative relationships with other Watts employees. 

• Adherence to Watts’ seven  

• cultural beliefs: Growth Mindset, Customer-Focused Innovation, Constant Communication, Clear Goals, Collaborate Globally, Be Inclusive, and Take Action.  

Working Conditions:  

While performing the job duties, you will be working on-site at a manufacturing facility and will perform the majority of your duties in an office environment. You will also be required to be present on the manufacturing floor and will be required to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. You will be required to work in the office at the Franklin, NH location (Monday – Friday) and may be asked to support late night or early morning shifts. Your scheduled work hours will be communicated to you by your manager. 

Physical Requirements: Specific physical abilities required for this position include, but are not limited to: 

• Ability to remain seated/standing at a desk or workstation for extended periods. 

• Ability to perform repetitive tasks like typing on a keyboard or using a mouse for extended periods. 

• Ability to read documents and communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with management, coworkers, and third parties. 

• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, phones, and copiers. 

• Ability to physically move around the office and occasionally lift and carry light objects, such as office supplies, documents, or small equipment. 

Nothing in this job description restricts Watts’ right to assign or reassign duties, responsibilities, or change the working hours/conditions for this position at any time. This position is “at will,” which means that either the employee or Watts may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and for any lawful reason. 

#LIOnsite