Job Description

HR Manager – Chemical Manufacturing

Location:  Bay City, Michigan

Reports to:  CEO

Compensation:  $80,000 base salary + up to 10% performance bonus

Team Size:  55 employees (non-union)

Company Overview:

Gougeon Brothers, Inc., a respected fifty-six-year-old establishment, stands as a beacon for its commitment to customer and employee welfare. We specialize in manufacturing top-notch epoxy resins and adhesives, proudly representing three esteemed global brands. Our dedication to quality is evident through our compliance with ISO9001:2015 standards.

About the Role

We're looking for a roll-up-your-sleeves  HR Manager  to take full ownership of the day-to-day HR function at our Bay City chemical manufacturing facility. This is a hands-on, plant-based role that covers everything from payroll and benefits to employee relations and recruiting.

You’ll be stepping into a plant that’s growing quickly under new ownership. Historically, HR duties were distributed among plant supervisors, the CEO, and administrative staff. Going forward, you'll centralize these responsibilities and become the go-to HR leader on site — trusted by both the front-line workforce and plant leadership.

Key Responsibilities

HR Operations & Administration

• Process bi-weekly payroll and manage the payroll process via PayCor.
• Administer employee benefits programs (health, dental, 401(k), etc.).
• Maintain HR records and ensure compliance with all relevant employment laws (FMLA, FLSA, ESTA, ADA, etc.).
• Own timekeeping processes and hourly attendance tracking.

Employee Relations & Culture

• Serve as a first point of contact for front-line employees and supervisors on HR-related questions and issues.
• Support performance management, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution — escalating with recommendations to plant leadership as needed.
• Help sustain a respectful, safety-first, performance-oriented culture across the plant.
• Administrate the Company’s Education Reimbursement Program.
• Retool and maintain Employee Handbook.

Recruiting & Onboarding

• Lead hourly and select salaried recruiting efforts, using internal job postings, job boards, and external staffing firms when needed.
• Coordinate and improve onboarding processes to ensure smooth transitions for all new hires.

Compliance & Reporting

• Maintain compliance with federal and state employment laws and manufacturing-specific requirements (OSHA, EEO, I-9s, etc.).
• Track and report key HR metrics such as turnover, time-to-fill, and absenteeism.
• Track, control and report all training metrics for ISO and external quality programs.
• Maintain training records of Employee safety training, annual policy reviews and the like.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of HR generalist or HR operations experience, ideally in a manufacturing or industrial setting.
• Strong working knowledge of employment laws, payroll practices, and HR compliance.
• Experience handling employee relations issues and supporting line supervisors.
• Comfortable navigating both the front office and the shop floor — builds trust across levels.
• Highly organized, hands-on, and able to thrive in an environment where no two days look the same.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or a related field preferred.

Nice to Have (but Not Required)

• Experience in the chemical industry or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with safety and OSHA reporting processes.
• Experience standing up or improving onboarding and HR systems from scratch.

Why Join Us?

· Stability and Growth: With over five decades of success, we continue to grow and evolve.

· Strong Team Culture: We value our employees as part of our business

· Winning Spirit: We believe in having fun while achieving success together.

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