HR Head (Pharmaceutical)

Job Description

Job Summary

The Head of HR oversees all people operations for our pharmaceutical manufacturing site(s). This role balances everyday plant HR needslike shift staffing safety compliance and labor relationswith long-term strategies to keep our workforce skilled motivated and aligned with strict industry regulations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plant Operations & Compliance

• Regulatory Alignment: Ensure all HR practices align with manufacturing standards including FDA cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) and local safety regulations.

• Shift & Capacity Planning: Partner with plant managers to ensure optimal staffing levels across all shifts to prevent production downtime.

• Safety & Wellness: Work closely with the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team to maintain a safe work environment and manage workers compensation or health claims.

2. Talent Acquisition & Training

• Specialized Recruiting: Lead recruitment efforts for highly specialized roles from line operators and technicians to quality assurance scientists and chemical engineers.

• Onboarding & Training: Oversee mandatory compliance training schedules ensuring every worker is certified for their specific tasks before touching the floor.

• Retention: Build clear career paths for technical and operational staff to minimize turnover on the manufacturing floor.

3. Employee & Labor Relations

• Floor Presence: Maintain a strong visible presence on the manufacturing floor to understand worker challenges and address grievances early.

• Labor Relations: Manage union relationships (if applicable) and ensure fair consistent enforcement of company policies and labor laws.

• Compensation & Benefits: Oversee competitive wage structures shift differentials and benefits packages that attract reliable manufacturing talent.

Key Requirements

• Experience: 7 years of HR experience with at least 3 years leading HR teams in a pharmaceutical or highly regulated manufacturing environment (e.g. medical devices food production).

• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of cGMP guidelines labor laws and manufacturing safety standards.

• Skills: Strong conflict resolution skills experience managing shift-based worker challenges and the ability to talk easily with both executive leadership and floor operators.

• Education: Bachelors degree in Human Resources Business Administration or a related field. Professional HR certifications (like SHRM or HRCI) are a plus.