Leader, People

About Us:

BW Packaging is driving performance at the intersection of people, technology, and customer care. As part of the privately held Barry-Wehmiller family, we unite a global team of packaging experts with a clear purpose: People Who Care, Building Solutions that Perform. We take on our customers’ toughest challenges as our own — delivering both innovative and enduring solutions that set the standard for value and performance. Our strength comes from our people and the power of our brands — trusted names in packaging that are known worldwide for engineering excellence, application expertise, and lifetime commitment to customer success. Truly Human Leadership guides our belief that exceptional business results and profound respect for people together provide the foundation of enduring success. We are committed to forging lasting partnerships with our customers, earning their trust through integrity, expertise, and execution. With our full range of packaging solutions and long term partnership and service, we help customers achieve operational excellence today while building the future of packaging together.

 

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world.

 

Job Description:

The Leader, People plays a critical role in ensuring how culture and People practices are delivered across teams and locations, reinforcing care for people and the business through reliable execution, strong operational oversight, and consistent leadership.

Owns the delivery and performance of People Operations, flexing support based on business needs while ensuring onboarding, offboarding, employee relations, safety, compliance, and core workflows are executed consistently, accurately, and in alignment with policies and legal requirements.

Leads and develops team members, setting clear expectations, reinforcing standards, and enabling consistent decision-making across day-to-day operations.

Serves as a key connector between People Business Partners, leaders, and team members—ensuring People programs, processes, and policies are implemented effectively and experienced consistently across the organization.

Strengthens alignment between how People practices are designed and how they are delivered in practice, identifying patterns, resolving breakdowns, and driving improvements that enhance operational performance and team member experience.

Key Responsibilities

People Operations Execution

• Own execution and performance of onboarding, offboarding, and core People processes across teams and locations, ensuring a consistent and well-coordinated experience.
• Oversee Workday transactions, position management, and workflow execution, ensuring accuracy and data integrity.
• Ensure team member records, documentation, and compliance requirements are maintained in alignment with policies and regulatory standards.
• Oversee employee lifecycle processes including terminations, separations, and exit interviews, ensuring compliance with state and local requirements.
• Ensure effective management of team member documentation including medical documentation, accommodations, and employment records.
• Serve as an escalation point for team member and leader inquiries, ensuring clear, timely, and practical guidance.

Employee Relations Guidance & Coordination

• Guide employee relations intake, ensuring concerns are managed with professionalism, consistency, and discretion. Gather relevant information and ensure appropriate documentation.
• Oversee fact-finding and investigations, ensuring appropriate documentation and alignment to policies and risk considerations.
• Provide direction on performance management processes, including disciplinary actions and performance improvement plans (PIPs).
• Ensure consistent and fair application of policies, practices, and employment standards.
• Apply and interpret federal, state, and local employment laws in day-to-day decision-making.
• Partner with People Business Partners and Shared Services on complex or escalated cases.

Safety, Compliance & Workforce Operations

• Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of safety activities, including OSHA logs, incident documentation, and compliance requirements.
• Support coordination of safety incidents, including workers’ compensation processes, clinic coordination, and return-to-work programs.
• Partner with site and operations leaders to reinforce safety practices, committee engagement, and compliance expectations.
• Ensure compliance with required employment postings, audits, and regulatory standards.
• Oversee local support for leave of absence processes and accommodations in alignment with centralized teams.
• Act as a liaison for payroll-related coordination and team member inquiries, ensuring alignment with shared services.

Recruiting & Workforce Support

• Oversee recruiting coordination, including opening requisitions, assigning recruiting, interview scheduling, and candidate communication.
• Support local recruiting efforts, particularly for manufacturing and front-line roles, including participation in interviews or phone screens.
• Ensure background checks, onboarding communications, and hiring processes are completed accurately and efficiently.
• Coordinate contingent labor needs in partnership with recruiting teams.
• Performance, Training & Leader Enablement
• Guide execution of performance management cycles, including goal setting, feedback processes, and documentation.
• Coach leaders to improve the quality and consistency of feedback, ratings, and performance discussions.
• Support merit processes, ensuring alignment, fairness, and internal equity.
• Provide guidance to leaders on corrective actions and disciplinary processes, ensuring strong documentation.
• Oversee training coordination, including required training completion, certifications, and Workday Learning administration.
• Coordinate and support delivery of training sessions for team members and leaders as needed.

Programs, Culture & Communication

• Ensure effective implementation of engagement, recognition, and wellbeing programs.
• Support site or team-level culture initiatives including recognition programs, engagement committees, and events.
• Oversee People communications including new hire announcements, organizational updates, and People-related content.
• Coordinate People-related content for town halls, leadership meetings, and other forums.
• Ensure communications are clear, timely, and aligned with approval processes.

Process Consistency & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure consistent application of People policies, procedures, and systems across teams and locations.
• Identify patterns, gaps, or breakdowns in execution and drive improvements.
• Strengthen alignment between how People practices are designed and how they are experienced.
• Partner with People teams to improve processes, systems usage, and service delivery effectiveness.

Qualifications & Experience

• 6–10+ years of experience in HR or People Operations
• Strong experience in employee relations, compliance, and HR operations
• Experience leading teams and managing day-to-day People Operations delivery
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws
• Experience working in manufacturing or multi-site environments preferred
• Experience with Workday or similar HR systems
• Flexibility to take on evolving responsibilities in response to strategic priorities and business needs
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience

Physical Demands (Essential Functions)

• Primarily office-based with regular interaction across operational environments, including manufacturing settings.
• Ability to sit or stand and work at a desk or workstation for extended periods.
• Ability to use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to read information on screens, documents, and presentations and to communicate verbally and in writing. Ability to work in a variety of environments, including office settings and manufacturing plants.
• May require occasional extended hours to support critical production or delivery milestones.

Reporting Relationships

Direct Reports:

• People Assistant, Office Coordinator, or Reception roles

Key Partnerships

• People Operations team members
• People Business Partners
• Recruiting and Shared Services teams
• BW Corporate, People team
• Site and operations leaders
• Team members across teams and locations

Success Profile

Success requires owning consistent, high-quality People Operations delivery across teams and locations, ensuring reliable execution while strengthening the team member experience. Balances day-to-day delivery with continuous improvement, addressing operational gaps and reinforcing standards that support both performance and care.

Brings a strong operational mindset and leadership presence, translating frameworks into effective execution while building team capability, ensuring consistency, and resolving complex issues in real time.

Leadership Style

• Thinking Style: Practical and systems-aware; connects processes, execution, and experience
• Relating Style: Approachable and credible; builds trust through responsiveness and consistency
• Working Style: Organized and accountable; ensures reliable delivery and strong follow-through
• Influence Style: Steady and clear; reinforces expectations and drives aligned execution
• Learning Style: Continuous improvement focused; refines processes through observation and insight

Physical Demands (Essential Functions)

• Primarily office-based with regular interaction across operational environments, including manufacturing settings.
• Ability to sit or stand and work at a desk or workstation for extended periods.
• Ability to use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to read information on screens, documents, and presentations and to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work in a variety of environments, including office settings and manufacturing plants.
• Frequent travel may be required to support multiple locations and business needs.

#LI-SE2

 

At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying.  We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work—therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process. ​

Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify.

 

Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments.

 

Company:

BW Packaging