Human Resources Director, Food & Beverage

Certified Group is committed to partnering with customers to deliver innovative scientific solutions and expertise – So The World Can Trust In What It Consumes™. Our network of 30+ North American and European laboratories serves the food & beverage, dietary supplements, cosmetics, OTC, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, and hemp industries.

Our Brands

Certified Group is comprised of a set of specialized brands that collectively deliver laboratory testing, regulatory consulting, and certification & audit services across highly regulated industries:

• Certified Laboratories – Provides comprehensive analytical and microbiological testing, primarily supporting food, beverage, cosmetics, OTC, and dietary supplement industries.
• Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) – A leading network of ISO-accredited laboratories across North America, focused on food safety testing, operational support, and technical services for the food industry.
• Labstat – A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp, and next-generation products, with deep expertise in analytical chemistry and toxicology.
• EAS Consulting Group – A regulatory consulting firm offering expert guidance, training, and auditing support across FDA, USDA, and other regulated sectors, powered by a large network of independent advisors.
• FSNS Certification & Audit – Provides accredited third-party auditing and certification services, including food safety, animal welfare, and GMP programs.

Position Summary

Certified Group is seeking an experienced and strategic Human Resources Director to serve as the senior HR leader supporting our Food & Beverage division, the company's largest business unit. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this role partners closely with the President of Food & Beverage and operational leadership to develop and execute people strategies that drive business performance, employee engagement, organizational effectiveness, and operational excellence.

The HR Director serves as the senior HR leader for the division and a trusted advisor to executive leadership while providing day-to-day leadership for the HR function. This position oversees an HR Business Partner and is responsible for building a high-performing HR team that supports approximately 900 employees across multiple locations. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable influencing executive strategy, leading change, coaching leaders, managing complex employee relations matters, and driving execution across all areas of human resources.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership

• Serve as the primary strategic HR partner and trusted advisor to the President of the Food & Beverage division and senior Operations leaders.

• Translate business objectives into people strategies that strengthen organizational performance, leadership capability, workforce planning, and employee engagement.

• Build deep knowledge of business operations to proactively identify talent opportunities and organizational risks.

• Advise leaders on organizational design, succession planning, workforce planning, and change management initiatives.

• Balance divisional priorities with enterprise-wide HR strategies and business objectives.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop an HR Business Partner while fostering a collaborative, high-performing HR team.

• Establish priorities, provide direction, and ensure consistent execution of HR programs across the division.

• Build leadership capability by coaching managers and executives on performance management, employee development, communication, and organizational effectiveness.

• Create a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and exceptional customer service within the HR team.

Talent & Organizational Effectiveness

• Partner with Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Compensation & Benefits, and other Centers of Excellence to attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent.

• Lead succession planning, talent reviews, leadership development, and performance management initiatives.

• Develop and implement strategies to improve employee engagement, retention, and organizational effectiveness.

• Champion initiatives that strengthen leadership capability and reinforce a high-performance culture.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Provide guidance on complex employee relations matters, investigations, performance issues, policy interpretation, and conflict resolution.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and company policies.

• Partner with leaders to proactively mitigate employee relations risks while maintaining a positive employee experience.

• Support union avoidance strategies through strong employee engagement and proactive leadership coaching.

Business Partnership & Analytics

• Utilize workforce metrics and HR analytics to identify trends, evaluate organizational health, and inform strategic decision-making.

• Develop action plans to address turnover, engagement, productivity, and other workforce challenges.

• Influence leaders through data-driven recommendations that improve business outcomes.

• Monitor external labor market trends and emerging HR best practices to recommend innovative solutions.

Change Leadership

• Lead organizational change initiatives including restructures, acquisitions, process improvements, and implementation of new HR programs and systems.

• Drive adoption of enterprise initiatives through thoughtful communication, coaching, and change management.

• Lead or participate in cross-functional HR projects supporting company growth and transformation.

Culture & Values

• Champion Certified Group's core values by fostering an inclusive, respectful, and engaging workplace.

• Partner with business leaders to create an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and connected.

• Promote open communication, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Qualifications

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required; Master's degree preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including experience serving as a strategic HR Business Partner supporting senior business leaders.

• Previous experience managing and developing HR professionals, preferably an HR Business Partner or HR Generalist.

• Experience supporting multi-site operations with large hourly employee populations.

• Demonstrated success serving as the senior HR leader for a business unit or operating division.

• Proven ability to influence senior executives and serve as a trusted strategic advisor.

• Strong experience leading organizational change, workforce planning, talent management, and organizational development initiatives.

• Experience with employee relations, investigations, performance management, and employment law compliance.

• Experience partnering with business leaders to reduce turnover, improve engagement, and strengthen leadership effectiveness.

• Experience with union avoidance strategies, employee engagement planning, and retention initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

• Excellent communication, coaching, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.

Leadership Competencies

Strategic Leadership

Develops and executes people strategies that directly support business objectives while anticipating future organizational needs.

People Leadership

Builds, coaches, and develops high-performing HR teams while creating an environment of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Business Acumen

Demonstrates a deep understanding of operational and financial drivers and applies that knowledge to talent decisions that improve business performance.

Executive Influence

Builds credibility with senior leaders through sound judgment, data-driven recommendations, and trusted partnerships.

Change Leadership

Successfully leads organizational transformation by helping leaders and employees navigate change while maintaining engagement and performance.

Collaboration

Works effectively across business functions and HR Centers of Excellence to deliver integrated talent solutions and achieve enterprise objectives.

Performance Orientation

Drives measurable business and people outcomes through disciplined execution, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Courageous Communication

Addresses difficult conversations with professionalism, transparency, and respect while providing thoughtful coaching and constructive feedback.

Talent Development

Develops leaders and employees through coaching, succession planning, performance management, and career development to build long-term organizational capability.

Culture Champion

Models the company's core values while fostering an inclusive, engaging workplace where employees can perform at their highest potential.

By applying, you acknowledge that Certified Group will process your personal information for recruitment and hiring purposes in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Policy. California residents may review additional information about how we collect and use personal information, including retention and rights, in our California Notice at Collection. To view our Privacy Policy, click the link here: Certified Group Privacy Policy

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and make employment decisions without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.