Lead People Partner

Job description

Job Purpose We are building our People function to support our next phase of growth, and the Lead People Partner will play an important role in helping us scale. This is a hands on role for someone who enjoys both strategy and execution, partnering with leaders to build strong teams, coach managers, solve people challenges, and help employees do their best work. You will build and improve People processes that make the organization scale, and you will be a trusted partner who makes things better for our leaders, employees, and business. Key Responsibilities Serve as the People Partner for assigned business units or shared services functions, developing a deep understanding of the business, its goals, organizational priorities, talent needs, and challenges. Build trusted relationships with leaders and employees and proactively identify people and organizational needs. Coach leaders and managers on performance management, feedback, employee development, and team effectiveness. Help managers become stronger and more confident people leaders while building their ability to address issues effectively. Lead employee relations and performance matters with sound judgment, empathy, and consistency. Help leaders address issues early and effectively, identify patterns and root causes, and know when to resolve an issue independently or escalate for additional support. Partner with leaders on organizational and talent needs as the company grows and evolves, including workforce planning, organization design, team effectiveness, talent development, retention, succession planning, and organizational change. Build a strong employee experience by maintaining a visible and accessible presence onsite and building relationships with employees across roles, levels, and work environments, including hourly and salaried employees. Listen to employee feedback, identify opportunities for improvement, and partner with leaders to address them. Build, improve, and implement practical, scalable People processes and programs that support a growing company. Identify where additional structure is needed and create solutions that are clear and useful without adding unnecessary bureaucracy. Look for opportunities to simplify, standardize, automate, and improve how we work. Partner closely with People Operations and other People team partners to provide effective support to leaders and employees, create clear ownership across the function, and continuously improve how the team operates. Operate with a high degree of ownership in a fast-changing environment, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. Take initiative, follow through on commitments, bring new ideas, and use data, technology, and AI where appropriate to improve how we work and make the People function more effective and scalable. Qualifications 7+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant experience as an HR Business Partner, People Partner, or similar role supporting leaders across an organization. Experience supporting both salaried and hourly employee populations. Experience in manufacturing, industrial, engineering, operations, or another highly operational environment is strongly preferred. Strong employee relations experience and practical knowledge of employment laws and practices, with sound judgment about when to escalate complex or higher-risk matters. Demonstrated ability to coach and influence leaders and managers through performance, employee relations, organizational, and other complex people challenges. Experience building or improving HR processes in a growing or changing environment, including the ability to create structure where processes or ownership are still evolving. Strong business judgment and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust, communicate candidly, and influence leaders and employees across all levels of the organization. Experience supporting organizational change, workforce planning, organization design, talent development, or team effectiveness is preferred. Strong project management, organization, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and see work through to completion. Comfort operating in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity and shifting priorities, with a high degree of ownership, resilience, adaptability, and judgment. Willingness to step in, take initiative, and do what needs to be done. Comfortable using data and technology to improve how work gets done, with curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI, and how they can improve efficiency, decision-making, and the employee experience. VulcanForms offers a competitive salary and equity package. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, VulcanForms provides comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; generous paid time off; and a 401(k) plan with company match. The annual base salary range for this position is $116,000 to $174,000. About Us Founded in 2015 to develop the world’s first industrially scalable laser metal additive manufacturing solution, VulcanForms is reshaping how the world manufactures critical products. We build and operate advanced digital infrastructure that enables innovation, accelerates growth, and supports sustainability across aerospace, defense, medical, and other essential industries. Through our vertically integrated capabilities, including scalable additive manufacturing and precision machining, we deliver true end-to-end production at scale by combining cutting-edge technology with a foundation of proven industrial craftsmanship. Our team brings deep expertise in manufacturing, materials science, software, automation, and operations, united by a shared commitment to quality, curiosity, and accountability. We foster an inclusive culture where people take ownership, solve meaningful problems, and continuously learn, because we believe diverse perspectives lead to better outcomes.