Senior Manager, People

Job description

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: Position Summary The Senior Leader, People plays a critical role in ensuring People priorities are effectively applied and sustained across teams and locations, reinforcing performance, leadership effectiveness, and organizational capability. Leads the execution of People strategies across functional areas or geographic regions engaging in workforce planning, talent practices, leadership capability, and organizational effectiveness to ensure consistent application and alignment with business needs. Also responsible to oversee execution on team member life-cycle activities, compliance, and core workflows for consistent application, accuracy, and alignment with policies and legal requirements. Serves as a trusted advisor and partner to leaders, works across teams and locations to identify patterns, risks, and opportunities, ensuring alignment between People priorities and how work is executed day to day. Strengthens organizational performance by influencing leadership decisions, shaping team effectiveness, and driving improvements in how People practices are applied in practice. Key Responsibilities Performance & Leadership Effectiveness Ensure consistent and effective use of performance management practices across the business. Guide leaders through performance-related decisions, including complex or sensitive situations. Drive consistency and accountability in performance outcomes across teams and locations. Reinforce clarity in expectations, feedback, and accountability. Support leaders in improving team and individual performance. Talent & Leadership Capability Ensure consistent application of enterprise talent practices including development, succession planning, and retention. Strengthen leadership capability through coaching, feedback, and development planning. Hold leaders accountable for talent outcomes, including development, retention, and succession readiness. Assist in identifying and addressing talent gaps and risks Partnership & Leadership Influence Partner with leaders to understand business priorities, workforce needs, and operational challenges. Translate enterprise People strategies into clear actions, expectations, and guidance for leaders. Provide practical guidance on organizational effectiveness, leadership approach, and team performance. Challenge and influence leaders to improve leadership effectiveness, team outcomes, and overall organizational performance. Ensure People priorities are consistently applied across functions, teams, and locations. Employee Relations & Risk Guidance Reinforce a consistent approach to employee relations across the business. Provide guidance on complex, high-risk, or escalated employee situations. Ensure decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with company policies and values. Partner with People Operations to ensure appropriate execution and resolution of cases. Change Management & Business Support Support leaders through organizational changes, transitions, and evolving business priorities. Provide guidance to ensure changes are implemented clearly, consistently, and effectively. Reinforce communication, alignment, and stability during periods of change. Ensure People considerations are reflected in business decisions and operating approaches. Integration Across People Functions Ensure consistency between intended practices and actual team member experience. Provide feedback to improve programs, processes, and support based on business realities. Drive alignment across People functions to strengthen overall effectiveness. Business Insight & Organizational Health Identify patterns, trends, and risks across teams and locations, including leadership effectiveness, performance, engagement, and retention. Translate insights into clear actions and direction for leaders to improve team effectiveness and outcomes. Act as a feedback loop to strengthen how People strategies are applied and sustained over time. Qualifications & Experience 8–12+ years of experience in HR, with significant experience in business partnering Experience supporting leaders in multi-functional/site organizations Experience in organizational effectiveness, talent management, and workforce planning Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and drive change without direct authority Strong coaching, problem-solving, and decision-making skills Experience managing complex employee relations situations Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization 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. 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