HR Business Partner

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy. 

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis American Group, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring an HR Business Partner position based in Buffalo, NY. 

The HR Business Partner supports business leaders and employees across the full employee lifecycle with a strong focus on performance management, talent development, employee relations, training coordination, and compensation support. This role partners closely with leaders, HR colleagues, and employees to ensure people practices align with organizational goals, company values, and compliance requirements. 

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

Talent Development & Performance Management

• Develop, implement, and track individual development plans for employees in partnership with managers.
• Manage and support performance management processes, including goal setting, goal reviews, and annual and mid-cycle performance discussions.
• Lead and manage performance improvement processes, including Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), disciplinary warnings, and corrective action documentation.
• Own and manage Lactalent administration and processes following the transition of ownership.
• Coach and advise managers on performance management, feedback delivery, and employee development strategies.

Training, Planning & Talent Enablement

• Partner with business leaders to identify capability gaps and implement development initiatives that support business performance.
• Research and recommend internal and external training options aligned with evolving talent and organizational needs.

Talent Review & Succession Planning

• Work closely with leaders on management and talent review processes.
• Partner with leaders to identify talent and develop succession plans for critical roles.
• Prepare talent data, reports, and insights to support workforce planning discussions.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Lead complex employee relations matters involving senior employees or sensitive business risk.

Onboarding & Orientation Support

• Serve as back-up support for new employee orientation and onboarding processes.
• Partner with managers and HR operations to ensure a smooth and compliant onboarding experience.

Compensation & Rewards Support

• Drive annual and off-cycle compensation processes, including merit increases, bonus administration, promotions, and equity-related changes as applicable.
• Lead the preparation and review of job offers, salary recommendations, and compensation analyses.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Travel may be required occasionally.
• Extended hours may be necessary depending on the project needs.
• To fulfill these responsibilities, tools such as a computer, phone or, and / or allowance(s) will be provided.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential duties and responsibilities.
• This position requires physical presence in the office, in accordance with the guidelines of the Hybrid Work Policy.
• Demonstrate commitment to a safe working environment that promotes the health and well-being of all employees and that will further contribute to the Company’s overall performance and success.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• 8+ years of Human Resources or related experience is required.
• Minimum of 3 years supporting leaders in an HRBP capacity.
• HR certification (PHR, SHRM CP, or equivalent) is preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders on organizational and talent matters.
• Experience handling complex employee relations and organizational change initiatives.
• Strong business acumen and ability to align people strategies to business objectives.

Competencies: 

• Employee Relations: Demonstrates strong objectivity, empathy, and knowledge of policy to effectively navigate workplace conflict and foster a fair, positive work culture.
• Performance Management: Understands how to align individual performance with business goals, with the ability to guide managers through evaluation frameworks and accountability measures.
• Talent Development: Recognizes skill gaps and potential within teams, applying talent frameworks to support employee growth, retention, and internal career pathing.
• Manager Coaching: Possesses the consultative skills and credibility needed to guide frontline leaders, building their confidence in team management and policy interpretation.
• Compensation Fundamentals: Applies a foundational understanding of market data, pay structures, and internal equity principles to support fair and competitive hiring and retention decisions.
• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly, persuasively, and empathetically across various audiences, tailoring the message to ensure clarity and organizational alignment.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.