Manager, HR Projects

Your Opportunity as the Manager, HR Projects

Lead and manage multiple HR projects of varying scope and complexity, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, integrations, and large-scale initiatives such as organizational redesign and restructuring. Serve as the primary HR point of contact across all COEs, guiding projects from inception through planning, execution, and measurement to ensure successful outcomes. This role requires strong HR expertise, organizational skills, relationship-building, analytical ability, and influence. Reporting to the VP of Organization Excellence, the position is part of the Extended HR Leadership Team.

Location: Orrville, OH  

Work Arrangements: Hybrid - onsite a minimum of 9 days per month primarily during core weeks as determined by the Company; may require more frequency dependent on business needs.

In this role you will:

• Facilitate annual strategic planning process across HR, including ongoing prioritization of initiatives and ongoing resource-alignment of all bodies of work via leadership of the HR Governance Council, with the HR Leadership Team.

• Develop and implement detailed project plans across annual, run-model processes (some, in partnership with other COE partners), as well as Special Projects and/or annual company priorities (e.g., mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, plant closures, employee engagement survey, etc.)

• Partner with all relevant HR Centers of Excellence (Total Rewards, Talent, HR Shared Services, HR Regional Operations, OBPs, Employee/Labor Relations, International) and other internal and external stakeholders to drive project plans to implementation with concise goals, operating mechanisms, and regular updates to stakeholders.

• Proactively manage changes in project scope, identifies and manages project risks; escalates as needed for resolution.

• Define and apply a consistent monitoring program that will ensure successful delivery of projects and continuous project improvement.

• Advise on and bring to life appropriate tracking and reporting mechanisms for large, enterprise-wide changes; prepares tracking systems and reports for both HR, as well as executive-level audiences, that are clear, succinct and accurate. Leverage Workday for reporting, as available, to minimize amount of manual reporting required.

• Manage relationships with cross-functional project partners outside of HR, and service providers (e.g., supports communication with external partners at acquired/divesting companies, Employee Engagement survey partners, etc.)

• Ensure cross-functional teams work collaboratively and effectively; independently manages conflict and/or differing perspectives in order to drive to successful outcomes and bring quick resolution

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree

• 5+ years of relevant project management experience

• Accomplished in leading large, complex, cross-functional projects requiring coordination of work across multiple stakeholders, consensus-building, problem resolution, and consistent demonstration of process improvement

• Experience challenging the status quo on both partners and other leaders to ensure practical and obtainable goals/outcomes

• Demonstrated ability to influence individuals and decisions at all levels, especially those more senior than this position, including executive-level

• Proven relationship-building and consultative skills – excellent listening skills, fosters trust at all levels, ability to understand and distill needs and concerns to actionable next steps, and navigate individuals and teams toward compromise, “best balanced choice,” etc.

• Presentation and analytical skills, including expertise in PowerPoint, Excel, and MS Word

• Experience protecting and maintaining highly sensitive and confidential information

• Ability to prioritize competing demands and conflicts; able to simultaneously manage multiple tasks and projects effectively

• Ability to analyze large data sets to distill insights and connect disparate ideas into cohesive, well-grounded recommendations using creative, structured and analytical thinking

• Excellent organization skills, with great attention to detail, while keeping the strategy and larger picture in mind. 

• Ability to see/think beyond the situation immediately at-hand, several steps ahead, in anticipation of potential needs, obstacles, etc.

Additional skills and experiences that we think would make someone successful in this role:

• Understanding of common HR disciplines, including Total Rewards (Compensation & Benefits), Talent Acquisition (Recruiting), Talent Management (Organization Development, Change Management, etc.), HR Operations & Shared Services, HR Regional Operations, Employee/Labor Relations, and the Organization Business Partner role, and how processes intersect across various COEs to implement and deliver core HR services, capabilities, and solutions.

• Prior experience working in, or with, the Plant Operations audiences and environment

Learn more about working at Smucker:

• Helping our Employees Thrive

• Delivering on Our Purpose 

• Our Continued Commitment to Ensuring a Workplace for All 

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