Synthomer is a leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection – growing markets that serve billions of end users worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK and publicly listed there since 1971, we employ c.3,900 employees across our 5 innovation centres of excellence and more than 29 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia. Around 20% of our sales volumes are from new and patent protected products.
At our innovation centres of excellence in the UK, Germany, China, Malaysia and Ohio, USA we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. Since 2021, we have been proud holders of the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, which recognises green technology businesses making a significant contribution to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.
Role Summary
The Senior HR Manager, Adhesive Solutions – US, is responsible for providing comprehensive HR leadership and support across US‑based Adhesive Solutions manufacturing sites and all remote AS US employees. This role partners closely with site leadership, functional leaders, and union representatives to deliver effective people strategies, ensure operational HR excellence, and support business performance while maintaining strong employee engagement and compliance.
Key Responsibilities
HR Business Partnership
Serve as the primary HR partner for assigned Adhesive Solutions US manufacturing sites and all remote AS US employees
Partner with site and functional leaders on workforce planning, organizational design, talent strategy, and employee engagement
Support leaders through change management, restructurings, and workforce actions as needed
Labor Relations & Union Partnership
Act as the primary HR lead for labor relations activities at unionized sites
Build and maintain effective, trust‑based relationships with union leadership
Support collective bargaining preparation and execution, contract administration, grievance management, and dispute resolution
Advise leaders on labor strategy, contract interpretation, and risk mitigation
Employee Relations & Performance Management
Lead employee relations matters including performance management, investigations, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution
Provide coaching and guidance to managers on performance, engagement, and development
Ensure consistent and fair application of HR policies across sites and remote populations
Talent, Development & Manufacturing Capability Building
Support talent reviews, succession planning, and development planning at the site and functional level
Lead or partner on the development of manufacturing career progression frameworks, with particular focus on maintenance and skilled trades roles
Design, implement, and manage apprenticeship and early‑career development programs to strengthen internal pipelines for critical manufacturing roles
Partner with site leadership to identify capability gaps and long‑term workforce needs
Compensation, Benefits & Rewards
Partner with HR COEs to support compensation planning, off‑cycle adjustments, and incentive programs
Act as a point of contact for benefits, leave programs, and employee inquiries, ensuring consistent support for on‑site and remote employees
Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure compliance with US labor laws, company policies, and internal governance standards
Support audits, reporting requirements, and risk mitigation efforts
Maintain accurate HR documentation and Workday data integrity
Operational Excellence
Act as a liaison between sites, remote employees, HR COEs, and corporate HR
Support continuous improvement of HR practices and employee experience
Scope & Coverage
US Adhesive Solutions manufacturing sites
All US‑based remote Adhesive Solutions employees
Union and non‑union populations
Qualifications & Experience
Required
Bachelor’s degree required; HR or related field preferred
7+ years of progressive HR experience, including employee relations and site support
Strong working knowledge of US labor and employment laws
Demonstrated ability to partner with manufacturing leaders and support complex employee populations
Preferred
Experience supporting unionized manufacturing environments and labor relations activities
Experience partnering with unions, including grievance management and collective bargaining support
Experience developing manufacturing career paths, particularly for maintenance and skilled trades
Experience designing or managing apprenticeship or early‑career development programs
Experience supporting both on‑site and remote employee populations
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:
30%
DISCLAIMER:
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, success profile characteristics or qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Management retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the Job at any time.
🌍 Global Benefits Overview
💰 Competitive, market-aligned compensation
🎯 Discretionary global bonus scheme
📈 Discretionary Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) – for senior positions
🚗 Company car or car allowance – varies by region and role
🩺 Healthcare – tailored to regional locations
👶 Parental leave and family support – maternity, paternity, adoption (aligned with regional policies)
🏡 Working options – flexibility where it matters, based on role and business needs
📚 Learning & development opportunities – training, online platforms, buddy/mentorship programs, Internal Synthomer University with L&D offers
💙 Wellbeing support – employee assistance program (EAP), mental health resources, wellbeing initiatives
🌱 Retirement / pension contributions – plans vary by country
🤝 Culture of Inclusion – where everyone can thrive
🏆 Performance culture, global reward & recognition programmes
Top Skills
What We Do
Synthomer is a business-to-business speciality chemicals producer. We create value for all our stakeholders by applying our expertise and innovation capabilities to provide high-performance water-based polymers and ingredients to a wide range of blue-chip customers in multiple attractive end markets. Synthomer are headquartered and stock listed in the UK. We have more than 30 operational sites across Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia including four innovation centres of excellence. The Company employs around 4,200 entrepreneurial, highly skilled employees with the expertise and experience to drive our success worldwide.
