Sr. Human Resources Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise. Join our team and be part of a collaborative environment where your work drives meaningful global impact.

The Sr. Human Resources Business Partner serves as the strategic HR leader for the Alvin, Texas manufacturing site and a key member of both the Site Leadership Team and Operations HR Leadership Team. Supporting a large, complex manufacturing operation with approximately 400 employees and 200 contractors, this role partners closely with operations leadership to strengthen workforce capability, leadership effectiveness, accountability, and organizational performance.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Strengthen leadership capability, accountability, and execution discipline across frontline and mid-level leadership teams through effective coaching, performance management, and partnership with site leadership.

• Develop and execute workforce and talent strategies that improve retention, succession readiness, organizational capability, and competitiveness in the external labor market.

• Partner with site leadership to successfully lead organizational and culture transformation while maintaining workforce engagement and operational continuity.

• Improve employee engagement, organizational communication, and workforce effectiveness through leadership visibility, employee feedback mechanisms, and targeted action planning.

• Build and develop a high-performing HR team that effectively supports site and business priorities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic HR Partnership & Organizational Effectiveness

• Serve as a trusted advisor and member of the Site Leadership Team, aligning people strategies with business and operational priorities.

• Drive workforce planning, organizational design, succession planning, and leadership effectiveness initiatives.

• Embed accountability, ownership, and performance expectations into leadership practices and operating rhythms.

• Maintain strong visibility across the site to build credibility and strengthen employee and leadership engagement.

Talent, Workforce & Performance Management

• Lead workforce stabilization strategies, including retention planning, labor market actions, staffing strategies, and critical role recruiting.

• Lead performance and talent management processes that reinforce accountability, measurable outcomes, leadership effectiveness, and continuous feedback.

• Partner with leaders to build high-performing teams and strengthen leadership pipelines and organizational capability.

• Coach and challenge leaders to improve leadership effectiveness, accountability, team performance, and employee engagement.

• Support employee development and career growth initiatives aligned with operational and business needs.

Change, Culture & Employee Engagement

• Lead HR support for organizational transformation, restructuring, and workforce change initiatives.

• Apply structured change management practices that improve adoption, alignment, and organizational effectiveness.

• Partner with leaders to communicate business priorities, organizational changes, and leadership expectations through clear and consistent messaging.

• Reinforce Ascend leadership behaviors, accountability expectations, and cultural priorities through leadership routines, communication practices, and people processes.

• Develop and leverage employee feedback mechanisms, including engagement surveys, focus groups, skip-level discussions, and other forums to identify workforce risks and improvement opportunities.

Employee Relations & HR Operations

• Provide guidance on HR policies, practices, and employee relations matters.

• Conduct investigations and resolve employee relations issues in a fair, objective, and professional manner.

• Establish disciplined HR operating processes, workforce metrics, and organizational effectiveness measures that improve execution and decision-making.

• Drive continuous improvement, simplification, and digitization of HR processes and systems.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop, and mentor the site HR team.

• Foster strong collaboration across site and central HR teams.

• Build organizational capability within the HR team through coaching, development, and succession planning.

TEAM AND INTERACTIONS

• Reports to Senior HR Director with 3 HR team member direct reports

• Member of the Site Leadership and Operations HR Leadership Team

• Partners closely with site operations leadership, central HR centers of excellence, safety and environmental teams, finance, supply chain, legal counsel, and employees across the organization.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, organizational development, or related field; master’s degree preferred.

• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience supporting manufacturing, industrial, or chemical operations.

• Experience leading workforce planning, talent management, organizational design, and change initiatives in complex organizations.

• Proven ability to influence and coach senior leaders in a matrixed environment.

• Experience supporting workforce transformations, restructuring efforts, or significant business change.

• Professional HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP) and Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Strong business and operational acumen with the ability to align people strategies to organizational priorities.

• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee relations capabilities, including conflict resolution and performance management.

• Excellent communication, facilitation, influencing, and relationship-building skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to leverage workforce data and insights to support decision-making.

• Demonstrated ability to manage highly confidential and sensitive employee, organizational, and business matters with discretion, professionalism, credibility, and sound judgment.

• Ability to effectively navigate ambiguity, organizational change, and competing priorities in a dynamic environment.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities ​​for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.