Human Resources Business Partner

Department: Human Resources Reports To: Director of Human Resources Location: St. Paul, Minnesota FLSA Status: Exempt Position Type: Full-Time, On-Site

Position Summary

The Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) is a key member of DuraMark’s shared-services Human Resources team. Based at the St. Paul operation, this position serves as the primary on-site HR resource for St. Paul while supporting employees and leaders across DuraMark locations as business needs require.

This is a hands-on HR role with a strong emphasis on employee relations, workplace investigations, company-wide leave and accommodation management, manager support, performance management, training, employee engagement, and consistent application of company policies and practices.

The successful HRBP will be structured but adaptable—someone who values consistency, documentation, and compliance without becoming unnecessarily rigid or procedural. This individual must be comfortable independently assessing situations, making sound recommendations, respectfully challenging others when appropriate, and finding practical solutions within legal and company requirements.

The HRBP works closely with the Director of Human Resources and other HR team members as part of a shared-services function supporting DuraMark operations in Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, and Washington.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Employee Relations & Workplace Investigations

• Serve as the primary on-site HR resource for employees and leaders at the St. Paul location.
• Build trusted relationships with employees and managers while maintaining appropriate objectivity and confidentiality.
• Conduct timely, thorough, and objective workplace investigations involving employee complaints, misconduct, harassment, policy violations, and other workplace concerns.
• Gather and evaluate facts, interview employees and witnesses, assess credibility, document findings, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Provide guidance to supervisors and managers regarding employee relations, conduct, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns.
• Coach managers through difficult employee situations and conversations.
• Support corrective action and termination decisions, including documentation, consistency, and compliance review.
• Respectfully challenge proposed management actions when the facts, company policy, consistency, or compliance considerations warrant a different approach.
• Evaluate employee situations individually rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Leave & Accommodation Management

• Administer employee leaves and workplace accommodations for employees across all DuraMark locations, including applicable federal, state, and local leave requirements, from initial request or identification through return to work or final resolution.
• Administer applicable Minnesota leave requirements, including Minnesota Paid Leave, Earned Sick and Safe Time, Pregnancy and Parenting Leave, and other applicable state or local protected leave.
• Administer FMLA and ADA accommodation processes and appropriately coordinate overlapping leave and accommodation requirements.
• Recognize potential leave or accommodation triggers even when an employee does not specifically request a particular type of protected leave or accommodation.
• Maintain accurate and confidential leave and accommodation documentation.
• Coordinate with the appropriate HR, payroll, benefits, and external resources regarding pay, benefit deductions, employment status, and other administrative impacts of leave.
• Recognize when an issue requires escalation to the Director of Human Resources or outside resources.

Performance, Attendance & Policy Administration

• Coach managers on employee performance, attendance, conduct, and accountability.
• Assist with coaching documentation, written warnings, performance improvement plans, and other corrective actions.
• Review proposed employee actions for appropriate documentation, consistency, and compliance.
• Apply company policies consistently while considering the individual facts and circumstances of each situation.
• Maintain accurate employee relations and performance documentation.
• Follow issues through to resolution and ensure appropriate closure.
• Identify recurring employee-relations or performance trends and recommend process, policy, or training improvements.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources to administer DuraMark’s performance review process, including review cycles, manager support, completion follow-up, and identification of performance and development trends.
• Track and analyze relevant HR trends, including employee relations, attendance, leave, performance, and training, and provide information and insights to support HR reporting and dashboards.

Training & Manager Development

• Identify training needs based on employee-relations trends, compliance requirements, operational needs, and manager capability.
• Develop and facilitate practical training for managers and employees.
• Provide manager training on documentation, performance management, attendance, respectful workplace expectations, investigations, leaves, and company policies.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources to identify and assign required employee and manager training and follow up on completion.
• Help managers understand not only what is required, but why.
• Reinforce manager accountability and consistent application of company expectations.

Employee Engagement & BEES Committee

• Serve as HR’s regular representative and coordinator for DuraMark’s BEES Employee Engagement Committee, working with employee committee members across locations.
• Help coordinate committee meetings, the annual engagement calendar, employee recognition activities, and communication of BEES initiatives.
• Support balanced representation and participation in employee engagement activities across St. Paul, Westfield, and other DuraMark locations as appropriate.
• Coordinate the employee newsletter, including birthdays, service anniversaries, new hires, promotions, employee recognition, company and committee updates, and other relevant employee communications.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources and BEES Committee members to strengthen employee communication, recognition, connection, and engagement while maintaining employee ownership of committee activities.

HR Operations & Shared Services

• Provide responsive HR support to employees and managers.
• Support employees and leaders across DuraMark locations as business needs require.
• Serve as a visible HR presence and identify recurring employee concerns, workplace themes, and engagement opportunities; elevate relevant trends and recommendations to the Director of Human Resources.
• Conduct or support exit interviews and identify turnover, retention, and employee-experience themes for review with the Director of Human Resources.
• Partner with hiring managers and the Director of Human Resources on workforce needs, candidate selection, and hiring decisions as appropriate.
• Coordinate the HR portion of employee onboarding, including orientation, company information, required policies, and HR processes.
• Support employee status changes, transfers, promotions, and other employment transactions.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation.
• Participate in HR process improvement, policy development, system implementation, and other HR initiatives.
• Support additional HR projects and responsibilities based on business needs.

Other Duties as Assigned

• This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties and responsibilities may change based on business needs. Nothing in this job description alters the at-will employment relationship or creates an employment contract.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five or more years of progressive Human Resources experience, preferably in an HR Generalist or HR Business Partner role.
• Demonstrated experience independently conducting workplace investigations and handling complex employee-relations matters.
• Experience with performance management, performance review processes, corrective action, and manager coaching.
• Hands-on experience administering employee leaves and workplace accommodations.
• Practical knowledge of Minnesota leave requirements and their interaction with FMLA and ADA requirements.
• Multi-state HR experience or demonstrated ability to research, understand, and apply differing state employment requirements.
• Working knowledge of employee benefits and their interaction with leave, payroll, and employment status.
• Working knowledge of federal employment laws and HR compliance requirements.
• Strong written communication, documentation, organization, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to assess facts, evaluate risk, and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to handle difficult conversations and decisions respectfully, professionally, and firmly.
• Experience in a manufacturing, production, distribution, or similar operational environment.
• Experience developing and facilitating employee or manager training.
• Experience working with HR metrics, reporting, and trend analysis preferred.
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.

What Success Looks Like

The successful HRBP is approachable enough that employees and managers seek HR support early, but confident enough to handle difficult issues when they arise. This individual is detail-oriented without becoming rigid, understands the difference between legal requirements, company policy, and business judgment, and can work independently without operating in a silo.

The HRBP gathers enough information to make thoughtful decisions without waiting for perfect information, follows issues through to completion, adapts when circumstances change, and looks for practical solutions that support both employees and the business.

Success also means becoming a trusted and visible HR presence in St. Paul while operating as part of one DuraMark HR function—not as a separate Minnesota HR department.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Ability to perform work requires regular computer use and movement throughout office and production areas.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry materials and travel between company locations as required.
• This position may work in or around a manufacturing environment and may require the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Work Authorization & Sponsorship

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. DuraMark does not provide employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

E-Verify

DuraMark participates in E-Verify and uses information from Form I-9 to confirm employment authorization in accordance with federal law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

DuraMark is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. DuraMark provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices as required by law.