Human Resources Governance Partner

The HR Governance Partner at Great Lakes Cheese serves as a strategic guardian of organizational integrity, helping ensure people-related processes run accurately and with objective fairness. This onsite role in Hiram, OH focuses on mitigating organizational risk through compliance oversight, leave administration support, internal investigations, and audit readiness.

What you’ll focus on

• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local labor laws to support ongoing compliance across areas such as FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and EEOC.
• Draft, update, and maintain the Employee Handbook and internal HR policies and guidelines.
• Translate highly complex regulations into clear, actionable guidance for managers and employees.
• Oversee pre-employment screening and vendor management for the organization’s drug screening program.
• Prepare and file required government reporting including monthly New Hire Reporting, Annual EEO-1, and VETS-4212.
• Conduct internal HR audits such as I-9 audits, E-Verify, and personnel file reviews to identify vulnerabilities and verify alignment with company policies.
• Act as the main point of contact for external third-party audit firms, including scheduling assessments and managing on-site logistics.
• Establish and communicate compliance benchmarks across site teams based on social responsibility audit requirements, specifically SMETA.
• Build audit enablement tools including checklists, pre-audit dashboards, and document repositories to streamline site preparation.
• Conduct workshops, coaching sessions, and mock walkthroughs to prepare local leadership and employees for third-party auditor interactions.
• Provide onsite support for high-risk audits, newly formed teams, and acquired facilities to establish baseline compliance.
• Manage the Corrective Action Plan Report (CAPR), ensuring audit findings are investigated thoroughly and addressed.
• Collaborate with site HR and operations leads to design, execute, and document timely solutions for non-conformances.
• Upload evidence, track verification timelines, and maintain an updated, accurate company profile on the Sedex platform.
• Create and oversee compliance-based processes, including interactive process workflows and communication of ADA process steps.
• Serve as the primary liaison for the third-party FMLA administrator, supporting policy and legal alignment across all leave types.
• Serve as the first point of contact for legal notices (such as EEOC and federal or state claims), preparing initial documentation and case summaries for legal review.
• Provide mentorship and support for internal investigations to promote consistency, proper documentation, and objective outcomes.
• Partner with cross-functional teams including Legal and IT as needed to support project goals and ensure HR requirements are met.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, a related field, or commensurate experience.
• 6 years of progressive HR experience, including 3–5 years focused on Employee Relations, HR Operations, or Risk Mitigation.
• Ability to conduct complex internal investigations, maintain objective documentation, and provide actionable summaries for legal and executive review.
• Strong interpersonal skills to partner effectively with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, including the ability to interpret complex policies into “people-first” language for the employee handbook.
• Proven ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments.
• Strong problem-solving and hands-on troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent attention to detail while managing multiple simultaneous tasks.

Technologies and compliance frameworks

• FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEOC, E-Verify, SMETA, Sedex, VETS-4212

Preferred qualifications

• Specialized certification in Employee Relations or HR Risk Management.
• 8–12 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years focused on Risk Mitigation.
• Strong working knowledge of SMETA 2-pillar and 4-pillar audit methodologies, the ETI Base Code, and local labor laws.
• Experience managing ADA Interactive Processes and overseeing third-party administrators for FMLA/LOA.
• Deep understanding of federal and state employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, EEOC, and FLSA.

Working conditions

• Occasional exposure to industrial operations including temperature extremes (approximately 35°F to 100°F), noise levels above 85 dB, moisture, and moving machinery.
• Travel up to 40%.
• Work performed in an office setting.

Equal Opportunity: Great Lakes Cheese is an Equal Opportunity Employer for Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.

Vendor diversity note: Great Lakes Cheese strives for continued vendor diversity and will not respond to solicitations from search firms regarding posted positions.