HR Manager (Manufacturing Plant)

HR Manager – Manufacturing Plant

Location: Bahia, Brazil (South-East Region)

About the Role

We are supporting a global industrial manufacturer in the establishment and ramp-up of a manufacturing plant in Bahia. This role will play a critical part in building the organization locally, ensuring strong labor compliance, and acting as a strategic HR partner to plant leadership during a high-growth phase. The HR Manager will oversee all people-related activities for the site, working closely with regional and global HR teams within a shared services model.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead organizational design and team structuring to support plant start-up and scale-up.
• Manage end-to-end recruitment for approximately 60 hires, across both white- and blue-collar roles.
• Coordinate the hiring and onboarding of international employees, including visa and work permit support for expatriates.
• Act as the primary HR contact for labor unions, labor authorities, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure full compliance with Brazilian labor laws and internal HR policies.
• Provide day-to-day HR advisory support to plant management, including employee relations, performance management, and workforce engagement.
• Support cultural integration between local and international teams.
• Drive standardization and continuous improvement of HR systems, processes, and reporting in alignment with regional and global HR frameworks.

Requirements

• Proven experience in a manufacturing or factory-based HR environment.
• Strong background as an HR Business Partner, ideally within a shared services HR model.
• Solid knowledge of Brazilian labor legislation and experience working with unionized workforces.
• Demonstrated experience managing recruitment at scale, including blue-collar hiring.
• Experience supporting expatriates, including visa and relocation processes.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

Why Join

This is a rare opportunity to join a global organization at a greenfield / early-stage manufacturing setup, offering significant exposure to international stakeholders and the chance to shape HR operations from the ground up.