Senior HR Business Partner

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Sr. HR Business Partner? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Sr. HR Business Partner

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Meet the Recruiter: Perry Golden

Summary: 

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Senior HRBP) serves as a strategic thought partner to managers and senior leaders by providing expert guidance on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, talent management, employee relations, and people-related business decisions. The Senior HRBP develops strong partnerships with business leaders by understanding organizational priorities, workforce dynamics, and operational challenges to deliver proactive HR solutions that drive business outcomes and enhance employee experiences. Leveraging workforce analytics, business acumen, and HR expertise, the Senior HRBP identifies emerging risks and opportunities, influences leadership decision-making, and leads initiatives that strengthen organizational performance and capability. The Senior HRBP primarily supports managers and senior leaders and operates with a high degree of autonomy while providing strategic recommendations on complex workforce and organizational matters. Above all else, successful candidates must demonstrate a commitment to building and sustaining Panasonic Energy's High Performance Culture through accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, respectful courage, and servant leadership.

Essential Duties:

Functional Operations:

• Serve as the primary strategic HR partner for managers and senior leaders, providing guidance on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, talent management, employee relations, and business decisions
• Utilize advanced consulting and advisory skills to influence leadership decision-making, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and support positive employee experiences
• Advise leaders on organizational design, staffing strategies, succession planning, and workforce capability needs
• Provide strategic guidance on employee relations matters, corrective actions, performance outcomes, organizational changes, and employee communications
• Lead and support organizational initiatives including restructuring, team realignments, workforce planning efforts, and change management activities
• Interpret and apply HR policies, employment laws, and company practices to complex or ambiguous situations while balancing business needs and employee experience
• Partner with Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Learning & Development, and other HR functions to implement business-focused people solutions

Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement:

• Analyze workforce metrics, employee relations trends, engagement results, performance data, retention indicators, and organizational effectiveness measures to identify strategic risks and opportunities
• Lead monthly business reviews with managers and senior leaders by synthesizing workforce data and providing recommendations to improve organizational performance
• Partner with leaders to identify root causes of workforce challenges, develop strategic action plans, and drive sustainable improvements
• Design, recommend, and implement HR programs, processes, and initiatives that strengthen business performance, employee engagement, and organizational capability
• Lead complex cross-functional HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives while managing competing priorities and stakeholder expectations

Training & Team Support:

• Partner with leaders to strengthen performance management, talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement practices
• Coach managers and senior leaders through complex employee relations matters, performance challenges, leadership development opportunities, and organizational changes
• Support leadership calibration discussions, talent reviews, and development planning activities
• Facilitate training, workshops, and leadership discussions that enhance manager effectiveness and organizational capability
• Mentor and provide guidance to HRBP 1 and HRBP 2 team members while promoting continuous learning and professional development

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication:

• Maintain a regular presence within assigned business areas through Gemba walks, leadership meetings, employee engagement activities, and workforce discussions
• Lead complex employee relations investigations and provide recommendations on resolution strategies and corrective actions
• Facilitate discussions involving sensitive, high-impact, or escalated workplace concerns while balancing employee, leadership, and business needs
• Collaborate with leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to identify organizational challenges and implement sustainable solutions
• Communicate workforce insights, organizational risks, and strategic recommendations effectively to managers and senior leaders

Quality, Safety, & Compliance:

• Ensure HR activities, business decisions, and employment practices comply with company policies, employment laws, and applicable regulations
• Maintain oversight of investigation documentation, corrective actions, workforce records, and other compliance-related HR records
• Identify and mitigate organizational, employee relations, and compliance risks through proactive consultation and problem-solving
• Protect confidential employee information and exercise sound judgment when handling highly sensitive matters
• Partner with leaders and EHS teams to promote safe work practices, policy compliance, and ethical business conduct

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Required Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• Related fields may include Psychology, Sociology, Communications, Finance, Economics, Operations, Industrial Relations, Organizational Development, or other business or behavioral science disciplines
• Relevant experience may substitute for required education

Preferred Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or comparable HR certification
• Advanced experience in employee relations, workforce planning, talent management, organizational effectiveness, or employment law 

Essential Qualifications:

• 4+ years of Human Resources, employee relations, business, operations, or related professional experience
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to managers and senior leaders
• Advanced knowledge of HR policies, employment practices, employment laws, and employee relations principles
• Ability to independently manage complex employee relations matters, organizational challenges, and workforce issues
• Strong coaching, consulting, influencing, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and balance business needs, compliance requirements, and employee experience in complex situations
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to synthesize workforce data, identify emerging trends, assess organizational risks, and recommend strategic solutions
• Proficiency with HR systems, workforce analytics, reporting tools, and data-driven decision making
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects and organizational initiatives across multiple stakeholders
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand operational strategy, workforce challenges, organizational effectiveness, and long-term business objectives
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning, feedback, and professional growth
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles: contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, and gratitude
• Demonstrated willingness and ability to model Panasonic Energy's High Performance Culture behaviors by:Leading with a servant-leadership mindset and removing barriers for others to succeed
• Demonstrating personal accountability by owning decisions, commitments, outcomes, and mistakes
• Showing respectful courage by addressing difficult issues directly, providing candid feedback, and challenging the status quo when appropriate
• Fostering collaboration through curiosity, learning, and assuming positive intent
• Continuously innovating, reflecting, and adjusting to improve individual, team, and organizational performance
• Actively modeling these behaviors and holding others accountable to the same standard

Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years of Human Resources experience supporting employee relations, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, talent management, or other strategic HR functions
• Experience supporting employees and leaders in manufacturing, production, distribution, logistics, battery manufacturing, or similar industrial environments
• Experience using HRIS systems such as Workday to support workforce planning, reporting, and data-driven decision making
• Experience leading complex employee relations investigations, organizational change initiatives, workforce planning efforts, or talent management programs
• Experience partnering directly with managers, senior leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders on business and organizational matters 

Physical Demands

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 60%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 10% 

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Rare
• Up to 35 lbs.: Rare
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Rare 

In addition, employees are expected to participate in cross-training and may be assigned responsibilities in other areas as business needs evolve. 

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs –Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Annual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

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