Senior Human Resources Manager

New Opportunity! Senior Human Resources Manager - Alexandria, Louisiana NES Fircroft is actively seeking an experienced Human Resources Professional for a contract-to-hire opportunity with a new client in Alexandria, Louisiana. This position will be a critical leadership role in a developing company associated with a greenfield facility being built. All interested candidates are encouraged to send their most updated resume directly to gabriel.fox@nesfircroft.com along with their availability. Position Overview - Senior Human Resources Manager Our Client is establishing its Strategic Metals Complex (SMC) in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is seeking a highly experienced Senior Human Resources Manager to build, lead, and mature the HR function from the ground up. This role is ideal for an HR leader who has successfully built HR infrastructures in early stage or rapidly scaling industrial environments and has experience with benefits design, compensation programs, retirement plans, HR policy creation, compliance, and workforce planning. The ideal candidate will also bring experience supporting industrial, manufacturing, or government funded projects, ensuring compliance and alignment with federal, state, and grant related requirements. Key Responsibilities HR Infrastructure & Strategy

• Develop and implement the full HR infrastructure for the Alexandria SMC, including policies, workflows, HRIS selection, and long term organizational frameworks.
• Partner with executive leadership to align HR strategy with workforce, production, and operational growth plans.

Benefits, Compensation & Retirement Plans

• Design, implement, and manage competitive benefits packages, including medical,dental, vision, life, disability, and ancillary plans.
• Build a comprehensive compensation structure including salary bands, job leveling, and market benchmarking.
• Establish retirement plan offerings (e.g., 401(k), employer match programs) and oversee fiduciary compliance and vendor relationships. Compliance, Industrial & Government Funded Project Support
• Ensure HR policies, labor practices, and workforce documentation comply with federal, state, and industry specific regulations.
• Support HR needs tied to government funded projects, including recordkeeping, reporting, onboarding protocols, training compliance, and audit readiness.
• Maintain alignment with environmental, safety, and industrial regulatory requirements (e.g., OSHA, MSHA if applicable). Talent Management & Workforce Development
• Lead full cycle hiring for technical, operational, and administrative roles during facility build out and scaling.
• Establish training, certification tracking, contractor onboarding, and workforce readiness programs.
• Implement leadership development, employee relations frameworks, and performance management systems. Culture, Engagement & Employee Relations
• Shape the cultural foundation of the new site by creating communication channels, engagement programs, and team building initiatives.
• Manage employee relations, conflict resolution, corrective action procedures, and workforce communication. HR Operations
• Select, implement, and administer an HRIS system appropriate for a growing industrial operation.
• Oversee payroll coordination, leave management, employee files, and confidentiality standards.
• Develop KPIs and reporting metrics that support executive decision making. Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master's preferred). 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including leadership roles supporting industrial or manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated experience building HR infrastructure from the ground up.
• Proven background designing compensation plans, benefits offerings, and retirement programs.
• Experience supporting or managing HR components of government funded or grant funded projects.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. employment laws, compliance, and safety related HR considerations. Preferred

• SHRM CP, SHRM

  SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Experience in energy, mining, metals, chemical, or large scale industrial environments.
• Experience supporting sites undergoing major construction, commissioning, or scale up phases.
• Familiarity with workforce development programs, apprenticeship models, or Louisiana workforce agencies. Core Competencies
• Strategic HR leadership
• Policy creation & compliance
• Industrial workforce expertise
• Government project documentation
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• High accountability and independent initiative
• Ability to thrive in a fast moving startup to operations environment With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide.

With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.