Kennametal is an industrial technology leader with over 80 years of experience delivering productivity solutions through materials science, tooling, and wear-resistant solutions. The company serves customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering, and transportation industries. With approximately 8,700 employees operating across nearly 100 countries, Kennametal focuses on precision manufacturing, innovation, and customer success.
The Senior Manager - Human Resources will work closely with management and employees to create highly effective work relationships, maintain a positive work environment, drive employee retention, and influence a culture of performance, accountability, respect, ethics, and integrity. The role will also support safety as a core value of the organization.
The position will act as a strategic HR Business Partner by collaborating with business leaders on people strategy, organization development, and business objectives. The role involves aligning HR processes including employee engagement, organizational capability, and workforce initiatives to support business growth.
The selected candidate will drive employee engagement initiatives, lead productivity discussions with actionable improvement plans, support manufacturing and commercial teams, and maintain a healthy industrial relations and employee relations culture. The role includes coaching and mentoring shop managers on workforce-related matters.
The Senior Manager will lead and manage structured engagement with labour unions, including negotiations, grievance resolution, collective bargaining processes, and maintaining collaborative relationships with union representatives. The candidate will ensure adherence to labour laws, standing orders, union agreements, and industrial relations practices while proactively identifying and mitigating workplace disputes.
The role requires ensuring complete compliance with statutory requirements through regular reviews with stakeholders, vendors, and agencies. The candidate will support change management initiatives including modernization, commercial excellence projects, cultural transformation, and continuous organizational improvement.
The position will focus on talent management by developing management capabilities, building future leadership talent, supporting business restructuring, and providing workforce planning guidance. The candidate will also promote safety practices, support safety procedures, encourage a 100% safe mindset, and contribute to leadership team discussions.
The Senior Manager will collaborate with recruitment partners to attract and retain qualified talent, develop strategies for hiring critical skill sets, and support employee development and retention initiatives. The role also involves partnering with business leaders on learning and development programs, identifying skill gaps, future capability requirements, executive coaching needs, and mentoring opportunities.
Industry: Kennametal operates in the industrial technology and advanced manufacturing industry, providing materials science, tooling, and wear-resistant solutions for industries including aerospace, defense, energy, transportation, earthworks, and general engineering.
Education: Graduate with Human Resource or Business background. Post-Graduation in Human Resources preferred.
Experience: 15+ years of HR experience preferably in MNC manufacturing organizations with 5+ years of experience as HRBP or leading HR functions. Experience in managing unions, industrial relations, labour laws, factory compliance, and employee relations is required.
