HR Manager, Distribution Center: Recruiting & Workforce Operations

Welcome to the Table. At Sur La Table, community, culinary joy, and celebration are at the heart of who we are. From monthly spotlights to the Golden Whisk awards and cooking class perks, our culture blends recognition with hands-on experiences. New team members are welcomed with care and inspired by wellness events, inclusive stories, and a personal touch that makes you feel right at home.

Reports to: Sr. HR Manager, HQ

Location: Brownsburg, Indiana (On-site)

About the Role:

Sur La Table's Brownsburg Distribution Center (~120 employees year-round, scaling to ~375 during peak) needs a dedicated HR leader who can own recruiting, workforce administration, and employee relations across 396,000 square feet of operation. As HR Manager, Distribution Center, you will be the single HR point person managers rely on for answers, candidates count on to move quickly, and leadership looks to when workforce decisions need to be grounded in data.

In your first six months, success means having a seasonal hiring pipeline built and producing results, a hiring dashboard that leadership trusts, attendance and timekeeping running cleanly, and a new hire experience that surfaces actionable trends through structured check-ins.

What You'll Do:

Recruiting & Staffing

• Own full-cycle recruiting for all BDC roles - posting, screening, interviewing, offers, and Day 1 clearance - with volume increasing during peak and seasonal windows.
• Build a direct seasonal hiring pipeline through career fairs, community outreach, and local sourcing, starting with a sourcing plan in your first week.
• Track hiring progress and share it with leadership through regular check-ins and a hiring dashboard you own.
• Manage temp staffing operations, including agency relationships, onboarding/offboarding, and hours submission.

Attendance & Workforce Administration

• Manage attendance tracking, timecard edits, call-off documentation, and policy enforcement consistently, accurately, and with care.

Onboarding & New Hire Experience

• Own the new hire experience end to end - facilitate orientation, ensure every system and document is ready before Day 1, and run structured 15/45/90-day check-ins that surface trends for leadership.

Leave & Workers' Compensation

• Own the leave of absence process in partnership with AbsencePro, including communications, approvals, and follow-ups.
• Provide first response on workers' comp claims and escalate complex situations to the Sr. HR Manager with sound judgment and documentation.

Performance Management & Compliance

• Pull completion and rating reports, keep BDC leadership informed on review timelines, and raise flags before deadlines slip.
• Coordinate monthly safety topics, annual training, and LMS compliance reporting.

Reporting, Engagement & Employee Relations

• Produce regular HR reports - headcount, rosters, terminations, OSHA, perfect attendance, and labor - and explain clearly what the numbers mean.
• Run recognition programs, engagement initiatives, BDC events, and exit interviews that turn findings into patterns leaders can act on.
• Serve as the day-to-day HR contact for employees and managers, keep records accurate in Paylocity, and escalate employee relations concerns with sound judgment.

Required Qualifications:

• 3-5 years of progressive HR experience; distribution center or warehouse background strongly preferred.
• Proven experience owning full-cycle recruiting, including high-volume and seasonal hiring.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Working knowledge of FMLA and leave of absence administration.
• Solid understanding of federal and state employment law.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables.
• Ability to use AI to improve decision quality, speed, and workforce effectiveness.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems; Paylocity experience a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities without losing track of details.
• Clear, confident communicator in writing and in person.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Smartsheet.
• Available to work on-site five days per week; office hours may vary based on business needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PHR or SHRM-CP certification.

Why Join:

The people who do best here are builders. They take ownership, move fast, and want to see the direct impact of their work.

• Real Ownership: Run every HR function at the BDC - from recruiting and onboarding to compliance, safety, and employee relations - with full end-to-end responsibility.
• Growth Path: Over your first 18-24 months, move from running day-to-day HR operations to becoming the go-to strategic partner for BDC leadership, with exposure to broader Sur La Table HR and cross-brand initiatives that set you up for what's next.
• Team Impact: Work directly with DC leadership and cross-functional HR partners to shape how engagement and Sur La Table culture show up for the distribution center team.
• Competitive Benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k) match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts across our portfolio of brands.

Interview Process:

• Recruiter Screen - A 30-45 minute conversation with our recruiting team to align on the role, your background, and what you are looking for.
• Hiring Manager Interview - A conversation with the Sr. HR Manager focused on your HR operations experience and approach to supporting a distribution center workforce.
• Reference Checks - Conducted in parallel with the final stages where possible.
• Offer - We move quickly for the right candidate.

Interview process is subject to change. Any updates will be communicated promptly and clearly.

Please Note:

• Part of our interview process is a mandatory in-person interview with someone on our team prior to an offer. Candidates that are unwilling or unable to meet for an in-person interview will be removed from consideration immediately.