HR Manager

About the role

Ballistic Advantage designs and manufactures rifle and pistol barrels and firearm components in Ocoee, Florida. Following an asset purchase, Ballistic Advantage is a new acquisition, and we are rebuilding the Ocoee operation from the ground up, including HR. We are a family-owned business. Leaders know employees by name, make decisions quickly, and give the people doing the work a direct line to the people running the company. You will join a startup environment inside a company with more than 15 years of manufacturing history and an established customer base.

The HR Manager reports to the HR Director and serves as the local, day-to-day HR contact for employees and leaders on site. You will build processes, policies, and systems that do not exist yet, then run them. If you want to build an HR function rather than inherit one, this role is for you.

This is a full-time, on-site position in Ocoee, Florida.

What you will do

Recruiting and onboarding

• Support recruiting for the Ocoee site as we staff up: post jobs, screen resumes, schedule and conduct interviews, extend offers, and onboard new hires.
• Partner with hiring managers to identify staffing needs and build workforce plans.
• Coordinate with the HR Director on hiring standards, job descriptions, and offer approvals.
• Design and implement employee retention strategies.

Benefits

• Administer employee benefits, including health insurance, life and disability plans, EAP, 401K, and paid time off.
• Track benefits trends and bring options forward for employees.

Employee relations and performance

• Serve as the first point of contact for employees and managers on HR questions.
• Investigate employee issues and conflicts and bring them to resolution.
• Advise managers on performance management, corrective action, and conflict resolution.
• Run the performance management program.

Training and development

• Develop training materials so employees understand their job responsibilities.
• Deliver training on HR policies, procedures, and leadership skills for managers and supervisors.

Compliance, systems, and data

• Ensure compliance with local, Florida, and federal employment law.
• Apply company HR policies consistently.
• Build and maintain HR systems, records, and processes.
• Track HR metrics and report on them for decision making.

Culture and leadership

• Partner with site leadership to align HR goals with business priorities.
• Supervise and develop HR staff as the team grows.
• Reinforce company culture through HR processes and daily interactions with employees.
• Identify gaps in HR operations and fix them.

What you bring

Required

• Five years of experience as an HR Manager or in a similar role.
• One year of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Full-cycle recruiting experience, including high-volume or new-site hiring.
• Working knowledge of HR principles, labor law, and Florida employment requirements.
• Experience with HR systems and databases. ADP preferred.
• Experience developing and teaching leadership content to managers and supervisors.
• Experience leading change initiatives.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and present HR metrics.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Strong listening, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to build working relationships at every level of the company.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to set priorities, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines without close direction.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Experience in manufacturing or in a startup or newly acquired business.

How you work

• You produce accurate, timely work and follow through until it is done.
• You act without waiting for a perfect plan and take calculated risks.
• You share information, give feedback, and coach others.
• You see what is possible during change and see it through.
• You ask questions, learn from mistakes, and keep improving.

Work environment

• On site in Ocoee, Florida, in an office and manufacturing environment.
• Some travel required.
• Requires sustained concentration and complex decision making.

Benefits

• 401K with a 6% company match
• 3 weeks of paid time off per year 
• 15 paid holidays per year
• Health, life, and disability insurance, with 80% of employee and dependents contributions covered by the company
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

How we hire

We evaluate every candidate on four criteria:

• Education, experience, and competencies. The technical and interpersonal skills the role requires.
• Culture and values. Alignment with the behaviors that define success at Ballistic Advantage.
• Adaptability. The ability to learn, grow, and contribute in a business that is still taking shape.
• Leadership. Empathy, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence without relying on title.