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Vice President, Human Resources Operations

Corona, CA

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is a world famous brand with offices across the globe. Within Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s ("FMIC") Human Resources team, we are building a global culture that embraces the spirit of the Fender brand: innovation, expression, and legacy.

An American icon, Fender was born in Southern California and has built a worldwide influence extending beyond the studio and the stage. A Fender is more than an instrument, it’s a cultural symbol that resonates globally.

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Vice President of Human Resources, Operations to serve as the senior-most HR leader for our world renowned Corona, California factory—home to some of the most iconic instruments in the world — and our San Bernardino Distribution Center (“SBDC”), reporting directly to the EVP of Legal & HR .

This full-time, on-site executive role in Corona, California will lead all aspects of the people function across operations, including employee relations, labor strategy, internal communication, talent development, workforce planning, and culture transformation. The VP will work in close partnership with the VP of Manufacturing, Operations the VP of Finance, Operations, and other senior leaders to shape a people-first culture, high-performing, and resiliant in a fast-paced production environment.

This is a transformational leadership opportunity to elevate the employee experience while driving workforce engagement, communication, safety, and operational excellence in one of Fender’s most critical business units.

Essential Functions:

• Implement targeted programs addressing mental health, physical wellness, and burnout.
• Develop recognition and reward schemes aligned with manufacturing values and peer-to-peer motivation.
  

Communication & Culture Engagement

• Design and execute an internal communications strategy that reaches all shifts in both English and Spanish.
• Drive employee engagement through surveys, listening sessions, focus groups, and cross-shift forums.
• Reinforce culture via milestone celebrations, recognition programs, and rituals that inspire ownership and pride.
• Oversee employee relations and labor strategy
• Work in conjunction with the Sr. Director, Legal & HR to resolve grievances and conduct investigations in compliance with California law (FEHA, CFRA, PAGA).
• Implement progressive discipline frameworks focused on fairness, consistency, and trust-building.
• Track and reduce key safety metrics such as TRIR and DART rates.
• Oversee workers’ compensation claims management, return-to-work programs, and employee safety awards.
• Partner with EH&S teams to embed safety into daily operations.
  

Supervisory Coaching & Bilingual Training

• Develop and deliver training in both English and Spanish on conflict resolution, attendance management, performance documentation, harassment prevention.
• Measure training effectiveness by tracking supervisor behavior outcomes and improvement in frontline engagement.
  

Culture, People Strategy & Manufacturing Leadership

• Serve as chief HR strategist and executive advisor for manufacturing operations, aligning people initiatives with production targets and cost objectives.
• Partner with Manufacturing Operations and Finance leaders on headcount forecasting, staffing models, labor cost control, and overtime management.
• Champion Fender’s evolving People and Culture philosophy, driving adoption across all shifts and teams.
• Drives company culture through regular in-person communication and active engagement on the factory floor, demonstrating commitment to Fender's values.|
  

Workforce Metrics & Operational KPI Monitoring

• Manage critical manufacturing KPIs including: Oversee workforce analytics including headcount, absenteeism, labor cost variance, time-to-fill, overtime rates, shift coverage, and temp-to-hire conversion to ensure efficient staffing and operational readiness in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Monitor and report on HR performance and compliance metrics such as employee relations case resolution, investigations, training completion, policy compliance, audit outcomes, HRIS accuracy, payroll discrepancy rates, and employee engagement trends to drive accountability and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with EH&S and operations leaders to track and improve key safety and workers’ compensation indicators—including TRIR, DART rate, claims filed, and return-to-work metrics—ensuring a safe, compliant, and people-centered workplace.
• Build actionable dashboards to monitor attendance, productivity, and workforce trends in real time.
• Ensure compliance with California wage and hour laws:
  • Meal/rest periods, split shifts, premium pay; and
  • Validate timecard audits to minimize wage & hour penalties.
• Oversee Cal/OSHA-aligned break practices and ergonomic labor policies.

Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition & Development

• Lead workforce planning with shift-level granularity and multi-week forecasting.
• Create strategies to attract, retain, and develop manufacturing talent, including career mobility programs.
• Launch frontline leadership development for supervisors to enhance coaching, accountability, and team culture.

HR Operations, Systems & Analytics

• Oversee HRIS, timekeeping, and performance management systems with a focus on operational accuracy and efficiency.
• Report on metrics including attendance trends, absenteeism, turnover, employee relations, and engagement.
• Collaborate with Total Rewards on compensation planning aligned with job architecture.

Compliance, Legal Strategy & Audit Management

• Work in conjunction with the Sr. Director of Legal & HR, Operations to:
  • Ensure full compliance with California and federal employment laws (Cal/OSHA, ADA, CFRA, FMLA, FEHA, wage/hour);
  • Lead HR’s response to audits, legal reviews, and agency investigations (EEOC, DFEH, DLSE); and
  • Conduct periodic internal audits of HR and plant records to prevent legal exposure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Organizational Development, or related field required
• Over 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant work supporting operations and workforce strategy in complex, fast-paced environments with parallels to large-scale manufacturing or industrial settings.
• Proven track record in managing workforce operations (absenteeism, labor cost, employee relations, wage/hour compliance)
• Deep expertise in California employment law, labor compliance, and workplace safety standards
• Demonstrated ability to lead frontline leader development and drive culture in a high-volume hourly workforce
• Strong analytical skills with experience building operational HR dashboards and interpreting KPIs
• Advanced HR certification (SPHR, SHRM‑SCP) preferred
• Experience with HRIS systems (SuccessFactors, ADP, etc,) preferred
• Bilingual fluency (English & Spanish) and experience working in bilingual, light-industrial environments desirable, but not required

About Fender Musical Instruments:

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is one of the world’s leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors, whose portfolio of brands includes Fender, Squier, Presonus, Gretsch, Jackson, EVH, Charvel, and Bigsby, among others. For more information, visit . FMIC offers a competitive benefits package which includes medical, dental, 401(k), paid time off, and an equipment purchase program to help you get the band back together. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor.

Fender is required by law in certain jurisdictions to include a pay scale in the job posting for this position. “Pay scale” means the salary or hourly wage range that Fender reasonably expects to pay for this position; it is neither a promise nor a guarantee of the compensation that the successful candidate will receive. The pay scale for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that Fender considers in making compensation decisions, including, without limitation: skill set, experience, and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. If this is a remote position, the pay scale disclosed herein may be adjusted further based upon the applicable geographic differential associated with the location from which the successful candidate will work. Please note that it is not typical for a Fender employee to be at or near the top of the pay scale for their role – especially as a new hire – and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Subject to the foregoing, the current pay scale for this position is $230,000.00 to $270,000.00 per year.

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