Responsibilities: Lead HR capability and employee-related initiatives to ensure an effective and sustainable talent strategy. Will proactively partner with the business to provide support and transformative leadership in the areas of employment, compensation, talent management, organizational development, and employee relations. Expectations for this role include but not limited to the following: HR Subject Matter Expert: * Ensure compliance with all applicable Federal and State Laws including EEO, FMLA, HIPAA, ADA, and other employment related matters. * Manage, maintain, and drive process improvements to ensure HR systems, processes and records are compliant, accurate, protected, and in support of "One Westrock" HR operating model. * Proactively engage, elevate potential opportunities, and seek out the best knowledge (leverage the right capabilities) when dealing with complex matters. * Maintain in depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partner with legal department as needed/required. HR Generalist: * Administers all compensation related activities for assigned locations including annual performance review process, incentive programs, promotions, etc. Ensure that salary recommendations are aligned with WestRock Compensation Guidelines and proper approvals are obtained. * Manage and resolve complex employee relations issues and hotline calls. Conduct effective, thorough, and objective investigations. * Maintains the Human Resource Information System to ensure management has access to accurate and appropriate people information to run the business. Provided additional HR data and reports to managers as requested. * Partner with BU management & play an active role in finding, attracting, and retaining talent. * Ensure effective and timely pre-employment and on-boarding activities and requirements for all new or transferring employees. HR Leader: * Effectively influences others through leadership, communication, data, and insights which result in clear understanding of opportunities and stakeholder alignment. * Partners with the business to develop short and long-term action plans which support the organization's overall vision and strategies. Appropriately balances business needs and uses economic thinking when developing alternatives. * Serve as strategic partner by developing key performance indicators (KPIs) and leveraging data analytics to identify opportunities and recommend ways to solve them. * Demonstrates critical thinking, problem solving, and judgement skills solve complex issues; focuses on identifying root causes to create solutions in a timely and decisive manner; reconciles conflicting and/or incomplete information to develop solutions. Transformative Leader: * Serve as change agent as WestRock continues to expand with a goal of providing world-class customer and employee experience. * Operate with a continuous improvement mindset; where possible make decisions, which support "One Westrock" model. Seek to eliminate waste and improve processes to drive efficiencies and valued outcomes. * Provide guidance and insight to key changes with an emphasis on workforce implications with 2nd and 3rd order consequences. Talent Management: * Own the talent management process. Provide visibility to broader internal talent landscape, support leaders to enable employees to maximize their potential and contributions. * Develop talent strategies to increase workforce diversity, retain and attract top talent, optimize core and pivotal talent, and ensure a robust talent pipeline for the future. * Proactively leads and enforces initiatives that drive organizational effectiveness; teaches others how to build trust-based relationships. * Foster a continuous learning environment through developing and improving the knowledge and skills of yourself and the organization. * Promote employee and organizational development including leadership development, succession planning, performance management programs, skills gap analysis, and individual career development. * Partners with supervisors regarding coaching moments. Provides appropriate knowledge to assess and determine employees\u2019 training needs, works with employees to produce continuous development plans, and partners with supervisors to provide regular feedback and coaching to help employees develop in current and future roles. Culture / Organization Health: * Lead by example, visible role model to Westrock\u2019s core values. * Consult and advise Leadership on topics of interest that could have a major impact on employee morale / organizational health. * Works effectively with others to complete a task or achieve a common objective; ability to cooperate in both interpersonal and team relationships to foster enthusiasm and maintain mutual trust, candor, and respect for others. * Works through conflict constructively, able to navigate through and resolve complex employment issues. Behavior Expectations - How the work will be accomplished: * The ability to analyze data (real time, historical, unstructured, structured, qualitative) to identify patterns and generate insights to inform and make decisions. * Lead by example, demonstrate and drive a corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence. * Effective communication skills (both written and orally) required to effectively engage and develop strong trusting relationships to gain alignment, support, and achieve desired results. Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. We are materials scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers and manufacturing experts with a shared purpose: Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, accountability and excellence, we use leading science and technology to move fiber-based packaging forward. Smurfit Westrock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. Smurfit Westrock does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.