Human Resources Business Partner

The Company: 

Cognex is the global leader in the exciting and growing field of machine vision, with annual revenue approaching $1 Billion.  We are a financially strong international company with a culture that maintains the fast-paced, creative environment of a startup.  Our employees, proudly called “Cognoids,” take their work seriously but don't take themselves seriously.  Our Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast culture recognizes our employees for their innovation, perseverance, and hard work in a fun and rewarding environment.  We value in-person team collaboration, while offering remote workplace flexibility up to two days a week depending on the role. 

We are working on a hybrid schedule, 3 days in the office, 2 at home 

Job Summary: 

The HR Business Partner (HRBP) functions as a strategic partner to business leaders within our G&A organization, aligning business objectives with employees and management. The HRBP provides consultative support on HR policies, talent management, performance, employee relations, and organizational development. This role ensures HR strategies and initiatives are effectively implemented globally to drive business performance and employee engagement. 

• Strategic Business Partnership: Function as a trusted advisor to the leadership team, by building relationships and providing thoughtful counsel to support organization strategy and initiatives.   Understand business challenges, identify opportunities for improvement and influence leaders to proactively address them 

• Talent Development: Identify talent development needs and implement solutions to support the overall effectiveness of the business and to increase employee engagement 

• Leadership Coaching: Coach the leadership team to improve their capabilities and ability to address organizational needs.   Provide guidance on workforce planning including career development and succession planning 

• HR Programs: Execute HR programs and initiatives within assigned functions and occasionally lead global or cross-functional HR programs and initiatives.  Offer expertise on HR policy and contribute to the creation or improvement of HR policies and programs  

• Interviewing and candidate selection: Partner with the Recruitment team to support assigned groups by working closely with Hiring Managers on role budgets, salary recommendations, market data, and position levels. Additionally, participate in final-round interviews to help ensure strong hiring decisions 

• Employee Lifecycle: Provide coaching and guidance to managers and employees throughout the employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding, managing employee relations, driving employee development, compensation planning and administration, and employee offboarding 

• HR Projects: Consult with the business and HR team to deliver on various ad-hoc projects as needed 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

• Entrepreneurial spirit: We are a growing organization and need team members who thrive in a rapidly changing environment. Flexibility and a demonstrated ability to deal with ambiguity, while managing multiple priorities and projects in a fast paced, innovative organization is required

• Customer Focus: A demonstrated track record of proactively engaging leaders and employees at all levels with a strong degree of professional maturity and the ability to influence outcomes is essential

• Strong communication skills:  Excellent verbal and written skills with an ability to effectively work with all levels of the organization and leadership styles.  Strong business acumen with proven experience translating business needs into actions that will move the business forward

• Enthusiasm: A high level of energy and a strong sense of urgency are essential, paired with a continuous improvement mindset. Ability to inspire growth and elevate team performance while demonstrating a deep commitment to mentoring and coaching HR Generalists is required

Qualifications:  

• Proven ability to serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, aligning HR initiatives with business goals and driving organizational effectiveness 

• Strong experience in talent development, employee engagement, and implementing growth-focused programs across diverse teams 

• Skilled in leadership coaching, workforce planning, and succession strategy to build high-performing, future-ready teams 

• Demonstrated success in executing HR programs and policies, including leading cross-functional or global initiatives 

• Expertise in recruitment strategy, interviewing, and selection processes, with a focus on cost-effective and inclusive hiring practices 

• Comprehensive understanding of the employee lifecycle, including compensation planning, employee relations, and offboarding 

• Adept at managing HR projects and delivering innovative solutions in fast-paced, dynamic environments 

Minimum education and work experience: 

• BS/BA in Management, Human Resources, Organizational Development or related field. Master’s or HR certifications preferred 

• Minimum of 8+ years of Human Resources experience, preferably with 2 years in the capacity of an HR Business Partner or Senior Generalist 

• HR Business Partner experience supporting G&A organizations is highly desirable 

• Experience owning or supporting multiple geography or global HR strategies 

• Related HR experience working in the technology sector is preferred