HR Early Career Development Specialist

The HR Early Career Development Specialist supports the execution, coordination, measurement, and continuous improvement of early career and work-based learning programs in a manufacturing environment. Reporting to the Organizational Development Manager, this individual-contributor role maintains program schedules and records, coordinates participant experiences, supports partnerships with schools and internal departments, and produces accurate reporting on participation, completion, conversion, retention, engagement, and program effectiveness. The role provides operational support and data insights; it does not have direct reports, budget ownership, performance-management authority, or independent responsibility for setting organizational strategy.

Key Responsibility Overview
Early career and work-based learning program coordination

Participant, school, and stakeholder support

Learning, mentorship, and event logistics

Program data integrity, analysis, dashboards, and reporting

Continuous improvement, compliance, and manufacturing-site support

Career Development

Succession Planning

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, however other duties may be assigned.

Program Coordination and Administration

• Coordinate the day-to-day execution of internships, co-ops, apprenticeships, job-shadowing, work-based learning, and other approved early career programs under the direction of the Organizational Development Manager.
• Maintain program calendars, participant rosters, learning plans, checklists, documentation, communications, and completion records.
• Coordinate orientation, site access, safety training, departmental placement, learning activities, presentations, recognition activities, and closeout events with responsible partners.
• Escalate risks, missed milestones, participant concerns, and resource needs to the Organizational Development Manager.

Work-Based Learning and Education Partnerships

• Serve as an administrative point of contact for approved high schools, technical colleges, universities, workforce partners, students, parents or guardians when applicable, and internal departments.
• Coordinate posting timelines, information sessions, plant tours, interview logistics, required forms, work schedules, and program milestones.
• Verify that required agreements, releases, training acknowledgments, attendance records, and other program documentation are complete and retained in the designated system.
• Support outreach events and maintain an organized contact and activity history for each education or workforce partner.

 Participant Learning and Experience Support

• Coordinate mentor and supervisor assignments and provide approved guides, schedules, check-in tools, and program expectations.
• Schedule participant check-ins, learning sessions, career-readiness activities, surveys, and feedback discussions; document themes and route issues appropriately.
• Support an inclusive and consistent participant experience across departments and shifts while reinforcing workplace expectations, safety, quality, and professional conduct.
• Assist with development resources and career-exploration materials approved by Organizational Development and Human Resources.

Data Analysis, Dashboards, and Reporting

• Maintain accurate participant and program data in approved HR, learning, recruiting, and reporting systems.
• Prepare recurring dashboards and reports for the Organizational Development Manager showing program activity, outcomes, trends, risks, and follow-up items.
• Reconcile data across source systems, investigate variances, document definitions, and protect confidential information.
• Collect participant, mentor, supervisor, and partner feedback; summarize observable themes and outcomes without making performance decisions.
• Use approved measures to identify opportunities for process improvement and present findings to the Organizational Development Manager.

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding Support

• Partner with Talent Acquisition on approved early career outreach, candidate communications, interview scheduling, pre-employment steps, and transition-to-hire activities.
• Track candidate and participant status through established workflows and provide timely updates to appropriate stakeholders.
• Assist in Career Development and Success Planning for internal employees

Compliance, Safety, and Continuous Improvement

• Follow TNA policies, record-retention practices, confidentiality requirements, school or program agreements, and applicable safety and youth-employment requirements.
• Complete required site and departmental training and ensure participants are routed to the appropriate training owners.
• Maintain standard work, templates, process maps, and lessons learned; recommend practical improvements based on data and stakeholder feedback.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Education, Business Administration, Data Analytics, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• One to three years of experience supporting HR, learning and development, early career programs, work-based learning, education partnerships, workforce development, recruiting operations, or program administration.
• Experience maintaining program data and preparing accurate reports, dashboards, presentations, and written summaries for stakeholders.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams; ability to learn HRIS, ATS, LMS, and reporting tools.
• Strong organization, follow-through, written communication, customer service, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, protect confidential information, work with detailed records, and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Ability to work effectively in both office and manufacturing settings and to follow all PPE and site-safety requirements.
• Preferred: experience with high school or postsecondary work-based learning, internships, co-ops, apprenticeships, or manufacturing workforce programs.