HR Integration Lead

Graco manufactures and markets premium equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray a wide variety of fluid and powder materials. What does that mean? Well, we pump peanut butter into your jar, and the oil in your car. We glue the soles of your shoes, the glass in your windows and the screen on your phone. We spray the finish on your vehicle, coatings on your pills, the paint on your house and texture on your walls. Graco is part of your daily life.

This role is currently based at our Minneapolis office and will transition to our new headquarters in Dayton, MN, in 2027.  

The HR Integration Lead is responsible for leading diligence activities and planning and orchestrating integration activities for Human Resources during mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other transformation initiatives. This position serves as the primary HR lead for the Integration Management Office (IMO), and coordinates across all HR disciplines to ensure successful delivery on integration objectives, synergies, risk management, and the target operating model without disrupting business continuity. The position partners closely with HR leaders, acquired company counterparts, and cross-functional teams to deliver milestones on time and with minimal disruption. In addition, this position serves as the HR function’s project management lead, establishing and applying consistent project management practices across HR while leading select strategic, cross-functional initiatives.

What You Will Do at Graco

Integration Planning & Execution

• Orchestrate all HR due diligence, integration planning, and post-close optimization activities for acquisitions, mergers, and divestitures, ensuring each HR workstream has clear scope, priorities, owners, and deliverables that converge into a single functional plan
• Develop and maintain comprehensive HR integration plans (including milestones, roadmaps, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and resource requirements), translating integration objectives into actionable work plans aligned with the overall integration strategy and ensuring completion of all functional integration activities within agreed timelines and scope
• Lead the development of side-by-side analyses comparing compensation, benefits, HR policies, and other HR programs between Graco and acquired organizations, identifying key differences, risks, and employee impacts, and partnering with COEs on recommended integration approaches
• Own HR Day-1 readiness planning and communications to support a smooth and seamless transition with minimal business disruption, in partnership with HR partners
• Coordinate with acquired company and internal Graco HR partners to facilitate successful integration execution
• Ensure operational ownership, support processes, documentation, and service transition activities are completed before transitioning acquired environments to steady-state HR operations

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the primary point of contact between the HR function and the Integration Management Office, coordinating across HR workstreams and cross-functional partners to manage interdependencies, resolve issues, and remove barriers
• Participate in integration governance forums and provide timely progress updates on HR integration status, milestones, dependencies, risks, and decisions
• Partner with Corporate Development, Finance, HR partners, and business leaders to identify, quantify, validate, and track HR-related synergies and value-creation opportunities associated with each transaction

Change Management & Communications

• Develop HR change management plans that support Day 1 readiness, post-close integration, and long-term adoption of new HR programs, processes, and systems
• Create clear, audience-specific communications for employees, leaders, HR partners, and acquired company counterparts on HR processes and programs, including FAQs, leader talking points, transition messaging, and readiness materials
• Assess stakeholder impacts, readiness needs, and adoption risks; identify communications, training, or engagement actions needed to support successful implementation of HR processes and programs
• Build alignment among stakeholders and foster collaboration across organizations
• Help maintain employee trust, engagement, and business continuity by proactively addressing questions, concerns, and change impacts throughout the integration process

HR M&A Playbook & Capability Building

• Own the ongoing development and evolution of the HR M&A playbook, creating a scalable and repeatable approach to HR integration activities
• Develop and maintain standardized tools, templates, checklists, timelines, governance models, and decision frameworks for HR’s use in all types of M&A activities and transactions
• Create practical methodologies for assessing differences across compensation, benefits, HR policies, recognition, talent, HR operations, HR technology, and other HR programs and processes
• Capture lessons learned from each transaction and incorporate them into the playbook and future operating practices, and contribute to continuous improvement of integration methodologies and tools
• Build organizational capability by educating HR partners and stakeholders on the M&A process, roles, responsibilities, and tools

HR Project & Program Management

• Serve as the HR project management lead for selected strategic, cross-functional HR initiatives
• Lead select strategic cross-functional HR projects from initial scoping and planning through implementation and stabilization by developing project plans, workstreams, milestones, dependencies, risk and issue logs, decision logs, and executive reporting
• Facilitate project governance and maintain accountability for deliverables and decisions
• Establish consistent project-management practices, tools, and standards across HR
• Provide HR leadership with clear visibility into project status, risks, resource requirements, and decisions for select cross-functional HR initiatives

What You Will Bring to Graco

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in Human Resources, M&A integration, HR program management, or a related discipline
• Experience supporting or leading HR activities associated with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, or other complex organizational transactions
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize complex and sometimes incomplete information into clear insights and recommendations
• Ability to influence and drive alignment without direct authority
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Broad knowledge across core HR disciplines, including compensation, benefits, HR policies, talent management, HR operations, employee relations, HRIS, and organizational design
• Working knowledge of total rewards programs and HR policies, including the ability to compare programs and policies across organizations, identify meaningful differences and risks, and assess employee and business implications
• Demonstrated ability to independently perform detailed analysis and develop recommendations across multiple HR disciplines
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, confidential, and rapidly changing environments

#LI-Hybrid

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent and unrestricted basis. This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., H-1B, TN, E-3, O-1, L-1, or employment-based permanent residence sponsorship). Candidates working under temporary employment authorization, including F-1 OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, or similar programs, are not eligible for this position. 

At Graco, you truly make a difference. Your unique talents contribute to our organizational growth and future. Not only do you make a difference, but Graco’s culture empowers employees to create their own career path. Whether you choose to advance within your current department or explore new opportunities in different divisions, you have the ability to build your future. Our managers are here to provide support and guidance as you continue to grow within your career.

Graco has excellent opportunities available to individuals who want to be part of a fast-moving, growing company that is committed to quality, innovation and solving fluid handling problems for our customers. Graco is proud to be named a Best Place to Work by Fortune Magazine in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022. Graco offers attractive compensation, benefits and career development opportunities. Graco’s comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, stock purchase plan, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more.

Our company uses E-Verify to confirm the employment and eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

The base pay range for this position is listed below, exclusive of fringe benefits or other compensation.  If you are hired, your final base hourly rate will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, competencies, education, and/or experience.  In addition to those factors, we will also consider internal equity of our current employees.  Please keep in mind that the range provided is the full base salary range for the role.  Hiring at or near the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued salary growth.