[NC] Feeling excluded and targeted in new role

Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some guidance on how to handle a difficult work situation.

About a year ago I accepted an HR role at another manufacturing location within my company. Several HR higher-ups reached out to me about the opportunity and I saw it as a great step forward in my career. I even relocated to another state in the South, leaving behind my family, friends, and support system to take this opportunity and grow.

Since I started, it’s felt like people were committed to not liking me. I’ve dealt with ongoing microaggressions and subtle exclusion from the team. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on what I can do to improve relationships. I’ve brought in food, tried to start conversations, and made a real effort to connect, but I still feel like an outsider and like I was never really wanted here.

My manager has said he has concerns about my critical thinking and pointed out that I don’t have a masters degree like the rest of the team, even though I hold multiple HR certifications and experience within the company. I’ve never been written up, put on a PIP, or received negative performance feedback, but I still feel like I’m being held to a different standard. It feels like I am not respected.

A situation that really bothered me was when a coworker caught a small mistake I made. She told me about it and I immediately acknowledged and fixed it. Later she went to my manager and he used it as an example when I asked about growth opportunities, saying that people have to come behind me to close gaps and fix things. When I asked if there were other examples, he said he didn’t want to throw anyone under the bus.

I’ve also noticed inconsistency with our attendance and time off policy. Other team members can take time off for family or personal reasons without issue, but when I do the same thing, I get questioned or made to feel guilty about it.

I hate to even bring this up, but I can’t ignore that I’m the only Black woman on the team. Being in the South, it’s hard not to wonder if some of what I’ve experienced is racially motivated. The environment has been emotionally draining and I’ve started therapy to help manage the stress.

To make things more complicated, I’m under a two-year relocation repayment agreement that ends in October 2026, so if I leave before then, I’ll have to pay money back.

I just don’t understand why I was hired if they didn’t actually want me here. I’ve tried so hard to do my best and contribute positively, but I feel stuck and undervalued.

Would you recommend trying to escalate my concerns internally to leadership or HR, or should I start quietly applying elsewhere and plan to move on once my relocation agreement ends?