Human Resources Generalist

Position Summary

The Human Resources Generalist is the company's sole, dedicated HR professional, owning the full employee lifecycle—recruiting, onboarding, benefits, compliance, employee relations, and offboarding—for approximately 35 office and field employees, plus light administrative support to office operations and Finance. Reporting to the Senior Accounting Manager and partnering with the President on culture and engagement, this hands-on role strengthens the employee-ownership culture while keeping the company compliant and well-run as it grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage full-cycle recruiting for field and office roles, and lead onboarding, including pre-employment screenings, new-hire paperwork, and systems setup.
• Onboard union personnel as company employees (including short-term hires), ensuring correct documentation, classification, and rate setup; the company is an open-shop contractor that staffs union labor on certain projects.
• Manage offboarding, including exit logistics, final pay, and ESOP/benefits transitions.
• Own and process payroll, including union payroll, in the company's UKG platform, ensuring correct rates and classifications.
• Maintain confidential personnel records and HR systems, and develop HR policies and the employee handbook as the company grows.
• Support compliance with federal and New Jersey employment laws (FLSA, FMLA/NJ leave, ACA, EEO, I-9/E-Verify, and federal-contractor obligations).
• Administer benefits (health, 401(k), leave, and open enrollment) as the primary employee contact, and coordinate ESOP communications and recordkeeping with the plan administrator and accounting team.
• Lead engagement, recognition, and communication efforts that reinforce employee ownership; serve as a confidential resource for employee relations, investigations, and conflict resolution; and support performance management, including review cycles, manager coaching, and documentation.
• Coordinate workers' compensation claims and safety/OSHA recordkeeping with field and operations teams (HR coordinates but does not own safety), and support process improvements that scale with growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR generalist experience, ideally as a sole or small-team HR function; construction, heavy civil, or federal/state contracting experience a plus.
• Working knowledge of federal and New Jersey employment law and compliance obligations.
• Bachelor's degree preferred (Human Resources, Business, or related) or equivalent experience; SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification a plus.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word); experience running payroll in an HRIS system, ideally UKG.
• Highly organized self-starter who communicates clearly, builds trust across office and field teams, and thrives in a fast-paced, evolving company.
• Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $70,000–$80,000+, commensurate with experience, with annual bonus potential.
• Comprehensive benefits: 100% employer-paid health coverage, automatic 4% employer 401(k) contribution, ESOP participation, and opportunities for professional growth.