Senior HR Generalist

Description

SUMMARY

The Senior Human Resources Generalist works closely with the HR Manager. This position will provide innovative people solutions to address complex business issues, including but not limited to labor law compliance, risk management, regulatory oversight, talent development, and strategic decision-making. This position will primarily focus on HR compliance, auditing, and employee relations, but will also be accountable for other generalist HR components, including onboarding/offboarding, performance management, and other HR functional disciplines.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage all aspects of HR compliance, ensuring total adherence to local, state, and federal labor laws, regulations, and reporting requirements.

• Conduct regular internal audits of personnel files, Form I-9s, payroll practices, wage/hour classifications, and safety records to mitigate risk.

• Handle complex employee relations issues, disputes, corrective actions, and HR investigations, ensuring legally sound documentation and outcomes.

• Handle employee and employer relations matters with high professionalism, fairness, and confidentiality.

• Manage compliance-focused onboarding, offboarding, and full employee lifecycle processes, ensuring all statutory and company-required notices are delivered.

• Oversee and refine new employee onboarding activities to guarantee a compliant and smooth organizational transition.

• Act as the primary subject matter expert and point of contact for employee and manager inquiries regarding compliance, policies, and statutory leave.

• Drive the continuous development, update, and implementation of HR policies, standard operating procedures, and the employee handbook.

• Communicate collaboratively with leadership to influence, develop, implement, and manage compliant policies, programs, and services across recruitment, performance, and retention.

• Effectively interface with all levels of the organization to coordinate and oversee all compliance and HR-related activities.

• Analyze complex compliance situations, identify regulatory gaps, and forecast potential risk exposure.

• Evaluate realistic options to recommend and implement risk-mitigated courses of action.

• Prepare compliant employee separation notices, severance agreements, and related documentation, and conduct thorough exit interviews.

• Support performance management processes—including goal setting, performance reviews, and progressive discipline—to ensure objective, non-discriminatory execution.

• Provide clear guidance to managers on performance management and legal risks associated with workplace actions.

• Identify compliance training needs (e.g., anti-harassment, safety, wage & hour) and collaborate with stakeholders to design and deliver required training programs.

• Facilitate workshops and compliance training sessions across all levels of the organization.

• Maintain complete, accurate, confidential, and up-to-date employee records in accordance with record retention schedules.

• Generate compliance reports and analyze HR metrics to inform executive decision-making and continuous process improvement.

• Monitor pending and enacted changes in labor legislation and proactively adapt organizational policies to maintain compliance.

• Serve as the main liaison to outside legal counsel and regulatory agencies (e.g., EEOC, DOL, OSHA) for HR-related legal and regulatory matters.

• Perform other generalist duties and compliance special projects as assigned by management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience, with a heavy emphasis on HR compliance, labor law, and risk management.

• Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (FMLA, ADA, FLSA, Title VII, Workers' Comp, EEOC).

• Dependable, proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing risk in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong dispute resolution abilities.

• Demonstrated ability to handle highly confidential information and complex legal issues with discretion.

• Proficient in HRIS platforms and the Microsoft Office Suite.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of HR Generalist/Compliance experience within Manufacturing or Industrial environments.

• Active HR compliance or professional certification: PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP (SHRM-CP/SCP preferred).

• Deep technical expertise in benefit plan regulations, statutory filings, and compliance requirements (including ERISA, COBRA, ACA, FMLA, ADA, Workers' Compensation, and DOL audits).

• Strong analytical skills with experience conducting comprehensive wage-and-hour audits and job description evaluations for FLSA exempt/non-exempt classifications.

• Ability to understand, evaluate, and synthesize complex legal guidance and proposals into practical business solutions.