HR Generalist

Description

Job Summary

The HR Generalist supports the employee life cycle for GBC Food Services' corporate, field, warehouse, and multi-location teams. As a first point of contact for employees and managers, this role provides practical policy guidance and coordinates recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, benefits, payroll and leave administration, performance management, HR records, training, and offboarding. Success is measured by responsive service, accurate records, compliant and consistent processes, timely escalation, effective manager partnership, and a positive employee experience.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position does not normally have direct supervisory responsibility.
• Provide day-to-day HR guidance to managers and employees and escalate matters requiring HR leadership, legal, payroll, benefits, or executive review.
• May coordinate HR interns, temporary staff, vendors, or project teams and help onboard new HR team members.
• Partner with leaders on recognition, coaching, performance improvement, corrective action, and separation processes in accordance with company policy.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinate the employee life cycle from approved requisitions, postings, screening, interviews, offers, and pre-employment steps through onboarding, changes, transfers, and offboarding.
• Respond to policy, process, and workplace questions; provide consistent guidance, document significant matters, and escalate risk promptly.
• Support employee relations through intake, fact-finding, investigations, objective documentation, recommendations, communication, and follow-up with HR leadership.
• Coach managers on attendance, conduct, performance, conflict, and respectful workplace expectations; prepare documentation and support difficult meetings.
• Maintain accurate HRIS data and confidential personnel records, including hire, job, pay, leave, transfer, termination, I-9, retention, and audit documentation.
• Coordinate benefits enrollment, payroll-impacting changes, leaves, accommodations, and workers' compensation with internal specialists, vendors, and managers.
• Support federal, state, and local employment compliance, required notices, recordkeeping, audits, and policy updates.
• Facilitate new-hire orientation and employee or manager training on policies, documentation, performance, conduct, and assigned HR topics.
• Partner with hiring leaders on workforce needs, sourcing, interviews, selection decisions, candidate communication, and candidate experience.
• Support performance reviews, goal setting, development plans, talent reviews, succession discussions, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain job descriptions, organization charts, position records, reporting relationships, and compensation or organizational-change approvals.
• Analyze headcount, turnover, vacancies, attendance, leave, employee-relations trends, and HR service metrics; report findings and recommend improvements.
• Support engagement, retention, recognition, culture initiatives, HR projects, and vendor relationships while providing timely service.
• Prepare and process payroll.

Travel & Schedule

• Travel: Up to 10-20% domestic travel may be required for corporate, field, warehouse, retail, training, or other locations, including occasional overnight travel.
• Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, with flexibility for early mornings, evenings, weekends, or urgent employee matters as business needs require.

Qualifications

• Human Resources Knowledge: Practical knowledge of recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, benefits, leave, records, and offboarding.
• Employment Compliance: Working knowledge of FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, EEO, I-9, wage-and-hour, and state or local requirements; knows when to escalate.
• Employee Relations & Judgment: Able to address sensitive concerns, conduct fair fact-finding, resolve conflict, document objectively, and protect confidentiality.
• Systems & Analytics: Proficiency with HRIS, applicant-tracking systems, Microsoft 365, and Excel; able to maintain accurate data and reports.
• Communication & Partnership: Clear writing, speaking, coaching, and training skills; builds trust and influences without direct authority.
• Organization & Service: Strong detail, follow-through, prioritization, and customer service in a fast-paced, multi-location environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• At least three years of progressive HR experience, including direct employee-relations and manager-support responsibilities, strongly preferred.
• Multi-state or multi-location foodservice, retail, hospitality, distribution, or franchise experience preferred.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable certification preferred; ability to meet travel requirements is required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods, work on a computer, and communicate effectively by phone, video, and in person.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and occasionally lift up to 15 pounds at office, warehouse, training, retail, or field locations.
• Ability to travel by air and ground and work in varied business environments with reasonable accommodation, as applicable.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer, deeply valuing diversity. Our commitment is to foster an inclusive environment for all employees, basing employment decisions on merit, qualifications, and business needs.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not exhaustive. Duties and responsibilities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.