HR Generalist

About the role

Reporting to the Sr. HR Generalist, the HR Generalist serves as a trusted advisor to the HR team, leaders, and employees across LifeMoves’ multi-site operations, helping advance a consistent, inclusive, and compliant workplace culture in support of our mission to end homelessness. This role serves as a resource for employment law and policy interpretation, partnering closely with the VP of HR and Sr. HR Generalist to ensure consistent, equitable, and risk-aware practices across the organization.

The HR Generalist independently manages a high-volume, high-complexity employee relations caseload, including escalations, performance management, investigations, corrective action, and guidance to leaders. They collaborate with the team member responsible for leaves, benefits, and workers’ compensation and serve as the escalation point for HR-law and compliance questions, translating employment law into practical, trauma-informed approaches that support strong decisions, documentation, and resolution.

The ideal candidate is proactive, highly organized, and approachable, with strong judgment and a continuous-improvement mindset. They bring a trauma-informed, people-centered approach to problem solving and communication and are skilled at navigating change with empathy, clarity, and accountability.

This role is hybrid, with in-office days on Mondays and Wednesdays (minimum two days per week), and the option to work remotely up to three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage a high-volume, high-complexity employee relations caseload, including escalations, performance management, investigations, corrective action, resolution planning, and terminations.
• Lead and/or partner on complex workplace investigations; document findings and recommend appropriate action.
• Provide day-to-day HR-law and compliance guidance to leadership and the HR team, serving as an escalation point for complex questions.
• Advise on ADA accommodations and the interactive process, ensuring consistent, trauma-informed practices and appropriate documentation.
• Partner with the VP of HR and Sr. HR Generalist to design, develop, facilitate, and continuously improve learning and development initiatives.
• Maintain and update HR policies, procedures, templates, and supervisor tools; recommend improvements based on trends, best practices, and legal updates.
• Deliver training and coaching to managers on performance management, documentation, respectful workplace expectations, policy application, and termination processes.
• Support HR compliance efforts, including recordkeeping practices, audits, and required postings/processes; stay current on federal, state, and local employment law changes.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues and Payroll to ensure accurate employee data, job changes, and compensation updates; leverage HR data and reporting to identify trends.
• Partner with the VP of HR, Sr. HR Generalist, and outside employment counsel on employee relations matters and legal/agency claims.
• Coordinate and support separation and termination processes, ensuring the employee experience is handled with dignity, clarity, and a trauma-informed approach.
• Contribute to employee experience initiatives (engagement, retention, recognition) in partnership with the HR team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required.
• HR certification is strongly preferred (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR).
• 5+ years of California HR experience with complex employee relations, leaves, and workers' compensation cases.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations caseloads, including escalations, investigations, performance management, corrective action, and separations.
• Working knowledge of ADA/interactive process, FMLA/CFRA, wage and hour law, and regulatory compliance; ability to translate requirements into practical guidance.
• Experience and interest in designing, developing, and/or delivering in-person and virtual training.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills; ability to influence at all levels and build trust quickly.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle highly sensitive situations with professionalism and confidentiality.
• Highly organized with strong time-management skills; able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HRIS systems; ability to analyze HR data and identify trends.
• Demonstrated commitment to DEIB and the use of a trauma-informed, people-centered approach in employee relations and communication.
• Satisfactory results of a background check and proof of clear TB test results (dated within 60 days prior to hire).

Skills

• Employment Law and Policy Interpretation: Applies federal, California, and local requirements to real-time decisions, translating complex rules into clear guidance, consistent practices, and compliant documentation across sites.
• Employee Relations and Investigation Excellence: Manages high-risk, high-emotion situations with steady judgment, leading performance and conduct processes through investigation, corrective action, and resolution that balances fairness, dignity, and accountability.
• Leaves, Workers Comp, ADA, and California Law Expertise: Demonstrates strong knowledge of California leave laws, workers’ compensation processes, ADA accommodations, and related compliance requirements.
• HR Consultation and Operational Support: Serves as the internal escalation point for HR-law and compliance questions, guiding the Employee Relations Manager and the Leaves/Benefits/Workers’ Comp lead with practical solutions.
• Learning and Development and Facilitation: Designs, delivers, and continuously improves learning and development programs that strengthen leadership capability, manager effectiveness, and employee performance.
• Trauma-Informed Communication and Change Leadership: Builds trust and drives adoption of HR practices through calm, respectful communication, effective coaching/training, and change navigation that improves employee experience while raising standards.

Additional Information

• Regular travel around the San Francisco Bay Area to administrative offices, housing sites, and off-site events or meetings as needed.
• Physical demands include frequent standing, walking, sitting, and reaching, with occasional lifting up to 50 pounds. Requires close and distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Pay

This role offers a competitive annual base salary.

Benefits

Opportunity to participate in the LifeMoves benefits package.