HR Generalist (Bilingual)

Primary Location: Bolingbrook, Illinois, United States of America

At Solina, our community of close to 5,000 people share a passion for food and live our entrepreneurial culture. We design customised savoury solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. With sustainability at the heart of our business model, we aim to produce food that is good in every sense of the word: delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient. Solina is a fast-growing business, with around 50 production sites and R&D laboratories present in more than 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America.

About the role

The HR Generalist is responsible for various aspects of the day-to-day operations of the Human Resources department. This role is core to providing our employees with HR support and will play a key role in developing and building strong relationships with operational areas and employees. The HR Generalist supports the HR Manager with employee relations, HR policies and procedures, performance management, and merit processes. This highly visible role is responsible for deliverables such as maintaining people systems, creating reports, and assisting with people-related programs.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll changes in the HRIS related to new hires, terminations, and employee updates. Run reports, verify timesheet entries, and audit data for accuracy. Problem-solve complex pay issues for over 400 employees (weekly and bi-weekly payroll cycles).
• Assist and support management and the leadership team with handling and resolving Human Resources issues.
• Assist employees with internal and external transfer requests and procedures.
• Maintain accurate employee data in HRIS and ensure control of HR information.
• Use HR reporting tools to monitor and share relevant KPIs.
• Maintain department files in accordance with the Company retention policy/guidelines.
• Assist with preparation and recommendations for annual hourly compensation review.
• Administer leaves of absence, FMLA, and short-term disability programs.
• Support HR Manager with employee investigations (e.g., serving as a witness, translator, gathering personnel records, time reports).
• Advise managers/supervisors on the Company’s progressive discipline system and employment issues.
• Provide counsel to managers/supervisors to maximize positive employee relations and minimize potential liabilities.
• Serve as a point person for employees with questions related to benefits, payroll, employee relations, policies, and procedures.
• Manage the full cycle of the Tuition Reimbursement Program, from employee request to approval to reimbursement.
• Develop and implement team member retention initiatives.
• Lead programs and events to foster high morale, including community involvement, team member celebrations, company picnics, and holiday events.
• Ensure compliance with all HR rules and regulations (e.g., EE files, HIPAA rules, EEOC, Affordable Care Act).
• Participate in department initiatives and projects as requested.
• Serve as a backup to the HR Manager in employee relations, coaching, training, operational needs, and operations crewing reports.
• Continuously improve current processes, programs, and overall employee experience.
• Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and modern technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law.
• Maintain weekly production presence for visibility and accessibility to answer employee questions/issues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
• 2+ years of related experience and/or training (5 years preferred).
• Bilingual in Spanish (required).
• Knowledge of employment law practices.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion and tact.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse personalities.
• Extraordinary attention to detail and organization, with the ability to juggle multiple projects.
• Positive customer-first mindset with a focus on prioritizing time-sensitive tasks and maintaining confidentiality in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-starter with the ability to balance conflicting points of view, function effectively under pressure, and demonstrate discretion, integrity, and fair-mindedness.
• Initiative-taking individual with the ability to work independently.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $65,000 - $80,000.

We are open to talents of all backgrounds. Our recruitment process is based on competencies, and we openly welcome all candidates of all types according to our DEI Commitment.