Human Resources Generalist

Ocean House Collection encompasses three luxury properties in Westerly, RI: a Forbes 5-Star Ocean House with 49 guest rooms and 20 suites, a 12,000 sq. ft. Forbes 5-Star spa, over 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, up to eight seasonal dining venues (including the Forbes 5-Star Coast), The Cottage Collection of 10 private homes, the Weekapaug Inn with 31 rooms and four suites, and the historic Watch Hill Inn featuring 21 suite-style accommodations with in-room iPads and Apple TV.

About the role

The Human Resources Generalist serves as a trusted HR partner to managers and employees across the Ocean House Collection, supporting HR operations, compliance, benefit administration, and employee engagement while fostering a positive workplace culture and exceptional employee experience. This role offers growth opportunities and exposure to all functional areas of Human Resources, including employee relations, benefits, compliance, HR technology, talent management, and organizational development.

Schedule

Due to the nature of hospitality operations, occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and additional hours may be required to meet business needs.

Responsibilities

• HRIS Administration
  • Oversee and maintain the organization’s internal Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), including database management, customization, development, maintenance, and upgrades to applications, systems, and modules.
  • Provide HRIS technical support, troubleshooting, and guidance to HR employees.
  • Collaborate with executive leadership and HR employees to identify improvements and enhancements to HRIS services and databases; recommend and implement solutions.
  • Manage permissions, access, personalization, and similar system operations and settings of HRIS systems for users (e.g., employees).
• General HR Administration
  • Review and respond to unemployment claims.
  • Conduct necessary and requested audits on Human Resources functions.
  • Maintain files in various areas of the HR office, including HRIS, SharePoint, and shared drives.
• Employee Benefits
  • Partner with the Assistant Group Director of Human Resources and the Payroll and Benefits Manager to administer employee benefits programs, such as group health, flexible spending accounts, dental and vision, accident and disability, life insurance, 401(k), and wellness benefits.
  • Coordinate benefit open enrollment, conduct benefit meetings, and explain the benefits self-enrollment system.
  • Ensure timely completion of benefit enrollments and life-event changes; maintain employee benefits filing systems.
  • Assist employees with health, dental, life, and other related benefit claims.
• Employee Housing
  • Assign rooms and ensure required housing documents are signed prior to move-in for both temporary housing (Occupancy Agreement) and year-round leases.
  • Act as employee housing liaison; work with employees regarding housing needs, roommate options, and cost for different units, and facilitate placements.
  • Partner with the Housing Manager and the Assistant Director of Human Resources to understand available housing for the current and upcoming seasons, including placements for international employees (H2B and/or J-1s).
  • Prepare communication pieces for employees in advance of each season to explain what to expect when moving in.
  • Finalize employee departures, communicate expectations, and partner with applicable parties regarding security deposit reimbursements or damage to units.
• Workers’ Compensation
  • Process new claims, coordinating with insurance carriers and ensuring timely reporting.
  • Conduct initial investigations of workplace accidents, gathering information, and preparing reports for insurance companies and relevant authorities.
  • Serve as a point of contact for injured employees, providing guidance on the claims process and facilitating communication between employees, medical providers, and other stakeholders.
  • Develop and implement return-to-work strategies, coordinating with managers and medical professionals to facilitate safe and timely reintegration of injured employees.
  • Partner with department leaders on accident prevention initiatives.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable workers’ compensation laws and regulations, maintain accurate records of claims, and prepare necessary reports.
  • Serve as a member of the Safety Committee, reporting on safety and claim trends.
• Coordinate the performance review cycle, including scheduling, distribution of forms, and collection of completed evaluations for the employee’s personnel file.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to build relationships with employees at all levels.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion and professionalism.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficiency with or the ability to quickly learn the organization’s HRIS and talent management systems.
• Experience working in a fast-paced hospitality environment preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.

Qualifications

• An associate’s degree or higher in Human Resources, Hospitality, Business Administration, or a related field required; additional work experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• A minimum of two (2) years of human resources experience, preferably in a luxury hotel or resort.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or other HR certification preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift or move up to 25 pounds at times.
• Comfortable in a variety of environments, including kitchens, dining rooms, and outdoor venues.