HR Assistant

Who We Are and What We Do

Farmer Focus’s mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals.  Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.

Job Details

Job Title: HR Assistant
Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Janine Romero
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Location: Harrisonburg, VA facilities
Work Arrangement: On-site
Shift / Schedule: 2nd shift, 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Travel Requirements: Occasional travel between facilities for meetings, collaboration, and team coverage
Employment Type: Full-time

Role Overview / Purpose and Scope

In this role, the HR Assistant supports the plant Human Resources team and team members in English and Spanish to help ensure smooth day-to-day administrative operations. This position is heavily focused on daily time and attendance reporting, supporting supervisors with timesheets, assisting with candidate coordination, and helping team members access HR systems and services.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist applicants, team members, and visitors upon arrival.
• Review and complete daily time and attendance reporting and update supervisor spreadsheets.
• Assist in reconciling daily punches and overtime reports to deliver accurate timesheets to payroll each week by the required deadline.
• Assist team members with Workday by helping them understand available self-service options.
• Support the hiring process by coordinating interviews with supervisors and completing applicant pre-hire activities.
• Screen telephone calls, incoming mail, publications, and other correspondence.
• Maintain the employee badge system.
• Take new hire and existing team member pictures for Workday, create new hire badges, and register fingerprints for biometric time clocks.
• Perform administrative offboarding activities, including deactivating employee badges, pulling personnel files and I-9 documents when paper files exist, and filing documents accurately and timely.
• Provide benefits enrollment support for hourly team members with guidance from the Benefits Specialist.
• Assist with special projects, including planning, coordinating, and implementing team member events, service awards, and appreciation functions.
• Coordinate all efforts related to job bids for premium positions.
• Perform other related responsibilities, as needed, to support the Farmer Focus Human Resources department.

Compensation

Compensation Range: $22.50/hr.

Additional Compensation: $1.50/hr. shift differential, overtime eligibility

The posted compensation range for this role should reflect the minimum and maximum amount Farmer Focus in good faith expects to pay at the time of posting, based on factors such as internal equity, relevant experience, market data, and the budgeted amount available for the position.

Benefits: Farmer Focus offers a competitive total rewards package designed to support team members’ health, financial well-being, and professional growth. Available offerings may include weekly payroll, paid time off and sick leave, semi-subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision plan options, a 401(k) plan with company match, education reimbursement opportunities, employee assistance programs (EAP), and internal learning, development, and career growth programs.

All benefits, programs, and offerings are subject to eligibility requirements, plan terms, and company policies, and may be changed, amended, or discontinued by Farmer Focus at any time.

Qualifications:

• Ability to be flexible and work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and conversational Spanish proficiency.
• Excellent relationship-building skills and the ability to work well with others in a diverse environment.
• Operates with honesty and integrity.
• Ability to handle sensitive information and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft products.
• Strong organization and time management skills.
• Preferred: A.A.S. in Human Resources or related field.
• Preferred: 2–5 years of directly related Human Resources experience.
• Preferred: Experience with a Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
• A willingness to work within the framework of Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.

New team members must be able to pass a drug, alcohol and background screening post-offer prior to the start of their employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility is documented for all new employees by the end of their third day of work.

Work Environment, Physical Demands, and Travel

Work is conducted primarily in an office environment, on-site at Farmer Focus facilities in Harrisonburg, VA. Occasional travel between facilities may be required for meetings, collaboration, and team coverage. On occasion, the role may require access to the production environment and the ability to tolerate varying heat, wet, and chill conditions in the plant. Hearing and eye-protective equipment are required in production areas. Hair and beard nets are required in production areas. The role requires the ability to traverse a two-story staircase multiple times per day.

This position does not have an application deadline. Farmer Focus will recruit until the role is filled.

Recruiter and Agency Disclaimer

Unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles submitted by staffing agencies, recruiters, or search firms to any Farmer Focus employee without a current written agreement and an active, role-specific request from the Recruiting team will be considered the property of Farmer Focus. Farmer Focus will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume or candidate profile.

All external recruiters and agency partners supporting Farmer Focus searches must comply with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including compensation transparency requirements and restrictions on seeking salary history where applicable.

About Farmer Focus

Farmer Focus exists to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our culture is grounded in servant leadership and guided by our CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship. Our top priorities are people, safety, and quality. At Farmer Focus, our vision is to disrupt the status quo by creating bold opportunities for people who demand more and deserve better.

EOE, including disability/vets

Farmer Focus is committed to the principles of equal employment and to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is inclusive and equitable, free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based upon an individual's age, race (including traits historically associated with race, which includes hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity, or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), military status (including status as a uniformed servicemember, a veteran, or dependent of a servicemember), or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. Farmer Focus is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy regarding all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.