Senior HR Generalist

Position Summary:

The Senior HR Generalist is an experienced member of the HR team, primarily responsible for the day-to-day administration of Beverly Farm Foundation’s leave of absence and employee benefits programs while also supporting talent acquisition activities and new hire onboarding. This individual contributor role requires deep working knowledge of leave laws, including FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, and applicable state leave requirements, as well as group benefits administration and talent lifecycle best practices. Experience working in a unionized environment is preferred.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Benefits Administration:

• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee questions regarding medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, and retirement benefits.
• Lead annual open enrollment, including communications, employee education sessions, troubleshooting enrollment issues, and ensuring accurate elections in Paycom.
• Partner with the benefits broker (Mercer) and carriers (including BCBS) to resolve claims issues, eligibility discrepancies, and plan administration questions.
• Conduct periodic dependent eligibility audits and assist with data integrity reviews related to benefits enrollment.
• Assist the Chief People Officer with annual benefits renewal analysis, plan design recommendations, and employee communications related to plan changes.
• Serve as the primary administrator for all employee leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodation leave, workers’ compensation leave, personal and medical leave, military leave, and leaves provided under the CBA. Provide data on trends and proactive guidance to support effective decision-making.
• Manage intake, tracking, medical certification, recertification, and documentation for all leave requests, ensuring compliance with applicable deadlines and notice requirements.
• Coordinate with employees, supervisors, payroll, and benefits carriers regarding leave status, intermittent leave usage, and return-to-work planning.
• Coordinate the interactive process for ADA accommodation requests, including documentation of requests, evaluations, decisions, and follow-up.
• Maintain accurate and confidential leave files and HRIS records (Paycom), and track leave usage trends and case loads for reporting to HR leadership.
• Stay current on changes to federal and Illinois leave laws and CBA leave provisions, and update policies and practices accordingly.

Talent Acquisition Support and Onboarding:

• Partner with the HR Generalist to support full-cycle recruiting for assigned positions, including collaborating on job postings, screening coordination, and structured interview scheduling.
• Support the development and ongoing refinement of a candidate experience that reflects Beverly Farm Foundation’s employer brand and values, including consistent and timely candidate communications.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources team to design and maintain an engaging, structured onboarding experience that reduces early turnover, reinforces culture, and meets regulatory and program-specific training requirements.
• Assist the Chief People Officer with talent acquisition data tracking, including time-to-fill, offer acceptance rates, and new hire retention metrics at 90 days and one year.

HRIS/Data Analytics:

• Partner with the Chief People Officer on HR projects and initiatives, including HRIS/payroll system optimization (Paycom) and the implementation of new workforce management systems.
• Bring a strong passion for data, reporting, and analytics, with the ability to translate accurate HR data into meaningful insights that support decision-making, process improvement, and workforce planning.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding employee records, investigations, compensation, and other sensitive HR matters.

Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief People Officer

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of six (6) years of progressive human resources experience, including substantial direct, hands-on experience administering leave of absence programs, particularly FMLA and ADA.
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• Demonstrated experience with group benefits administration, including open enrollment and carrier/broker coordination.
• Demonstrated experience supporting talent acquisition activities, including recruiting coordination, candidate communications, and onboarding program design or execution.
• Experience in a healthcare, residential care, or human services setting is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and support employees and supervisors without direct supervisory authority.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, COBRA, ERISA, and applicable federal and Illinois employment laws.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms, including experience maintaining data integrity, running reports, and supporting system administration.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels, union representatives, and outside vendors.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and case management skills, with the ability to manage multiple leave, benefits, onboarding, and talent coordination activities simultaneously.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and a high standard of integrity when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a small HR team and influence outcomes through strong partnership, sound judgment, and subject matter expertise.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

• Primarily office-based in the Godfrey/Metro East area.
• Occasional evening or weekend availability may be required to address employee-related matters.
• Standard office physical demands, including extended periods of sitting, computer use, and occasional lifting of files or materials up to 15 pounds.