HR Generalist

About the Role At OceanFirst Bank, each employee plays an important role in delivering value to our customers and executing daily tasks in accordance with our core values. We recognize that our employees are essential to our success, making OceanFirst a great place to work and do business. Great benefits include: on‑site fitness facility at Red Bank and Toms River headquarter offices, employee perks & discount programs, tuition assistance, incentive compensation program, professional development opportunities, and more! Apply today to #BecomeOceanFirst and make an impact in the local community! What You Will Do Provide strategic, hands‑on support to the Total Rewards team, ensuring all activities are fully aligned with company policies, business goals, and organizational objectives. Administer and provide ongoing management for the total rewards programs, including payroll, health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, and compensation. Perform benefits administration including enrollments, qualifying life events, leave of absence administration, manage annual open enrollment processes, develop employee communications and wellness program initiatives. Make routine operational decisions impacting Total Rewards programs, applying policy, precedent, and professional judgment to ensure accurate and timely outcomes. Own and execute thorough audits of employee records across HRIS and benefits systems, ensuring uncompromising data integrity and compliance standards. Serve as the accountable owner of the Total Rewards audits (both internal and external), overseeing data collection, communication, organization and follow‑up across benefits and payroll programs to ensure compliance, accuracy, and risk mitigation; manage the audit engagement process for the retirement plans. Perform vendor management responsibilities pertaining to benefits, payroll and compensation vendors. Prepare routine and ad hoc reports related to compensation, payroll, and benefits. Assist with Total Rewards’ project plan deliverables related to mergers and acquisitions. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to compensation, payroll and benefits (e.g., FLSA, SS/FICA, state/local taxes, ERISA, ACA, COBRA). Triage, research, and resolve issues, escalating complex cases as appropriate. Partner with payroll, HRIS, finance, and vendors to ensure accurate processing, reporting, and issue resolution. Respond expeditiously to benefit inquiries from employees on plan provisions, benefits enrollments, leave of absence inquiries, status changes, and other general inquiries related to payroll and compensation. Deliver a positive employee experience through responsive, accurate, and service‑oriented support. Collaborate with other members of the HR team to ensure consistent application of total rewards programs and policies. Provide clear, consistent guidance to employees while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism. What We Expect Of You Strong knowledge of human resource management, including benefits administration, payroll, and compensation. General knowledge of federal and state labor laws. Analytical ability sufficient to anticipate or resolve problems and complications in benefit program and payroll administration. Ability to balance priorities, meet tight deadlines, and coordinate details required to effectively administer programs. Strong data analysis and problem‑solving skills; strong written and verbal presentation skills; strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization. Results‑oriented and self‑motivated; excellent organization and planning skills with attention to detail; ability to handle sensitive/confidential information. Requirements Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or related field. Accounting degree preferred. Minimum 5 years human resources or other relevant business‑related experience in a fast‑paced environment with a team focus. Experience in financial services / banking preferred. Microsoft Office suite, with advanced Excel proficiency. HRIS experience with ADP Workforce Now preferred. Internal & External Contacts Internal contact with employees and management. External contact with vendors and benefits broker. Working Conditions / Physical Requirements Office environment. Ability to operate computer. Ability to communicate in order to exchange simple to complex information with individuals and groups. Ability to travel throughout Bank footprint. Equal opportunity employer, protected veterans/disabled. Legal Statements EEO is the Law. ADP Privacy Statement. Artificial Intelligence. Google Privacy Policy. Google Terms of Service. #J-18808-Ljbffr