Senior Human Resources Generalist

Location 2121 Dewey Ave,Evanston, IL, 60201,United States Base Pay $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 / Year Employee Type FT Exempt Required Degree 4 Year Degree Description Summary of Position: The Senior Human Resources Generalist serves as a trusted Human Resources partner to employees and leaders across all levels of the organization, including supervisors, managers, directors, senior leaders, and executive leadership. The position provides experienced guidance on employee relations, workplace investigations, leave management, workplace accommodations, benefits administration, policy interpretation, performance management, and employment law compliance. Working closely with the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Senior Human Resources Generalist exercises independent judgment in managing day-to-day Human Resources matters and provides consultative support that strengthens leadership effectiveness, promotes consistent employment practices, mitigates organizational risk, and enhances the employee experience. The position partners with the CHRO on complex, sensitive, or high-risk matters and supports Connections for the Homeless’ commitment to dignity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Leadership Partnership & Employee Relations Serve as a trusted Human Resources advisor and strategic partner to supervisors, managers, directors, senior leaders, executive leadership, and employees across the organization. Build collaborative relationships with leaders across departments to provide proactive consultation on employee relations, performance management, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and sound people decisions. Coach leaders through employee performance concerns, attendance, workplace conduct, conflict resolution, documentation, corrective action, and employee development. Independently manage day-to-day employee relations matters and partner with the CHRO on complex, sensitive, or high-risk employment issues. Conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other workplace concerns. Prepare objective investigative findings and recommendations regarding corrective action or other employment decisions in partnership with the CHRO and appropriate agency leadership. Interpret and consistently apply agency policies while balancing legal compliance, operational needs, and the employee experience. Monitor employee relations trends, identify organizational risks, and recommend proactive strategies that strengthen leadership effectiveness, improve employee engagement, and foster a positive workplace culture. Leave Management & Workplace Accommodations Serve as the organization's primary Human Resources administrator for employee leave and workplace accommodation programs, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, workers' compensation, disability-related leaves, military leave, personal leave, and other protected or agency-approved leaves of absence. Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on leave administration and workplace accommodations by providing guidance to employees and leaders regarding rights, responsibilities, and available resources. Lead the interactive process for workplace accommodations by reviewing medical documentation, engaging employees and managers, identifying reasonable accommodations, and documenting outcomes. Manage all aspects of leave administration, including eligibility determinations, required notices, medical certifications, recertifications, intermittent leave tracking, return-to-work coordination, and fitness-for-duty documentation. Coordinate workers' compensation claims, return-to-work planning, and communication with insurance carriers, medical providers, third-party administrators, payroll, and managers. Coordinate leave status, benefit continuation, disability benefits, paid leave usage, and payroll-related information with employees, managers, payroll, and applicable vendors. Partner with leaders to navigate complex leave, accommodation, and return-to-work situations while balancing operational needs, employee well-being, and legal compliance. Monitor compliance with federal, state, and local leave laws and recommend process improvements that enhance efficiency and the employee experience. Maintain accurate, confidential leave records and documentation. Compliance, & Human Resources Administration Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and Human Resources best practices. Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and recommend updates to agency policies, procedures, and employment practices. Maintain the Employee Handbook, Human Resources policies, forms, and standard operating procedures. Coordinate unemployment claims, employment verifications, required employment notices, and regulatory reporting. Conduct periodic Human Resources audits to ensure compliance with personnel documentation, recordkeeping requirements, and employment practices. Conduct periodic reviews of Human Resources practices to identify compliance risks and recommend operational improvements. Analyze Human Resources metrics, workforce trends, and organizational data to identify opportunities, support strategic decision-making, and recommend continuous improvements. Partner with the CHRO to identify, assess, and mitigate employment-related risk. Benefits Administration Administer employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, flexible spending accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, and other agency-sponsored benefits. Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefit questions, enrollment, qualifying life events, and eligibility. Coordinate annual Open Enrollment, employee communications, benefit education, and vendor meetings. Partner with benefit brokers, insurance carriers, and vendors to resolve benefit issues, implement plan changes, and support annual renewals. Ensure accurate benefit enrollments, deductions, reconciliations, compliance reporting, and annual benefit audits. Evaluate benefit processes and recommend enhancements that improve employee understanding, participation, and the overall employee experience. HR Operations & Organizational Support Lead or support Human Resources projects and cross-functional initiatives that improve systems, strengthen operational effectiveness, and enhance the employee experience. Develop, document, and continuously improve Human Resources workflows, templates, forms, procedures, and internal resources that promote consistency and operational excellence. Utilize HRIS reporting and workforce data to support planning, compliance, audits, and informed decision-making. Collaborate with leaders throughout the organization to identify opportunities for process improvement and organizational effectiveness. Facilitate New Hire Orientation and support a positive onboarding experience for new employees. Partner with the HR Specialist to ensure consistent onboarding, successful employee integration, and meaningful new hire engagement. Design, coordinate, and facilitate Human Resources, compliance, management, and leadership development training. Support agency performance management by coaching managers on expectations, performance feedback, documentation, performance improvement planning, and accountability. Develop tools, resources, and educational materials that strengthen leadership capabilities and promote consistent management practices throughout the organization. Culture & Employee Engagement Support initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, recognition, communication, and organizational culture. Promote Connections for the Homeless' commitment to dignity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through HR practices and employee interactions. Partner with cross-functional teams and committees to support employee wellness, engagement, and workplace initiatives. Contribute to agency-wide meetings, staff communications, and culture-building activities. Other Responsibilities Uphold the Code of Conduct and Core Values of Connections for the Homeless. Perform other duties as assigned. Requirements Required: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Five to seven years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience, including significant responsibility for employee relations, workplace investigations, leave management, benefits administration, and employment law compliance. Demonstrated experience coaching leaders through performance management, corrective action, workplace conflict, and complex employee relations matters. Experience administering FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers' compensation, disability programs, and other protected leave programs. Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and Human Resources best practices. Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and manage sensitive employment matters with professionalism and discretion. Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, analytical, conflict resolution, and organizational skills. Ability to independently manage multiple priorities while building collaborative relationships across all levels of the organization. Proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite. Preferred: Experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization. Familiarity with benefits platforms and open enrollment processes. Experience using UKG Ready (or similar HRIS platform). SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification. Other Requirements: Must pass a criminal background check. Must provide documentation of a recent tuberculosis (TB) test. Must be able to lift up to 15–20 pounds. This position follows a hybrid schedule, with an initial in-office onboarding period of 90 days. After that, the role transitions to a hybrid model requiring in-office presence at least three days per week. Summary Who We Are: Connections for the Homeless is a nonprofit organization working to end homelessness—one person at a time. We’re driven by compassion, committed to equity, and guided by our core values of dignity, transparency, and community. We support staff the same way we support our participants: with care, respect, and a belief in their potential. #J-18808-Ljbffr