People Generalist

Location: Auburn, WA (hybrid)

Reports to: Lian Lopreiato, People & Culture Manager

About Puget Systems

Puget Systems is a leader in building high-performance custom workstations and servers. Our team is made up of incredible people who care deeply about innovation, problem solving, and delivering exceptional experiences for customers.

In 2022, we brought in the company’s first People & Culture Manager to support our employees as we grow. With nearly 80 employees today, we are ready to add a People Generalist to the team. We’re looking for someone who will bring the same employee-centered approach to how we do HR here. They’ll provide day-to-day People operations support, from recruiting and payroll, to benefits and leave administration, onboarding and offboarding, performance management, and more.

Compensation and Benefits

• The full range for this position is $90,000 - $109,500, with the expectation of a starting salary between $90,000 - $95,000 for someone with ~3-5 years in an HR role, depending on experience.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision - covered at 75% for employee coverage, 50% of dependent coverage
• Paid time off and Sick Time - 2 weeks PTO to start, +1 day / year until 4 weeks
• Paid holidays - 8 days + 2 floating holidays per year
• 4% match on 401(k), immediate vesting
• Paid parental leave - 3 weeks
• Paid jury duty leave - 2 weeks
• Paid bereavement leave - 1-3 weeks
• Paid Medical Hardship Leave - up to 2 weeks / year
• Volunteer Matching Program
• Wellness Reimbursement Program
• Company-sponsored financial counseling

Who You Are

• You’re passionate about the employee experience. You care deeply about people and believe that ‘traditional HR’ isn’t the only, or the best, approach to people-ing. You see employees as a company’s most important investment and believe workplace culture plays a real role in business outcomes.
• You can think in shades of gray. You’re familiar with best practices, but know that solutions are rarely ‘one-size-fits-all.’ You maintain clear professional boundaries, while understanding that you can still be a person while doing this work.
• You’re a great communicator. You share the ‘why’ behind decisions, can explain complicated benefits in plain language, enjoy documentation, and believe clear is kind.
• You want to have real influence, and you’re ready to roll up your sleeves. You want a seat at the table at a company where HR gets taken seriously. You want to see projects through from planning to execution, shaping the future of people operations at Puget Systems as we scale.
• You value in-person interactions as much as remote flexibility. This role’s primary responsibility is to support our team, and our team members work both hybrid and on-site schedules. You believe in the power of in-person connection, understanding that this will never be a fully remote position (3 days in office, 2 days remote).

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive HR experience minimum, prefer 5+
• Demonstrated understanding of HR fundamentals in a generalist capacity
• Proficiency working in at least one HRIS platform(s)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build cross-departmental relationships, and foster employee trust
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information

Nice to Haves

• Google Suite proficiency
• Experience administering leave programs, compliance and reporting processes, benefits, and/or timekeeping and payroll
• HR certification and/or education

Physical requirements of the job?

• Ability to work from home and in an office environment.
• Prolonged periods of time sitting at a desk and typing on a computer.

What Success Looks Like

30-60 days and ongoing:

• Gains familiarity with the company culture and dynamics. Meets with each team, with a focus on building relationships with employees across departments.
• Shadows each department to understand how the business works and how each department operates within the greater company.
• Shadows the payroll process, from timekeeping to payroll release.
• Gains familiarity with our HRIS, internal employee portal, ClickUp, Google Drive, and other platforms.
• Processes employee updates, including personal information and benefit changes, with support. Maintains employee digital files.
• Understands and asks questions about expectations for your role, and gets a good idea of what ramping up over the next 12 months looks like.
• Completes prerequisite training for new hires through the Learning Management System (LMS).
• Displays familiarity with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the department.
• Takes on other tasks as assigned.

3 months and ongoing:

• Actively participates in any recruiting and onboarding efforts, with a focus on gaining an understanding of current processes and making improvement suggestions.
• Provides feedback to improve current policies and procedures, and may provide suggestions for new initiatives. Coordinates annual handbook review with third-party counsel.
• Supports managers in employee relations and performance management processes as directed.
• Assists with processing employee leaves of absence, including WPFML and FMLA.
• As needed, provides administrative support to People & Office Coordinator.
• If applicable: shadows the open enrollment process, goal and/or performance review cycles, compensation updates, bonus pay runs, ACA reporting and other annual activities.

6 months and ongoing:

• Has a strong understanding of Puget Systems’ approach to policies and procedures, and is able to apply that approach to new situations.
• Acts as a first point of contact for employee HR questions with guidance, and appropriately escalates to leadership as needed.
• Begins leading first-round interviews and candidate communication.
• Facilitates new hire onboarding meetings, including new hire orientation, benefits sync, DiSC debrief, and harassment and safety plan review, with support.
• Leads timecard review and provides Accounting with necessary information to successfully run payroll and reconcile benefits.
• Creates and maintains relevant People SOPs and Guides.
• If applicable: Shadows and provides support during an offboarding process, including exit meeting preparation, decision journal support, and HRIS tasks.
• Takes on special projects as interested and/or directed.

By 12 months:

• Able to provide independent HR support for recruiting and onboarding efforts, with strong alignment to Puget Systems values and approaches in the process.
• Participates in the proposal, development, and implementation of new benefit initiatives.
• Supports talent strategy processes, such as facilitating Talent Profile workshops and regularly reviewing documented roles and responsibilities.
• Acts as first point of contact for standard employee leaves of absence, including medical hardship leave, bereavement leave, jury duty, FMLA, WPFML, and parental leave.
• Provides initial support for managers in employee relations and/or performance management processes, and escalates to leadership as needed.
• Acts as a backup payroll administrator in the rare occurrence that the Senior Accountant and People & Culture Manager are both away.
• Begins seeking out professional development opportunities. Deepens knowledge in at least one area, such as compliance, benefits, employee relations, payroll, analytics, etc.

Our Values: Read This Before Applying

Puget Systems runs on a defined set of fundamental values, organized around four themes. Without alignment to these values, you will not fit in here.

• Mission: We do work that matters because of the effect it has on the world, and each other. Do what is best for the customer. Stay focused and work with urgency. Find a path forward instead of explaining why something can't be solved. Take the long-term view.
• Relationships: We build genuine personal connections, bringing out the best in each other. Connect person to person. Treat others with respect and empathy. Be present and listen to understand. See the situation from the other person's shoes. Keep things fun along the way.
• Transparency: We share information freely, building trust and alignment. Share information proactively. Be genuine and candid. Communicate the WHY. Take a position and speak up - then disagree and commit. Set and ask for clear expectations.
• Quality: We take pride in our work and pursue continuous improvement, as experts in our field. Pay attention to the details. Build repeatable processes. Adapt to embrace challenges. Organize and document our work. Take responsibility and be dependable.

How to Apply

We take our hiring process very seriously and in addition to giving us the chance to get to know you, we want our interview process to give you ample opportunity to determine if Puget Systems is the right place for you.

• All candidates must submit a resume to be considered for this position.
• The hiring manager will read every cover letter, and give additional consideration to those who include one. Cover letters that read like they were fully written by AI will not be reviewed.

We will run a background check prior to hire. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other protected class.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.