Human Resources Business Partner (NYC Metro Based)

Job Description

Job Description

Magnolia Bakery, the world’s most famous bakery, opened our first location on a quiet street corner in the heart of New York City’s West Village in 1996. From then to now, Magnolia Bakery has been cherished for offering fresh-made classic American baked goods and for our warm inviting atmosphere. With locations in New York City, LA and Chicago, a D2C business shipping nationwide and international locations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, Magnolia Bakery is beloved across the world.

Role

The HR Business Partner plays a critical role in supporting Magnolia Bakery’s people-first culture by fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing work environment across NYC bakery locations and corporate teams. This role serves as a strategic partner to managers while also providing hands-on support in employee relations and HR operations. The HR Business Partner will balance employee relations leadership, day-to-day HR operations, and operational support to enhance the overall employee experience and ensure consistency, compliance, and efficiency across all HR processes. This individual is a proactive self-starter who takes initiative to improve processes, build scalable tools, support operational execution, and implement thoughtful HR strategies that align with business goals. This role requires frequent weekly travel and in store presence to support in partnership with our store operations teams.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations, Culture & Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted HR Business Partner and primary point of contact for employee relations matters across bakery locations and corporate teams
• Provide guidance to managers on employee concerns, conflict resolution, and performance challenges with professionalism, empathy, and confidentiality
• Partner with leaders to proactively identify and address workplace issues and strengthen team effectiveness
• Promote a respectful, inclusive, and engaging workplace aligned with Magnolia Bakery values
• Analyze employee relations trends and recommend proactive, scalable solutions to improve morale, retention, and engagement
• Support the execution of HR strategies that align people initiatives with business objectives

Manager Support & Performance Management

• Coach managers on performance management, feedback, and employee development
• Partner with leadership to drive consistency in performance practices and accountability across teams
• Support and guide disciplinary actions and documentation with fairness and consistency
• Strengthen management capability through ongoing coaching and partnership
• Act as a proactive advisor, identifying risks and opportunities and providing solutions before issues escalate
• Tool and process creation to optimize performance management processes

HR Operations & Operational Support

• Provide hands-on support for store operations and corporate functions, ensuring efficient and accurate execution of core processes
• Support onboarding, offboarding, employee records management, and HRIS updates
• Coordinate onboarding processes to deliver a seamless and welcoming new hire experience
• Partner closely with payroll, operations, and leadership teams to ensure accuracy in employee data and HR processes
• Conduct exit interviews, analyze trends, and provide actionable insights to improve retention
• Build and maintain Smartsheet trackers, dashboards, and workflows to enhance reporting, visibility, and operational efficiency
• Create, standardize, and improve HR tools, templates, and processes to support scalability and operational excellence
• Support field and corporate teams with day-to-day HR operational needs and troubleshooting

Training, Development & Engagement

• Coordinate and support training initiatives, including onboarding and leadership development programs
• Track required training completion and support compliance and continuous learning initiatives
• Identify opportunities to enhance employee growth, engagement, and career development
• Help design and implement scalable learning programs and tools aligned with HR and business strategie

Compliance & Best Practices

• Ensure HR practices align with company policies and applicable employment laws inclusive of New York City Fair Workweek
• Maintain accurate employee records and support audits as needed
• Partner with HR leadership to ensure policies and practices are consistently applied and up to date

Key Ingredients for Success

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field; SHRM-CP, PHR, or similar certification
• 3–5 years of HR experience as a business partner with a strong focus on employee relations and hr operations
• Experience in retail, hospitality, or multi-location environments preferred

• Expertise in New York City Fair Workweek compliance, including predictable scheduling, advance notice requirements, and employee consent practices within high-volume retail or food service environments

• Experience building Smartsheets, dashboards, or operational tools strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience partnering with leaders and contributing to HR strategy execution

Skills & Competencies

• Strong interpersonal, coaching, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to build trust with both hourly and corporate employees
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive situations
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a continuous improvement focus
• Ability to balance strategic partnership with hands-on operational execution
• Experience improving processes, building tools, and driving efficiencies
• Collaborative, data-informed decision maker

Company Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vison
• 401k plan
• Life Insurance
• Vacation & Sick Time
• Employee discount

*Magnolia Bakery is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify.