HR Generalist - Recruiting & Employee Engagement

At Kia, we’re creating award-winning products and redefining what value means in the automotive industry. We are creating something special here, a culture of learning and opportunity, where you can help Kia achieve big things and most importantly, feel passionate and connected to your work every day.

Kia provides team members with competitive benefits including premium paid medical, dental and vision coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) plan matching of 100% up to 6% of the salary deferral, and paid time off. Kia also offers company lease and purchase programs, company-wide holiday shutdown, paid volunteer hours, and premium lifestyle amenities at our corporate campus in Irvine, California.

The Human Resources Generalist II provides support to the HR Business Partners (HRBPs) and business leaders, supporting various HR programs and initiatives across the organization. Responsibilities will include reporting requirements (ad hoc, weekly, monthly, and year-end), supporting full-cycle recruitment, collaborating with hiring managers and the HR Operations team to grade job descriptions, processing onboarding and offboarding, and addressing general HR inquiries.

Responsibilities involve supporting organizational changes, leading process improvements, supporting the summer intern program, and providing support for performance and retention processes. The HR Generalist II will also support the HR Business Partners by ensuring smooth execution of HR initiatives within business units, acting as a contact for team members and leaders with respect to their HR needs. The role demands discretion and the ability to handle confidential information.

Lead New Hire Orientation sessions as needed, advising on logistics and content.

Process team member and contractor onboarding and offboarding, ensuring a smooth experience for new hires.

Respond to HR-related inquiries via the HR inbox, ensuring timely and accurate responses.

Collaborate with business units to ensure alignment between job descriptions and talent acquisition strategies.

Provide administrative support to Talent Management processes, including performance management, merit/promotion cycles, and other employee lifecycle activities.

Support HRBPs by providing tactical support to assigned business units, ensuring alignment between HR strategies and business goals.

Support the onboarding and offboarding process to ensure a seamless employee experience while maintaining compliance with company policies.

Conduct and document stay interviews, providing valuable insights to HRBPs for improving employee retention.

collaborate with HR Operations to grade positions and create requisitions in the HRIS system.

Assist with the development and execution of HR programs such as performance management, employee engagement, and leadership development.

Serve as a primary point of contact for business unit leaders on general HR inquiries, and provide day-to-day support for employee relations issues, escalating to HRBPs as necessary.

Support HRBPs and Employee Relations Specialist to manage employee relations issues, including performance issues, conflict resolution, and investigations.

Maintain day to day recruiting, which includes sourcing/screening candidates, scheduling interviews, and making recommendations for job offers, initiating relocation plans.

Assist in the recruiting process for temporary employees and contractors, ensuring a smooth onboarding experience.

Attend career fairs and represent the company at external recruiting events, as necessary.

Collect and analyze HR data to generate reports on key HR metrics, such as turnover rates, recruitment statistics, and employee engagement.

Prepare and submit weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc reports to HR leadership, including headcount reports and KPIs.

Leverage data insights to make informed recommendations for improving HR processes and strategies.

relocation, temp services), ensuring timely processing and submission of monthly accruals.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.

5+ years of administrative experience required.

3+ years of HR support experience required.

Proven experience in full-cycle recruiting, including leadership roles.

Experience in an automotive OEM environment is a plus.

Experience using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and HRIS; Corporate experience at a multi-state or international company preferred.

Physical Requirements: normal office duties.

May have up to 10% of domestic and/or international travel.

May need to work additional hours outside of normal business hours as required by the job, including weekends or holidays.

Direction and prioritization provided by HR Business Partners and/or other HR Leadership.

Strong time management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects.

Excellent customer service focus and interpersonal skills.

High degree of integrity and professionalism in dealing with confidential information.

In-depth knowledge of HR best practices, employment laws, and regulations.

Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities, with the ability to interpret complex data and draw actionable insights.

Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and HRIS platforms.

Ability to shift focus quickly and manage tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Pay will be based on several variables that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to, job-related skills, experience, relevant education or training, etc.

KUS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, including pregnancy and childbirth and related medical conditions, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, legally protected physical disability or mental disability, legally protected medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, family care or medical leave status, protected veteran or military status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The KUS EEO policy applies to all areas of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, discipline, termination and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.