HR Generalist: Benefits, Wellness & Leave Management Specialist

AKG North America Inc•Mebane, NC

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The HR Generalist — Benefits, Wellness & Leave Management Specialist serves as a trusted employee resource and key functional specialist supporting benefits administration, wellness initiatives, and leave management across AKG’s NC and SD locations. This role combines day-to-day HR Generalist responsibilities with ownership and coordination of employee benefits programs, wellness activities, and leave administration processes to ensure positive employee experience, strong compliance practices, and consistent support across the organization. This position works closely with employees, managers, payroll, vendors, and HR leadership to provide responsive support, maintain accurate records, ensure compliance with applicable laws and company policies, and support employee well-being initiatives aligned with The AKG Way. This position reports directly to the on-site HR Manager for day-to-day supervision and operational support and maintains a matrix reporting relationship with the HR Manager overseeing Benefits & Wellness for functional guidance and alignment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in Benefits Administration, Leave Management, and HR Generalist support
Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, STD, LTD, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, ERISA, USERRA, and applicable leave and benefits regulations
Experience administering employee benefits and leave programs in a multi-site or manufacturing environment preferred
Experience with HRIS platforms such as Paylocity, UKG, or similar systems preferred
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams
CEBS, PHR, SHRM-CP, or similar HR certification preferred
Experience supporting multi-site HR operations and employee programs preferred
Bilingual Spanish/English skills preferred
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build positive working relationships across all levels of the organization
Ability to communicate effectively with both office and production employees in a professional, approachable, and supportive manner
Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects simultaneously
High level of confidentiality, professionalism, and discretion when handling employee information and sensitive matters
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in reporting, documentation, compliance tracking, and employee support
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment
Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement mindset
Comfortable speaking with employees individually and in group settings, including employee meetings or wellness activities
Ability to adapt to changing organizational priorities and business needs
Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are a plus

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
Experience administering employee benefits and leave programs in a multi-site or manufacturing environment
Experience with HRIS platforms such as Paylocity, UKG, or similar systems
CEBS, PHR, SHRM-CP, or similar HR certification
Experience supporting multi-site HR operations and employee programs
Bilingual Spanish/English skills

Responsibilities

Administer company-sponsored benefits programs (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, voluntary, retirement, and company-paid plans).
Process billing invoices, enrollments, life events, terminations, and updates accurately and timely.
Maintain benefit records in HRIS and vendor systems.
Serve as the primary contact for employee benefit inquiries, issue resolution, and education.
Support Open Enrollment (communications, testing, enrollments, meetings).
Partner with Payroll on deductions and discrepancies.
Coordinate with vendors/carriers on eligibility files, invoices, reporting, and issues.
Ensure compliance with ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, Medicare Part D, and related regulations.
Prepare benefits of documentation and communication materials.
Support benchmarking, program evaluation, and continuous improvement.
Assist with 401(k) administration and audits with vendors and finance.
Support implementation and coordination of wellness initiatives, campaigns, and well-being programs across locations.
Assist with communication, outreach, engagement, and education.
Coordinate events (Lunch & Learns, screenings, wellness fairs, flu shots, awareness campaigns).
Partner with vendors, clinic staff, carriers, and internal teams.
Track participation, engagement, metrics, and feedback.
Develop communications, newsletters, incentives, and resources.
Promote EAP and wellness programs.
Ensure compliance with HIPAA, ADA, GINA, ACA, and support initiatives that encourage engagement and preventive care.
Serve as a primary resource for employees and managers on leave programs.
Administer FMLA, ADA accommodations, STD, LTD, personal, military, bereavement, and statutory leaves.
Manage end-to-end leave processes (intake, documentation, tracking, communication, return-to-work).
Partner with third-party administrators.
Maintain accurate, audit-ready records in HRIS.
Support ADA interactive process and accommodation documentation.
Coordinate with Payroll on pay, deductions, and coverage during leave.
Communicate timelines, requirements, and expectations clearly.
Provide timely guidance on HR policies, benefits, systems, and resources.
Maintain confidentiality and professionalism.
Support employee relations and escalate issues as needed.
Support engagement initiatives, recognition programs, wellness efforts, surveys, and events.
Assist with feedback collection and action planning.
Reinforce organizational culture.
Maintain HRIS records, reporting, auditing, and data accuracy.
Process employee transactions (boarding, offboarding, status changes, leave, org updates).
Generate standard and ad hoc reports.
Participate in HR projects (compliance, engagement, process improvements, policy updates, workflow enhancements).
Document procedures and recommend efficiency improvements.
Support program and system implementations.
Support administration and communication of HR policies.
Track compliance activities (training, leave, acknowledgments, documentation).
Stay current on employment laws, HR trends, and best practices.