HR Generalist

Irca Group•Affton, MO

18d•Onsite

About The Position

The HR Generalist serves as the primary day-to-day HR resource for IRCA’s Affton manufacturing site, providing comprehensive human resources support to plant leadership, supervisors, and hourly employees across all shifts. Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner and partnering closely with the Plant Manager and production leadership, the role supports recruiting and retention, employee relations, HR program administration, compensation and benefits, performance management, payroll and timekeeping, and regulatory compliance. The HR Generalist builds relationships throughout the site, coaches leaders on people management, helps ensure consistent application of company policies, and maintains HR processes and systems that support a safe, compliant, and engaged workforce. This is an on-site position in a food manufacturing environment subject to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Regular presence on the production floor is expected, with occasional flexibility to support employees and operations across shifts. The role requires regular walking and standing on the production floor, as well as sitting and computer work for extended periods; occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
Three to five years of progressive HR experience, preferably in manufacturing or distribution, including hands-on employee relations and HR administration.
Working knowledge of employment laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, and EEO requirements.
Experience with HR information systems (HRIS), timekeeping systems, and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Broad HR knowledge across recruitment, employee relations, benefits, compensation, performance management, and HR systems.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with hourly employees, supervisors, and senior leaders.
Ability to coach and influence others, build productive working relationships, and support leaders in people-management decisions.
Sound judgment, urgency, and ability to make timely decisions while recognizing when issues require escalation.
Professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality in handling sensitive employee information.
Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Proactive, approachable, solutions-oriented mindset and commitment to employee engagement, continuous improvement, and consistent policy application.
Ability to meet the stated work-environment demands, including regular walking and standing, extended sitting and computer work, and occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience administering leaves of absence and workers’ compensation claims.
Professional HR certification (PHR or SHRM-CP).

Responsibilities

Partner with the Plant Manager, supervisors, and department leaders to address workforce needs and provide timely HR support.
Coach and counsel leaders and employees on performance, attendance, workplace concerns, conflict resolution, corrective action, and company policies.
Conduct employee investigations, document findings, and recommend appropriate actions while maintaining consistency, fairness, and confidentiality.
Interpret, communicate, and help develop and implement HR policies, procedures, and programs; identify opportunities to improve HR practices and processes.
Build relationships with employees and leaders through regular engagement, a visible production-floor presence, and familiarity with plant operations and culture.
Manage hourly recruiting from job posting and candidate screening through interviews, selection coordination, offers, and hiring.
Develop and implement recruiting strategies to reduce time to fill and maintain a pipeline of qualified candidates.
Manage staffing agency relationships, including requisitions, assignment starts and ends, direct-hire conversions, performance feedback, and invoice accuracy.
Represent the site at job fairs and develop relationships with local schools, workforce development programs, and other recruiting partners.
Lead new-hire onboarding and orientation, including employment eligibility verification, tax and benefits paperwork, policy acknowledgments, system setup, and first-week follow-up.
Maintain accurate, confidential personnel records and process employee lifecycle transactions, including hires, job and pay changes, transfers, resignations, terminations, and leaves of absence.
Maintain HRIS data integrity for employee information, compensation, job assignments, and shifts; reconcile records against payroll and timekeeping systems.
Maintain required HR records, reports, postings, and documentation for accuracy, completeness, accessibility, and audits.
Support benefits enrollment and open enrollment, and respond to employee benefits questions.
Administer leaves of absence, including FMLA and short-term disability.
Support the site’s skills-based pay program for production operators, performance reviews, compensation administration, and related HR processes.
Assist employees and managers with applicable compensation, benefits, and performance management programs.
Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws, regulations, and company policies, including EEO/AA, FMLA, ADA, and FLSA.
Conduct regular audits of personnel files, I-9 documentation, HRIS data, and other required records; maintain workplace postings and support corrective actions as needed.
Support compliance and HR training, including harassment prevention, interviewing practices, and policy education.
Maintain training records and support annual compliance activities, including EEO-1 reporting.
Support site culture through employee recognition, internal communications, engagement activities, and retention initiatives.
Track and report workforce metrics, including hiring, turnover, attendance, and compliance, to inform site leadership decisions.
Identify opportunities to improve HR programs, administrative processes, employee experience, and operational effectiveness.
Maintain and expand HR knowledge and pursue professional development.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned.