HR & Payroll Generalist

QQR•Cincinnati, OH

18h•$50,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

QQR Logistics and QQR Transport are seeking an experienced HR & Payroll Generalist to manage Human Resources and payroll for their office staff and driver workforce. This role involves the full spectrum of generalist HR duties, including recruiting support, onboarding, benefits administration, employee relations, compliance, and HR filings. A key responsibility will be managing weekly and biweekly payroll, ensuring accuracy and timeliness for both office staff and drivers, with a specific focus on understanding and processing varied driver pay structures (mileage, load/settlement, detention, layover, and per diem). The Generalist will manage the company's applicant tracking system (ATS), oversee the day-to-day relationship with Paychex PEO, and collaborate with Finance, Accounting, Executives, and department managers to achieve hiring goals and foster an engaged, high-retention team. As QQR is rapidly scaling, this individual will play a crucial role in building the HR department, potentially hiring future HR support. They will be the primary point of contact for all HR and payroll inquiries from employees and drivers.

Requirements

2+ years of experience in an HR generalist, payroll, or combined HR/payroll role
Trucking, transportation, or logistics experience strongly preferred
Experience working with a PEO (Paychex strongly preferred) and/or payroll systems and HRIS platforms
Strong Excel skills
Experience administering or working in an applicant tracking system (ATS)
Working knowledge of driver pay structures (mileage, load-based, detention/per diem), or demonstrated ability to learn them quickly
Working understanding of basic employment law (FLSA, FMLA) and payroll compliance requirements
Excellent communication skills — comfortable explaining pay and policy matters clearly and patiently to drivers, staff, managers, and executives
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, growing environment
High school diploma or GED required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience
PHR / SHRM-CP certification, or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation
Experience with ELD/dispatch & TMS platforms (e.g., Samsara, Motive, Omnitracs, PeopleNet, McLeod, PCS, Revenova, Trimble) and how their data feeds into payroll
Experience implementing AI and automation processes and efficiencies
Prior experience supporting a DOT-regulated workforce
Bilingual is a plus

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted, first-line HR resource for QQR office staff and driver associates, answering questions on policy, benefits, and pay
Own and administer QQR's applicant tracking system (ATS) for all job posting management, candidate pipeline hygiene, and reporting and coordinate interviews, onboarding and offboarding
Own the Paychex PEO relationship end-to-end: day-to-day administration, benefits and payroll coordination through the PEO, issue resolution, renewals, and service escalations
Partner with executives and department managers across the company to meet hiring goals — identify candidates, screen applicants, and coordinate and assist with interviews for office and driver positions
Work closely with the CDL Driver Recruiter and Safety Managers on driver hiring, orientation, and onboarding — ensuring smooth handoffs from offer through first day and complete, audit-ready documentation
Support full-cycle recruiting and onboarding to help each department build an efficient, well-staffed team
Administer benefits enrollment and leave management (FMLA, workers' comp, disability), and respond to related employee questions
Provide policy guidance; develop, maintain, and manage HR policies and procedures that stay current with federal and state employment law
Own HR compliance and required filings (e.g., federal/state reporting, postings, ACA-related items handled with the PEO)
Maintain accurate, compliant personnel records and HRIS data; run periodic audits to catch and correct discrepancies
Partner with Safety and Operations on driver qualification file (DQF) documentation required under FMCSA regulations
Support employee relations matters and investigations with appropriate discretion and documentation
Own HR and employment SOPs including the creation of documents, and maintain standard operating procedures for hiring, onboarding, offboarding, payroll, leave, and other HR processes so they scale with QQR's growth and acquisitions
Create and maintain the employee handbook and job description library collaborating with Paychex PEO and document maintenance
Implement performance reviews while build and administer the process, work with managers on goal-setting, feedback, review cycles
Implement manager training and support managers on HR procedures, policies, and sound employment practices
Manage all offboarding and exit interviews, final pay coordination, and benefits termination; partner with IT and Security to recover all company-owned equipment, access, digital and physical documentation and securing all company IP and data
Drive employee engagement, employee experience, and retention initiatives across the company — including onboarding experience, check-ins, and recognition programs
Help build and scale the HR function as QQR grows, including hiring and developing future HR support
Process office staff payroll accurately and on schedule through the Paychex PEO
Process and verify driver payroll accurately and on schedule — including mileage-based pay, load/settlement pay, detention, layover, and per diem
Serve as the first point of contact for driver pay questions; research and resolve discrepancies quickly — accurate pay is one of the biggest levers we have on driver retention
Reconcile payroll data pulled from ELD, dispatch, and load/settlement systems against pay calculations
Help ensure compliance with wage-and-hour requirements across the multiple states our drivers operate in
Work closely with Finance and Accounting on tax withholding, garnishments, payroll funding, and year-end reporting (W-2s, and 1099s for owner-operators, where applicable)
Flag and help implement process improvements that reduce pay errors and speed up processing time