Human Resources Generalist - Plant Operations

ODL•Zeeland, MI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Generalist – Plant Operations provides on-site, full-spectrum human resources support for our hourly manufacturing, distribution center, and plant leadership teams. This role is responsible for ensuring consistent, compliant, and high-quality HR service delivery across payroll, recruiting, temporary staffing, safety, leave administration, workers’ compensation, employee relations, and compliance. The HR Generalist partners closely with supervisors, managers, and the Plant Manager to promote a safe, positive, and high-performance culture within the manufacturing environment. Typical hours will be 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
Minimum of 3 years of HR generalist experience (supporting a manufacturing or plant environment preferred).
Payroll processing experience preferred.
Strong understanding of HR practices, employment laws (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, ESTA, EEO, OSHA, etc.), and payroll processes.
Excellent organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills.
Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to build credibility and trust with plant leadership and employees.
Strong computer skills including the Microsoft Office suite.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred (Spanish language skills highly desirable but not required).

Responsibilities

Payroll & HR Administration Process hourly employee payroll accurately and on time each week, ensuring compliance with company policies, court orders, and applicable wage and hour laws. Support salaried payroll processing on an as-needed basis. Maintain and enter employee data in HR systems, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality of all records. Process job changes, status changes, and terminations for hourly staff. Prepare reports and metrics related to headcount, turnover, and other HR activities
Recruiting & Staffing Manage full-cycle recruiting for hourly plant positions, including job postings, candidate screening, interviews, offers, pre-employment screenings, and onboarding. Serve as primary liaison with temporary staffing agencies — managing requisitions, tracking headcount, and ensuring billing accuracy and compliance with contract terms. Lead new hire orientation and onboarding processes for new plant employees.
Safety & Workers’ Compensation Maintain OSHA-required tracking and reporting documentation, including Forms 300 and 300A, ensuring accuracy and timely posting in accordance with regulatory requirements. Plant Management and the Safety/ERT Team are primarily responsible for coordinating and accompanying OSHA visits or inspections, and for addressing any citations or corrective actions. Collaborate with the Plant Manager and Safety Team to promote and reinforce a culture of safety, participate in incident investigations when possible, and ensure compliance records are properly maintained. File workers’ compensation claims and documentation after receiving the Accident Report from the Supervisor. Work with Plant Management to support timely and effective return-to-work processes.
Leave & Attendance Management Administer employee leaves of absence (FMLA, short term disability , etc.) and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. Support supervisors in the consistent application of attendance policies. (Supervisors are responsible for tracking attendance for their employees.)
Employee Relations & Compliance Serve as a trusted resource for employees and plant leaders on HR policies, performance issues, and workplace concerns. Conduct or support employee investigations in a fair, thorough, and timely manner. Coach supervisors on effective employee communication, documentation, and performance management practices. Support recognition programs, communication efforts, and culture activities.
Other Responsibilities Support HR projects and initiatives aimed at improving employee engagement, retention, and culture. Partner with plant leadership to drive cross-training opportunities and focus on succession planning. Assist in tracking completion of required plant training to ensure records are accurate and up to date; responsibility for developing and delivering training remains with plant leadership. Perform other duties as assigned to support plant and the greater HR organization’s objectives.