HR Generalist

American Friends Service Committee•Philadelphia, PA

9h•$70,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Generalist is an experienced HR practitioner and thought partner who provides comprehensive support across multiple areas of the employee lifecycle. The role independently assesses and manages complex HR matters, connects considerations across HR disciplines, evaluates risks and implications, and develops thoughtful, sustainable recommendations in collaboration with managers, employees, and HR colleagues. As a member of AFSC’s Employment Unit, the Generalist supports recruitment and selection, onboarding, job and compensation analysis, performance management, employee relations, policy interpretation, and other employment practices. The position also helps strengthen the unit’s service by identifying patterns and gaps, improving processes, coaching managers, and developing responsive HR practices that serve organizational needs and staff care. The position is full-time, exempt, and regular, based in AFSC’s Central Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It reports to the Associate Director of Human Resources. The role may require evening or weekend work and travel as needed. The position is not represented by a union.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Labor and Employment Relations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant professional experience.
At least five years of progressively responsible HR experience, including substantial broad HR Generalist experience across multiple disciplines.
Demonstrated depth across multiple HR disciplines and understanding of how HR decisions affect the employee lifecycle and organization.
Experience serving as an HR thought partner by identifying underlying needs, considering alternatives, and helping managers develop practical and sustainable solutions.
Ability to independently assess complex HR matters, identify gaps and risks, conduct research and analysis, and develop well-supported recommendations.
Strong working knowledge of employment law, HR policies and practices, and employee relations principles, with ability to research and apply additional guidance.
Experience advising and coaching managers on employee relations, performance management, staffing, workplace concerns, and other people-management matters.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining HR guidance and recommendations clearly, respectfully, and sensitively.
Ability to collaborate across HR specialties and organizational functions and build productive relationships with employees and leaders at all levels.
Ability to work in an evolving environment, navigate ambiguity, identify improvements, and contribute to stronger HR practices and processes.
Experience using HRIS, applicant tracking, performance management, and other HR technology systems; proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to learn new systems.
Discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential and sensitive employee and organizational information.
Ability to manage high-volume work, competing priorities, and multiple deadlines while maintaining accuracy, responsiveness, follow-through, and quality.
Ability to work evenings and/or weekends and travel as required.
Respect for Quaker values and testimonies and support for AFSC’s principles and philosophy, including nonviolence and the intrinsic worth of every individual.
Respect and sensitivity toward cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, religious, and other forms of diversity, and familiarity with nonviolent approaches to problem solving.
Dedication to fairness, equity, and inclusion across dimensions including race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a multi-site, nonprofit, mission-driven, unionized, or otherwise complex organizational environment.
Professional HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary HR partner to assigned organizational units, advising managers and employees on employment matters.
Assess HR requests independently, determine appropriate actions, and identify when issues should remain with managers or be escalated to senior HR leadership.
Guide managers on HR policies, performance, workplace concerns, job responsibilities, staffing decisions, organizational changes, and people-management matters.
Research and interpret employment laws, organizational policies, collective bargaining provisions, and established practices to develop HR recommendations.
Identify recurring themes from HR casework and recommend proactive solutions, resources, training, policy clarification, or process improvements.
Advise managers on employee relations matters, including performance, attendance, workplace expectations, communication, and conflict.
Coach managers on setting expectations, providing feedback, documenting performance, and developing improvement strategies.
Review performance documentation and corrective action materials for clarity, completeness, consistency, supporting information, and alignment with organizational practice.
Conduct or support workplace reviews, fact-finding, employee meetings, and other employee relations processes in collaboration with HR leadership as appropriate.
Support and improve performance management processes, including probationary, midpoint, and annual activities.
Recognize elevated employee relations, legal, labor relations, reputational, or organizational risks and engage HR leadership appropriately.
Conduct job analysis and review job descriptions, duties, scope, qualifications, reporting relationships, and organizational alignment.
Partner with managers to assess job scope changes and ensure job descriptions accurately reflect work and organizational needs.
Analyze and make recommendations for Position Evaluation Committee processes, including position changes, qualifications, experience, and internal comparators.
Evaluate position and compensation requests holistically, identifying inconsistencies, missing information, equity considerations, and the need for further analysis.
Support compensation and equity reviews by gathering organizational data, identifying comparators, and documenting the basis for recommendations.
Provide recruitment support, including consultation on position needs, recruitment strategy, sourcing, candidate assessment, interviews, and selection.
Advise hiring managers and search committees on equitable recruitment and selection and adherence to HR policies and procedures.
Review hiring and employment recommendations for alignment with job requirements, experience, internal equity, collective bargaining provisions, and organizational practices.
Help managers determine whether staffing requests require recruitment or broader consideration of job design, structure, responsibilities, development, or other workforce solutions.
Support onboarding and employee transitions.
Manage assigned HR matters from intake through resolution, maintaining follow-up, documentation, communication, and closure.
Review employment actions, job descriptions, personnel records, separation materials, HR system transactions, and other HR work for accuracy and completeness.
Use HR templates, procedures, systems, and source documents consistently and verify information rather than relying on assumptions or outdated versions.
Collaborate with HRIS, payroll, benefits, learning and development, labor relations, and other colleagues to resolve cross-functional issues.
Troubleshoot HR process and system issues, identify root causes where possible, and recommend improvements to efficiency, accuracy, accountability, and employee and manager experience.
Analyze HR data and prepare statistical or narrative reports to identify trends and inform recommendations and HR leadership.
Share HR expertise, institutional knowledge, tools, and effective practices with other HR team members.
Provide peer coaching, technical guidance, and quality review support to other HR staff as assigned.
Assess Employment Unit workflows, identify gaps and improvement opportunities, and partner with HR leadership to implement more effective approaches.
Participate in continuous improvement and redesign of recruitment, selection, onboarding, performance management, position evaluation, and employee lifecycle practices.
Participate in special projects, policy development, process improvements, audits, organizational initiatives, and other HR priorities.