PEOPLE PARTNER (HR Generalist) - 2 openings

WISCONSIN HOUSING & ECONOMIC•Madison, WI

4h•$73,103 - $90,510•Hybrid

About The Position

WHEDA is seeking two People Partner (HR Generalist) to join our People Strategy & Experience team in our Madison facility. The People Partner is a collaborative Human Resources generalist who works across the employee lifecycle to create a consistent, thoughtful, and people-centered experience for employees and leaders. As a trusted partner, the incumbent builds strong relationships, understands the needs of the people and teams they serve, and balances employee experience, organizational needs, sound judgment, and compliance in providing practical Human Resources guidance and solutions. Working across People Operations, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations and other generalist functions, the People Partner takes ownership for both day-to-day needs and opportunities to improve how work gets done. Through curiosity, collaboration, data, and continuous improvement, the incumbent helps strengthen the employee experience, develop effective leaders, and advance a workplace where people can do their best work and contribute to WHEDA’s mission. The People Partner brings WHEDA’s commitment to putting people first into everyday practice by considering the human experience in how policies, processes, decisions, and Human Resources services are designed and delivered. People Partners are expected to develop and maintain proficiency across the full scope of the position. To promote accountability, continuity of service, and development of subject-matter depth, individual People Partners may be assigned primary ownership of designated functional areas and secondary responsibility for others. Primary assignments may change based on organizational needs, workload, development opportunities, and staffing. Assignment of primary responsibility does not remove responsibility for maintaining working knowledge of or contributing to other functions of the position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a closely related field AND 3–5 years of progressively responsible professional Human Resources experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with employees and leaders, understand their needs, and provide thoughtful, practical Human Resource guidance grounded in sound judgement, consistency, and care.
Broad Human Resources generalist knowledge across talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, benefits, payroll, HRIS, leave administration, and the employee life cycle with the curiosity and commitment to continually develop proficiency across functional areas.
Ability to balance employee experience, organizational needs, policy, compliance, and risk when evaluating situations and recommending solutions.
Strong consultation and coaching skills, including the ability to ask thoughtful questions, appropriately challenge assumptions, navigate difficult conversations and help leaders make effective people decisions.
Working knowledge of Federal, State, and local employment laws and regulations and the ability to research interpret and appropriately apply requirements to complex Human Resources situations including FMLA and ADA principles.
Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities to simplify, improve, and strengthen Human Resources practices, processes, and employee experiences rather than relying solely on established approaches.
Ability to use workforce information, data, employee feedback, and organizational context to identify trends, solve problems, and inform decisions.
Strong interpersonal, conflict resolution, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex or sensitive information clearly and respectfully.
Demonstrated ownership and accountability, including the ability to follow issues through to resolution, manage competing priorities, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment with limited direction, and contribute to collective team success through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office applications; familiarity with HRIS and payroll systems, ADP a plus.

Nice To Haves

SHRM or other Human Resources certification desired.

Responsibilities

Administers and coordinates payroll-related transactions and processing; validates payroll data and resolves discrepancies and ensures timely and accurate processing; participates in and processes payroll on a regular basis; administers benefit activities including enrollments, qualifying life events, open enrollment, reconciliations, employee communications, and vendor coordination; and maintains accurate employee records and HRIS data in accordance with applicable requirements.
Coordinates talent acquisition activities including sourcing, candidate communications, interview scheduling, offer preparation, recruitment events, and workforce planning activities; contributes to effective recruitment strategies, candidate engagement, and continuous improvement of hiring practices.
Facilitates employee relations matters including conflict resolution, corrective action, workplace investigations, employee concerns, and respectful workplace practices; consults with leaders regarding appropriate and consistent resolution and application of Human Resources practices. Interprets and applies Human Resources policies, procedures, employment laws, regulations, rules and programs.
Administers FMLA and other applicable leave programs through intake, documentation, employee communication, case management, and coordination with managers, payroll, and benefit vendors; coordinates accommodation requests and participates in the interactive process; interprets and applies applicable employment laws, policies, procedures, rules, and programs.
Consults with leaders on performance management, coaching, performance improvement plans, talent reviews, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and related people practices; builds partnerships to address workforce needs and solve complex people challenges.
Delivers employee lifecycle and experience initiatives including onboarding, offboarding, stay interviews, engagement, recognition, employee communications, and continuous improvement efforts that strengthen the employee experience.
Develops, analyzes, and communicates workforce reports, metrics, correspondence, and Human Resources information to inform operational and strategic decision-making; evaluates data quality, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
Leads and/or participates in Human Resources projects including technology reviews and implementations, policy updates, process redesign, analytics, strategic initiatives, change management, and continuous improvement; researches emerging employment laws, regulations, and Human Resources best practices and recommends changes as appropriate.
Partners with internal departments and external resources and participates committees, task forces, and organizational initiatives representing People Strategy & Experience and advancing effective Human Resources service delivery.
Performs other duties as assigned.