Human Resources Generalist

Human Resources Generalist

Reports to: Director of Human Resources and Operations 

Status: Full-time; Exempt, Blue Cross Medical/Dental/Vision, 403(b) retirement plan, Holidays, Paid Time Off, 10 weeks Paid Parental Leave, EAP, Leadership Pipeline

Salary: $62,630

Alternatives Overview

Our mission is to inspire young people to create a just future through practices that heal individuals, restore communities, and transform systems. Since 1971, Alternatives has modeled innovative alternatives to the status quo in Chicago's youth services field. Our school and community-based therapy, prevention and leadership development programs support young people to individually and collectively address causes of substance abuse, grief and trauma while building social-emotional, career and social change skills. In addition to working directly with young people, we train, coach and advocate for youth-serving institutions like Chicago Public Schools to be restorative and trauma-informed.

Position Overview:

The HR Generalist serves as the primary practitioner for HR operations, ensuring the effective administration of recruitment, onboarding, benefits, compliance, and employee relations. This role bridges strategic direction and daily execution, ensuring smooth HR processes that promote fairness, compliance, and a positive employee experience.

The HR Generalist leads operational and compliance training, supports engagement and retention initiatives, and provides direct supervision to the HR and Operations Specialist.

Responsibilities:

Perform the following from a racial, gender, sexuality, and ability equity lens:

Human Resources Operations

• Administer HR policies, procedures, and programs in alignment with organizational goals and compliance standards.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding processes, ensuring a seamless and equitable experience for candidates and employees.
• Support employee relations, investigations, and performance management in collaboration with the Director.
• Manage employee files, HRIS updates, and reporting.

Compensation, Benefits, and Payroll

• Coordinate benefits administration, open enrollment, and vendor communications.
• Support payroll processing, reconciliation, and audits to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain benefit and compensation documentation; assist with market benchmarking.

Training and Compliance

• Design and deliver operational and compliance training (e.g., onboarding, safety, harassment prevention, policy updates).
• Ensure tracking and reporting for all required trainings and certifications.
• Collaborate with the Director on strategic learning initiatives and leadership development programs.

Equity, Engagement, and Employee Experience

• Promote equitable practices in hiring, policy implementation, and employee relations.
• Support staff engagement activities and wellness initiatives.
• Analyze feedback and metrics to recommend improvements to employee experience.

Operations Collaboration

• Partner with the HR and Operations Specialist to ensure smooth office operations, vendor coordination, and safety compliance.
• Provide guidance and backup coverage for facilities and operational functions as needed.

Supervision

This position manages the HR and Operations Specialist, reporting directly to Director, Human Resources and Operations.

Alternatives, Incorporated is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.

Applicants of the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; HR certification (PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP) preferred.

3–5 years of progressive HR experience, with strong generalist background.

Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations and compliance requirements.

Experience with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and compensation analysis.

Excellent organizational skills.

Experience with HRIS, benefits administration, and training facilitation.

Interest and commitment to working in a community-based youth service organization.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills while communicating with varying levels of audiences.

Ability to make recommendations to effectively resolve problems or issues by using judgment that is consistent with the standards, practices, policies, procedures and federal, state, and local regulations.

Ability to prioritize and efficiently execute a high volume and broad scope of tasks within tight deadlines, competing demands and changes in the work environment.

Ability to deal with frequent interruptions, changes, delays, or unexpected events.

Strong sense of business ethics including the ability to appropriately handle confidential information.

Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Must successfully complete the Alternatives Internal Leadership Pipeline Program within two attempts as a condition of continued employment. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination.

Consistently learning and working within the following frameworks: Anti-oppression, Positive Youth Development, Trauma-informed and Balanced and Restorative Justice.

Committed to working in a community-based, youth-centered organization, with flexibility, cultural responsiveness, and a high level of professionalism and confidentiality

The COVID vaccine is mandatory for all employees to the full extent permissible under applicable law.