Senior Human Resources Generalist

Summary 

The Senior Human Resources Generalist advances Principia by supporting the full employee lifecycle and delivering responsive, people-centered HR services. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources-School and Shared Services, this role plays a critical part in onboarding, recruitment, employee relations, and HR operations, and collaborates closely with faculty, staff, managers, and the broader HR team to ensure a positive employee experience and consistent HR practices. Success in this role draws on strong organizational and interpersonal skills, discretion, service orientation, problem-solving, and effective communication. 

Who We Are  

At our award-winning Early Childhood through grade 12 Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of alumni and friends.  

Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued. 

Primary Responsibilities  

• Supports the employee onboarding experience, ensuring new employees and their managers are equipped for a successful transition, including conducting weekly orientation sessions and regular check-ins 
• Provides guidance and support to employees and managers on HR-related issues, ensuring effective resolution and documentation of employee relations matters
• Serves as a first point of contact for HR inquiries, providing professional and empathetic support to employees and managers on topics such as performance reviews, benefits, leaves of absence, onboarding, policy, and general employment matters
• Administers employee leaves of absence and employee accommodations, ensuring care, clear communication, and compliance with applicable laws, in partnership with the HR Director and with policy and process direction from the Compensation and Benefits Manager
• Coordinates logistics for shortlisted in-person candidate interviews, including arranging travel and accommodations, preparing interview itineraries, supporting hiring managers through the recommendation to hire process, preparing and issuing offer letters, and partnering with the Senior Recruiter 
• Supports the administration of performance review processes; partners with College HR, managers, and employees to coordinate the performance review process, ensuring timely completion, clear communication, and alignment with institutional goals
• Maintains accurate employee records in HRIS, ensuring data integrity and supporting system improvements
• Collaborates with College HR to plan, implement, and track training and compliance programs, fostering continuous learning and regulatory adherence across the School and Shared Services
• Works closely with the HR Director to develop clear departmental standards, goals, systems, and processes; proactively fosters cross-campus collaboration with the extended HR team to ensure consistent application of Principia employment policies and practices at the School and College
• Partners with payroll team and Compensation and Benefits manager to ensure accurate and timely processing of employee changes, benefits enrollment, and leave management
• Coordinates and supports various HR research and special projects, presenting findings and recommendations clearly and effectively
• Collaborates with the broader HR team, including HR Project Coordinator, on institutional events, objectives, and projects
• Plans, coordinates, and facilitates logistics for HR events, such as employee orientations, training workshops, professional development sessions, and employee recognition activities
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state and local employment laws; develops and maintains accurate and compliant department records and reports 
• Prepares and analyzes HR data and reports to inform decision-making and identify trends
• Actively participates in Principia events and community activities, building relationships and serving as a visible, approachable HR presence; shares HR updates, gathers feedback, and promotes a positive, inclusive workplace culture
• Handles sensitive information with discretion, mitigating organizational risk and maintaining trust
• Keeps informed of HR best practices and developing trends; recognizes change opportunities and recommends and executes on solutions

Core Competencies 

• Positivity: Optimistic, positive, and focused on elevating and bringing out the very best in themselves and others. Faculty and staff are invited to understand teammates’ strengths and how they can complement each other.
• Team players: Ability to collaborate and partner with peers and senior leaders is critical, with an ability to listen, give and receive feedback, and be comfortable exchanging ideas and speaking candidly in a professional and collegial manner
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and professionally with candidates and staff at all levels and build strong relationships
• Communication: Provides regular, consistent, and meaningful information. Listens carefully to others and ensures message is understood. Ensures important matters are shared with all appropriate parties. Communicates in a clear and concise manner. Tailors communication style to needs of the recipient.
• Inclusive: Demonstrates awareness and respect for cultural differences, actively seeks to understand diverse perspectives, and supports cross-cultural interactions. Fosters an inclusive environment where individuals of all backgrounds feel valued and respected.
• Ethical: Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity; upholds organizational values
• Quality: Demonstrates attention to detail, accuracy, and thoroughness

Minimum Qualifications  

• Student of Christian Science preferred
• Supportive of Principia’s guiding statements as articulated here https://www.principia.edu/about/guiding-statements
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field; SHRM-CP or PHR certification completed within a reasonable time
• 3-5 years of experience in an HR Generalist role, ideally in an educational environment, with experience in recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, compliance, and HRIS administration
• Coaching experience and ability to provide guidance to managers and employees
• Proficient Microsoft Office skills including Teams, PowerPoint, Excel and Word
• Strong understanding of the difference between confidentiality and transparency
• Knowledgeable of applicable federal, state, and local employment laws preferred

The statements above describe the general nature and level of work but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.  

Compensation and Benefits 

We offer a competitive salary range for this position: $57,000 – $66,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes: 

• Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition (pro-rated for part-time staff) for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College (infant and acorn programs excluded).
• Relocation: Principia provides a relocation imbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary, when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles
• Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about all our benefits here, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.

Equal Opportunity  

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.  

In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.