People & Culture Generalist

HireHive; Dublin; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Merchants Quay Ireland is seeking a People & Culture Generalist to support day-to-day HR operations at our Head Office in Dublin. You will implement HR policies, support employee relations, manage payroll-related benefits, absence and leave processes, and contribute to a positive workplace culture aligned with MQI’s values.

The role reports to the Employee Relations Manager and does not have direct reports.

Qualifications

• Experience in HR/People & Culture environment.
• Good knowledge of employment legislation, HR policies and best practice.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy with employee records.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Strong IT skills and experience using HR systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Attend and support formal employee relations meetings and take minutes.
• Advise managers on employee relations matters including disciplinary, grievance, performance, probation, attendance and conduct issues.
• Develop and improve ER procedures, templates and guidance materials.
• Stay current with employment legislation and best practice guidance and advise staff to ensure compliance.
• Administer compensation and benefits and manage pension and benefits pack.
• Oversee end-to-end absence management, return-to-work and attendance reviews.
• Support performance management processes including probation and reviews.
• Coordinate training and development initiatives and maintain training records.
• Support retention initiatives and manage internal communications.
• Administer day-to-day HRIS and HR data and reporting.
• Coordinate and administer employee leave processes and liaise with payroll.
• Support end-to-end recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Produce and analyse HR metrics and reports to support workforce planning.
• Promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.

Skills

HR experience

Employment legislation knowledge

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Discretion & confidentiality

Independent working

IT skills

Microsoft Office

Education

CIPD qualification

HR qualification

Tools

HRIS

Job description

Job Title: People & Culture Generalist

Location People & Culture, Head Office, 24 Merchants Quay

Role Purpose:

The People & Culture Generalist is responsible for supporting the effective delivery of day-to-day operations within the People & Culture department. The role contributes to the implementation of HR policies, procedures, and initiatives that ensure employees are engaged, supported, and working in alignment with MQI’s values and organisational objectives. This role is key to fostering a positive workplace culture and ensuring consistent application of HR best practices throughout the organisation.

Reports to: Employee Relations Manager

Direct Reports: None

Contract Type: Contract of Indefinite Duration

Weekly Hours: 37.5 Hours per week

Team Purpose, Who We Are–

Merchants Quay Ireland is a national voluntary organisation who helps people who are Homeless and those caught in addiction. We provide frontline services, practical supports, pathways towards recovery and innovative responses to the issues of drug use and homelessness in Ireland.

Our Vision is one of an “inclusive society” where the integration and well‑being of all is supported, and everyone is treated with Dignity and Respect. Our Mission is to work as a collaborative community to reduce the harm caused by addiction and homelessness. We provide accessible, high quality and effective services, which meet the complex needs in a non‑judgemental and compassionate way.

Main Duties/ Responsibilities:

• Employee Relations– Attend and support formal employee relations meetings, ensuring compliance with company policies and employment legislation. Take minutes and lead discussions where appropriate and within remit. Ensure compliance to Employment Law. Advise and support managers on employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, performance, probation, attendance, and conduct issues. Contribute to developing and continuously improving ER procedures, templates, and guidance materials.

• Stay current with employment legislation and best practice guidance and advise staff and management to ensure compliance and reduce legal risk.

• Compensation & Benefits- Administration of company pension and complete benefits suite. Review, update and administration of benefits pack and schemes. Support & advise Line Managers in relation to employee issues. Support with employee services and counselling through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

• Absence Management– Responsible for managing the end-to‑end absence management process, including monitoring and tracking employee absences, maintaining accurate records, supporting managers with return‑to‑work meetings and attendance reviews, coordinating occupational health referrals, and ensuring compliance with company policies and employment legislation.

• Performance Management- Support Line Managers with performance management processes, including probation, performance reviews, and performance concerns. Monitor performance management activity through HR Locker, including completion of documented check‑ins and reviews. Produce reports, follow up with managers on policy compliance, and provide support and guidance to ensure performance management processes are applied consistently and effectively.

• Training & Development- Support the coordination and delivery of learning and development initiatives across the organisation. Work with managers and employees to promote development opportunities, maintain training records, monitor training completion, and contribute to initiatives that enhance employee skills, performance, and engagement.

• Retention & Employee Engagement- Support Line Managers with the Retention Strategy. Manage the leaver process, conducting exit interviews as required. Compile weekly & monthly associate trends. Administer all retention initiatives and manage the annual calendar of events. Management of internal communications.

• HRIS Administration: Manage day-to‑day HRIS administration, including maintaining employee records, processing employee changes, generating reports, monitoring data accuracy, and providing support to managers and employees using the system. Ensure HR data is maintained in a timely and accurate manner to support effective decision-making and HR operations.

• Leave Management: Coordinate and administer employee leave processes, including annual leave, statutory leave, family‑related leave, and other approved absences. Ensure leave records are maintained accurately within the HRIS, provide guidance to managers and employees on leave entitlements and procedures, monitor leave balances and trends, and support compliance with company policies and relevant employment legislation. Liaise with payroll and managers as required to ensure leave is managed consistently and effectively across the organisation.

• Recruitment & Onboarding: Support the end-to‑end recruitment process, including job posting, candidate screening, interview coordination, offer management, pre‑employment checks, including employee onboarding and induction activities. Partner with hiring managers to understand staffing requirements, ensure a positive candidate experience, maintain accurate recruitment records, and support timely hiring in line with organisational needs and recruitment policies.

• Metrics & Reporting: Produce and analyse HR metrics and reports, including headcount, turnover, absence, recruitment, performance, and training data. Monitor trends, maintain data accuracy, and provide insights to support effective workforce planning and people management decisions.

• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI):Support the delivery of EDI initiatives by promoting inclusive workplace practices, assisting with EDI programmes and reporting, and helping to ensure organisational policies and people processes are applied fairly, consistently, and in line with organisational values and objectives.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Previous experience working within an HR/People & Culture environment.
• Good knowledge of employment legislation, HR policies and best practice.
• Excellent organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when managing employee records and HR documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and contribute effectively within a team.
• Strong IT skills, including experience using HR systems and digital platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• A professional, approachable and solutions‑focused approach to supporting employees and managers.

Desirable:

• CIPD qualification or working towards CIPD accreditation is desirable.
• HR qualification is desirable.

The deadline for applications is 8th October 2026.

This job description is intended as a summary of the primary responsibilities of and qualifications for this role. The job description is not intended as inclusive of all duties an individual in this position might be asked to perform based on requirements either now or in the future.

Merchant’s Quay Ireland is an equal opportunities employer