Generalist, HR - OTB NAM

OTB Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

OTB Group North America is seeking an experienced HR Generalist with independent employee relations ownership to support the multi-brand, North American operations. You will lead ER cases, investigations, and policy interpretation to drive fair outcomes while maintaining confidential records.

The role involves end-to-end lifecycle management, recruitment coordination for leadership roles, and HR program governance across Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor&Rolf brands.

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of progressive HR experience with independent ownership of employee relations, coaching conversations, and investigations.
• Retail or luxury fashion experience across multiple brands and North American markets (US/Canada/Mexico).
• Solid working knowledge of HRIS systems and confidential documentation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law across supported markets and independent policy application.
• Ability to document sensitive meetings accurately and without editorializing.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead employee relations meetings and cases end-to-end, including scheduling, investigations, documentation, and resolution.
• Lead ER meetings and difficult conversations with minimal day-to-day oversight, escalating when needed.
• Prepare and present ER case materials, maintaining confidential, accurate records throughout.
• Own full administrative lifecycle for assigned brand(s), including onboarding, transfers, and offboarding.
• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment logistics for leadership roles, with sourcing led by HR leadership.
• Coordinate manager training logistics and materials on HR topics in partnership with HR leadership.
• Compile HR metrics and provide leadership-ready reporting with interpretation guidance.
• Oversee internship programs, including recruitment, onboarding, rotations, and tracking.
• Manage employee engagement initiatives and internal communications to support DEI and wellbeing.

Tools

Workday

ADP

SuccessFactors

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

About OTB Group
OTB is an international fashion group comprising the iconic, unconventional brands Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor&Rolf. It also controls the Staff International and Brave Kid companies and holds a stake in American brand Amiri. OTB – short for \"Only The Brave\" – believes in the possibility of pushing beyond the frontiers of fashion and style to support the creativity of international talents and express in full the innovative spirit and uncompromising courage of its founder and chairman, Renzo Rosso. With more than 6,000 employees worldwide, the Group is founded on a digital approach centred on the consumer, a concrete long-term commitment to the creation of a sustainable, technologically driven business, and close attention to social issues through the OTB Foundation.

The HR Generalist provides broad HR partnership across the full range of HR functions, including employee relations, performance management, recruitment, compensation, and talent management, with primary ownership employee relations (ER) matters. In partnership with the HRVP/HRD, this position independently leads ER meetings, investigations, and difficult conversations, exercising judgment on policy interpretation and case resolution rather than only documenting or observing (scheduling, notetaking, documentation, case tracking) while the HRVP/HRD leads the substantive ER conversations and decisions. The HR Generalist partners closely with the HRVP/HRD on complex, high-risk, or precedent-setting cases, but is expected to own the full lifecycle of routine and moderately complex ER matters: intake, investigation, documentation, and resolution, without day-to-day oversight.

This role suits an experienced HR generalist who has already built independent ER and investigations judgment and is ready to apply it at scale across a multi-brand, multi-market organization, rather than someone still developing that capability.

Reports To: Director, Human Resources – OTB NAM

Responsibilities:

• Independently lead employee relations (ER) meetings and cases end-to-end: scheduling, investigation interviews, case documentation, corrective action and coaching decisions, and driving cases to resolution.
• Lead ER meetings, investigation interviews, and difficult conversations independently; partner with the HRVP/Director on complex, high-risk, or precedent-setting cases rather than day-to-day oversight.
• Prepare and lead ER case materials and meetings independently, escalating complex or high-risk cases to the HRVP/Director, and maintain accurate, confidential documentation throughout.
• Independently interpret and apply HR policy to specific employee situations, escalating only complex or ambiguous matters to the HRVP/Director.
• Own the full administrative employee life cycle for an assigned brand or client group, from onboarding through offboarding, including transfers, promotions, and leave coordination.
• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment logistics for retail leadership and select corporate roles (scheduling, candidate communication, offer letter drafting), with sourcing strategy and negotiation led by HR leadership.
• Coordinate manager training logistics and materials on HR topics (policy changes, performance management, workplace conduct), delivered jointly with or under the direction of HR leadership.
• Coordinate HR project work (e.g., holiday policy rollouts, engagement survey action planning, workforce planning exercises), with HR leadership setting direction and reviewing key decisions.
• Compile and organize HR metrics (turnover, engagement, headcount) into leadership-ready reporting, with HR leadership leading the interpretation and recommendations.
• Manage the internship program end-to-end, including recruitment coordination, onboarding, rotation scheduling, mentor check-ins, mentorship and offboarding/conversion tracking.
• Manage Employee Engagement (e.g., YOS, DEI, Surveys, Training, Monthly DEI communication, Newsletters).
• Lead employee engagement initiatives, including Years of Service recognition, DEI programs and communications, employee surveys, training, and internal newsletters
• Manage internal communications, including newsletters, company updates, and announcements.
• Own the accuracy and integrity of HRIS data and HR shared folders (Brands and Corporate), conducting monthly audits to ensure information remains current and reliable.
• Support talent management administration, including scheduling and materials prep for succession planning discussions and performance calibration sessions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5-7+ years of progressive HR experience, including demonstrated independent ownership of employee relations, coaching conversations, and investigations; this role is expected to lead ER cases from day one, not develop into it.
• Retail or luxury retail/fashion experience strongly preferred; comfort operating across multiple brands and North American markets (US/Canada/Mexico).
• Solid working knowledge of HRIS systems (Workday, ADP, SuccessFactors) and strong administrative accuracy for case files and confidential documentation.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law across supported markets, with the judgment to apply policy independently and elevate only complex or ambiguous matters.
• Skilled at accurately documenting sensitive or emotionally charged meetings and conversations, ensuring documentation reflects what was discussed and decided without editorializing.
• Microsoft Office 365 and strong presentation-building skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) for leadership-facing materials.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proven experience in ER-facing coaching and investigations work.
• Discretion and sound judgment with highly confidential information; comfortable independently leading sensitive meetings and escalating appropriately when needed.
• Solid project leadership skills, with the ability to keep multiple HR initiatives organized and on track under general direction from HR leadership rather than day-to-day oversight.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and be able to provide proof of employment eligibility upon request. Employment is contingent upon successful verification of this authorization in compliance with federal immigration laws.

Salary range: $90k-95k annually

#OTB #LI-VD1

OTB Group North America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, marital or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.