HR Manager

Alma; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Alma Technologies in Portland, OR is seeking an HR Manager to own core HR operations across a growing, multi-state workforce. This hands-on generalist role covers recruiting, payroll, benefits, onboarding, employee relations, compliance, and policy development.

You will partner with leadership to scale people practices, implement new HR systems, and ensure regulatory compliance across states while maintaining a strong culture and high employee engagement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR generalist experience.
• Experience scaling HR functions with new systems and processes.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law and tax compliance.
• Experience managing employee relations with discretion and empathy.

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle recruiting across all functions and refine hiring processes.
• Own payroll processing for multi-state workforce and ensure compliance.
• Partner with leaders on job descriptions, interview processes, and workforce planning.
• Administer benefits, onboarding, and employee relations; lead policy development.
• Guide leave administration and coordinate with counsel on employment law questions.
• Drive onboarding, performance reviews, culture programs, and recognition initiatives.

Skills

HR generalist

Employee relations

Payroll processing

Benefits administration

Policy development

Recruiting

Compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

PHR/SHRM-CP (plus)

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

HRIS/benefits platform

Job description

Job Title: HR Manager

Location: Portland, OR (In Office)

Reports To: CEO & VP of Services

About the Role

We're looking for an HR Manager to own core HR operations and help scale our people practices across a growing, multi-state workforce. This is a hands‑on, generalist role spanning recruiting, compliance, benefits administration, onboarding, employee relations, and policy development. The company is consistently growing organically and also has begun buying smaller businesses as part of its expansion strategy. We highly value our culture and people, therefore this role plays a critical function in the company’s management team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own full‑cycle recruiting across all functions (e.g., engineering, sales, marketing, product), continuously refining the hiring process to reduce time‑to‑fill
• Evaluate, implement, and administer HR systems to improve efficiency and drive team‑wide adoption
• Partner with hiring managers on job descriptions, interview processes, and workforce planning

Compliance & Payroll

• End‑to‑End Payroll Processing: Fully own, prepare, and process accurate bi‑monthly payroll cycles for hourly and salaried personnel
• Manage federal, state, and local tax compliance across the company's multi‑state footprint (e.g., Oregon, Washington, Colorado, California, New York), including registration, withholding, and reporting requirements
• Complete all insurance renewals including Workers Comp, Cybersecurity and other needed coverages.

Employee Relations & Leave

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and managers on employee relations matters, including conflict resolution, investigations, and performance management
• Administer employee leaves of absence (maternity, paternity, disability, state‑paid short‑and long‑term leave, etc.), maintaining confidentiality of related records and accommodations
• Partner with outside counsel on employment law questions and compliance matters as needed

Onboarding, Performance & Culture

• Administer and continuously improve onboarding programs, including new hire orientation, training, and cross‑departmental integration touchpoints
• Conduct employee exit interviews and surface themes to inform retention strategies
• Run company‑wide performance review processes and cycles
• Lead employee recognition and culture‑building initiatives (e.g., recognition programs, staff meetings, onsite/offsite events for remote and hybrid teams) to support morale and engagement
• Conduct check‑ins with new employees and stay interviews with current employees to see where there is room for improvement

Benefits & Policy

• Lead Open Enrollment end‑to‑end, including plan selection (medical, dental, vision), HRIS/benefits platform configuration, and confirming employee enrollments
  Draft, refine, and maintain HR policies, employee handbook sections, and offer letter templates that align business needs with compliance across all states where the company operates
• Support benefits renewal processes and serve as a go‑to resource for employee benefits questions

General

• Maintain accurate HR records and systems, and serve as a point of contact for employee questions on policies, leaves, and procedures
• Identify opportunities to streamline HR processes and workflows using tools and automation
• Assist in M&A diligence and transactions, as well as participate in target transitions

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR generalist experience
• Demonstrated experience scaling HR functions at a growing company, including implementing new HR systems and processes that flex with headcount and complexity
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law and tax compliance across multiple states
• Proven experience managing employee relations issues with sound judgment, discretion, and empathy
• Comfortable acting as a trusted advisor to leadership
• Experience owning payroll processing and benefits administration, including Open Enrollment (experience with platforms like ADP Workforce Now a plus)
• Excellent written communication skills, particularly for sensitive HR documentation
• Detail‑oriented with strong organizational and process‑improvement instincts
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, evolving environment
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related field preferred; PHR/SHRM‑CP a plus

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with AI tools for HR workflow automation
• Experience designing employee recognition or engagement programs

Alma Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.