Human Resource Generalist

BNO a creative agency (Baldwin & Obenauf, Inc.); Somerville (NJ); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

BNO, a dynamic, full‑service creative agency based in Somerville, NJ, is seeking an in‑house HR Generalist to build our people operations. You’ll own HR processes, partner with Finance and an outsourced HR firm, and create structured, compliant programs for a 50–60 person team across eight states.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years of HR experience in a small agency or startup, strong knowledge of federal and multi‑state employment laws, hands‑on benefits administration, onboarding, recruiting,

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of HR experience in a small agency or startup
• Solid knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law (FMLA, ADA, NJLAD, wage & hour)
• Experience administering benefits and supporting open enrollment end-to-end
• Comfort with HRIS and/or payroll systems; Paychex experience is a plus
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Admin, or related field; equivalent experience welcomed
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
• Experience supporting employees across multiple states simultaneously

Responsibilities

• Maintain and audit I-9 records, employee files, and regulatory documentation across eight states
• Ensure ongoing compliance with employment laws across multiple states
• Support HR audits and compliance reporting
• Coordinate multi-state leave administration (FMLA, NJ FLA, etc.) and track balances
• Administer benefits programs and support open enrollment
• Liaise with outsourced HR firm and payroll
• Lead onboarding for new hires and maintain job descriptions
• Support full-cycle recruiting and workforce planning
• Proactively update Finance on HR project status and risks

Skills

Policy implementation

Employee relations

Payroll coordination

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

PHR/SPHR/SHRM certification

Tools

Paychex

HRIS

Job description

BNO, a dynamic, full-service creative marketing, advertising & public relations agency headquartered in Somerville, NJ, with offices in Philadelphia, PA, and St. Petersburg, FL, is looking for a highly motivated Human Resources professional to support and grow our people operations.

With 44+ years in the communications business, we believe in building strong relationships, fostering curiosity, and supporting employees across all stages of their careers. We are a team of 50–60 employees across eight states, and we're rebuilding our people operations from the ground up. As our only in-house HR Generalist, you'll be the connective tissue between our team and the systems, policies, and compliance frameworks that allow great work to happen. If you are detail-oriented, proactive, and excited about creating positive employee experiences, we want to hear from you.

You’ll partner closely with our Director of Finance and an outsourced HR firm to bring structure, consistency, and accountability to our HR function while being the kind of person our team actually wants to come to with questions. You’ll be a department of one with support from our outsourced HR company.

You've worked in a small or startup HR environment, maybe an agency, a boutique firm, or a scrappy team where you helped build strong teams. You know how to build trust with people at all levels, hold managers accountable, and keep compliance tight even when resources are lean.

You're organized, proactive, and detail-oriented, the kind of person who tracks a leave of absence, flags an I-9 discrepancy before it becomes a problem, and still finds time to check in with a new hire to see how their first week went.

You're equally comfortable running a project independently and communicating status updates, risks, and wins to leadership. You don't wait to be asked, you surface what needs attention.

Compliance & Recordkeeping

• Maintain and audit I-9 records, employee files, and regulatory documentation across all eight states
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, multi-state, and local employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, wage & hour, and workers' compensation
• Support HR audits, compliance reporting, and initiatives such as diversity certifications
• Coordinate multi-state leave administration (FMLA, NJ Family Leave Act, and applicable state equivalents) and track balances accurately
• Administer benefits programs and support open enrollment, including employee communications and vendor coordination
• Verify employee data, maintain PTO balances, and update payroll and time-tracking systems
• Serve as the day-to-day liaison with our outsourced HR firm, ensuring alignment and follow-through on shared deliverables
• Partner with Finance on payroll inputs and flag discrepancies proactively
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on HR policies, benefits, and procedures
• Support employee relations matters with discretion, including performance documentation, ADA accommodations, and corrective action
• Build rapport with distributed employees across all locations, remote doesn't mean disconnected
• Support managers in navigating HR processes effectively and holding their teams accountable
• Support full-cycle recruiting, including job postings, resume screening, interview coordination, and offer administration
• Lead onboarding for new hires from paperwork to first-week check-ins, ensuring a consistent and welcoming experience
• Maintain updated job descriptions and support workforce planning conversations with leadership
• Own and build out HR processes, templates, and systems, starting from what exists and improving from there
• Proactively update the Director of Finance on HR project status, compliance risks, and anything that needs attention
• Identify gaps in current HR infrastructure and propose solutions. You're building this function, not just maintaining it
• 3–5 years of HR experience, ideally in a small agency, startup, or solo HR role — you know what it means to be the department
• Solid working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law (FMLA, ADA, NJLAD, wage & hour, I-9 compliance)
• Experience administering benefits and supporting open enrollment end-to-end
• Comfort working with HRIS and/or payroll systems; Paychex experience is a plus
• Strong project management instincts, you can track moving pieces, set timelines, and communicate progress without being asked
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion
• A communication style that earns trust with employees and managers alike
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (equivalent experience welcomed)
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
• Familiarity with compliance audits and HR best practices in distributed team environments
• Experience supporting employees across multiple states simultaneously

Benefits & Payroll Administration

Employee Experience & Relations

Talent & Onboarding

HR Operations & Project Management

WHO WE ARE:

BNO, a dynamic, full-service creative marketing, advertising & public relations agency headquartered in Somerville, NJ, with offices in Philadelphia, PA, and St. Petersburg, FL, is looking for a highly motivated Human Resources professional to support and grow our people operations.

With 44+ years in the communications business, we believe in building strong relationships, fostering curiosity, and supporting employees across all stages of their careers. We are a team of 50–60 employees across eight states, and we're rebuilding our people operations from the ground up. As our only in-house HR Generalist, you'll be the connective tissue between our team and the systems, policies, and compliance frameworks that allow great work to happen. If you are detail-oriented, proactive, and excited about creating positive employee experiences, we want to hear from you.

You’ll partner closely with our Director of Finance and an outsourced HR firm to bring structure, consistency, and accountability to our HR function while being the kind of person our team actually wants to come to with questions. You’ll be a department of one with support from our outsourced HR company.

WHO YOU ARE… THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

You've worked in a small or startup HR environment, maybe an agency, a boutique firm, or a scrappy team where you helped build strong teams. You know how to build trust with people at all levels, hold managers accountable, and keep compliance tight even when resources are lean.

You're organized, proactive, and detail-oriented, the kind of person who tracks a leave of absence, flags an I-9 discrepancy before it becomes a problem, and still finds time to check in with a new hire to see how their first week went.

You're equally comfortable running a project independently and communicating status updates, risks, and wins to leadership. You don't wait to be asked, you surface what needs attention.

Compliance & Recordkeeping

• Maintain and audit I-9 records, employee files, and regulatory documentation across all eight states
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, multi-state, and local employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, wage & hour, and workers' compensation
• Support HR audits, compliance reporting, and initiatives such as diversity certifications
• Coordinate multi-state leave administration (FMLA, NJ Family Leave Act, and applicable state equivalents) and track balances accurately
• Administer benefits programs and support open enrollment, including employee communications and vendor coordination
• Verify employee data, maintain PTO balances, and update payroll and time-tracking systems
• Serve as the day-to-day liaison with our outsourced HR firm, ensuring alignment and follow-through on shared deliverables
• Partner with Finance on payroll inputs and flag discrepancies proactively
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on HR policies, benefits, and procedures
• Support employee relations matters with discretion, including performance documentation, ADA accommodations, and corrective action
• Build rapport with distributed employees across all locations, remote doesn't mean disconnected
• Support managers in navigating HR processes effectively and holding their teams accountable
• Support full-cycle recruiting, including job postings, resume screening, interview coordination, and offer administration
• Lead onboarding for new hires from paperwork to first-week check-ins, ensuring a consistent and welcoming experience
• Maintain updated job descriptions and support workforce planning conversations with leadership
• Own and build out HR processes, templates, and systems, starting from what exists and improving from there
• Proactively update the Director of Finance on HR project status, compliance risks, and anything that needs attention
• Identify gaps in current HR infrastructure and propose solutions. You're building this function, not just maintaining it
• 3–5 years of HR experience, ideally in a small agency, startup, or solo HR role — you know what it means to be the department
• Solid working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law (FMLA, ADA, NJLAD, wage & hour, I-9 compliance)
• Experience administering benefits and supporting open enrollment end-to‑end
• Comfort working with HRIS and/or payroll systems; Paychex experience is a plus
• Strong project management instincts, you can track moving pieces, set timelines, and communicate progress without being asked
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion
• A communication style that earns trust with employees and managers alike
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (equivalent experience welcomed)
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
• Familiarity with compliance audits and HR best practices in distributed team environments
• Experience supporting employees across multiple states simultaneously

Benefits & Payroll Administration

Employee Experience & Relations

Talent & Onboarding

HR Operations & Project Management

What You Bring

Nice to Have

Competitive Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary: $60,000–$70,000 annually, depending on experience
• Bonus: Performance-based opportunities to reward your contributions
• Health & Wellness: Multiple medical plan options with employer covering a significant portion of employee premiums;
• HSA, FSA, and employer-funded HRA available to support out-of-pocket expenses
• Dental & Vision: Comprehensive dental coverage; vision plan 100% employer-paid
• Retirement: 401(k) plan with employer matching contribution to help you save for the future
• PTO and holiday schedule, plus paid sick time to maintain work-life balance

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us.