Human Resources Generalist

Collective; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance w

HSA and FSA options

401(k) with 3% match

Flexible time off with 9 paid holidays

Job summary

Collective is seeking an HR Generalist to lead day-to-day payroll and benefits administration across multiple entities, acting as the primary payroll and benefits contact. You will support employee relations, compliance, recruiting, and partner with the HR Manager on department initiatives, reporting to the Human Resources Manager.

You will own onboarding/offboarding for payroll and benefits, manage deductions, and ensure accurate payroll processing while maintaining files and data integrity.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent required; HR, Accounting, Finance focus preferred.
• 2+ years leading end-to-end payroll administration required.
• Sales/commissions payroll administration experience preferred.
• Multi-state payroll experience preferred.
• Benefits administration experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws and compliance requirements.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• Proficient in HRIS platforms (BambooHR preferred).
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll administration for multiple entities and serve as main payroll contact.
• Process bi-weekly and off-cycle payroll accurately and on time.
• Ensure accurate calculation of wages, overtime, bonuses, reimbursements, deductions, and commissions.
• Own onboarding/offboarding payroll-related tasks.
• Maintain payroll records per federal/state retention requirements.
• Reconcile payroll reports and conduct payroll audits.
• Generate payroll reports and coordinate with accounting on reporting.
• Administer garnishments, child support orders, and tax levies.
• Support payroll tax filings and annual W-2s.
• Serve as primary benefits contact and manage benefit programs (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, FSA).
• Own benefits onboarding/offboarding and deductions processing.
• Coordinate with brokers/vendors and support open enrollment.
• Maintain benefits data integrity across HRIS & benefit platforms.
• Support employee engagement, events, and onboarding experience.
• Assist with compliance, audits, and HR reporting.
• Post jobs, screen candidates, coordinate interviews, and support onboarding handoff.

Education

Associate degree or equivalent

2+ years payroll leadership

Sales/commissions payroll experience

Multi-state payroll experience

Benefits administration experience

Payroll laws & compliance knowledge

Attention to detail

Organizational & time management

Confidentiality handling

HRIS proficiency (BambooHR preferred)

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Tools

BambooHR

Microsoft Excel

Job description

This role supports all three of our organizations: Great States Construction, Great States Development, and Collective, offering a diverse and rewarding opportunity to make a broad impact across the construction, real estate development, and property management sectors.

The HR Generalist leads day-to-day payroll and benefits administration across multiple entities and serves as the primary point of contact for both functions, including ownership of all payroll- and benefits-related onboarding and offboarding tasks. Beyond payroll and benefits, this role provides foundational support across employee relations, compliance, recruiting, and partnering with the Human Resources Manager on department-wide initiatives. The HR Generalist reports directly to the Human Resources Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration (Lead)

• Lead end-to-end payroll administration and serve as the primary point of contact for all payroll inquiries
• Process bi-weekly and off-cycle payroll accurately and on time
• Ensure accurate calculation of wages, overtime, bonuses, reimbursements, deductions, and commissions
• Own all payroll-related onboarding and offboarding tasks, including new hire setup, compensation changes, and final pay coordination
• Maintain payroll records in compliance with federal and state retention requirements
• Reconcile payroll reports, resolve discrepancies, and conduct routine payroll audits
• Generate standard and ad-hoc payroll reports and partner with accounting on reporting and reconciliations
• Administer garnishments, child support orders, and tax levies
• Support payroll tax filings and audits; ensure timely preparation and distribution of annual W-2s

Benefits Administration (Lead)

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all employee benefits inquiries and issue resolution
• Partner with the HR Manager to administer employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, and FSA plans
• Own all benefits-related onboarding and offboarding tasks, including new hire enrollments, qualifying life event changes, and benefit terminations in applicable systems
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of benefit deductions through payroll
• Partner with HR Manager, brokers, and benefit vendors on plan administration, escalations, and ongoing service needs
• Support annual open enrollment planning, execution, and employee communication
• Maintain accurate benefits records and data integrity across HRIS and benefits platforms; reconcile monthly benefit invoices with accounting

Employee Relations & Culture (Support)

• Support employee engagement, recognition, and culture-building initiatives across all entities
• Assist with company events, employee communications, and the new hire onboarding experience
• Refer employee relations concerns, complaints, and conflicts to the HR Manager

Compliance (Support)

• Maintain accurate personnel files, I-9 documentation, and required recordkeeping
• Assist with labor law posting requirements, policy acknowledgments, and handbook administration
• Support internal and external audit preparation and HR reporting requirements
• Post open positions, conduct phone screens, schedule interviews, and coordinate candidate communications
• Coordinate background checks, offer logistics, and pre-employment steps
• Support a smooth handoff from hiring into onboarding

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in HR, Accounting, Finance, or a related field OR equivalent experience
• 2+ years leading end-to-end payroll administration required
• Sales/commissions payroll administration experience required
• Multi-state payroll experience preferred
• Benefits administration experience preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Strong knowledge of payroll laws and compliance requirements
• High attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality
• Proficient in HRIS platforms (BambooHR preferred)
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel

Benefits and Perks

• Health, dental, and vision insurance with HSA and FSA options
• Supplementary insurance
• Eligibility the first of the month following 30 days
• 401(k) with a 3% match
• Flexible time off with 9 paid holidays

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift and/or move 20 pounds
• Occasionally climb, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

This position requires regular office hours (8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday) along with availability for emergency situations outside of regular office hours.