Municipal HR Generalist

Town-of-Smithfield; Smithfield (RI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The Town of Smithfield is seeking an HR Generalist to support both municipal and Smithfield School Department operations, handling recruitment, benefits administration, compliance, training, and HR process coordination. The role collaborates with municipal and school leadership to ensure consistent, legally compliant HR practices across departments.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in HR/Public Administration or related field and 2–5 years of public-sector HR experience, with strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Public Administration, Business, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 2-5 years of professional HR experience, preferably in municipal or public-sector settings.
• Knowledge of state and federal employment laws (FMLA, FLSA, ADA, Title VII).
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Proficiency with HRIS software and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience working in unionized environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment for municipal and school positions.
• Facilitate onboarding/offboarding to ensure smooth integration.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date job descriptions for all roles.
• Serve as a point of contact for HR policies, procedures, and inquiries.
• Assist supervisors with addressing employee concerns and performance-related matters.
• Support employee engagement initiatives across town and school departments.
• Administer employee health insurance, retirement, and other benefit programs.
• Coordinate with vendors and maintain compliance with state and federal requirements.
• Maintain personnel files, HR systems, and confidential records.
• Support reporting requirements, including EEO, ADA, and other regulatory submissions.
• Assist with planning and delivering employee training programs, including safety and harassment prevention.
• Support leadership with identifying training needs and coordinating resources.
• Keep employees informed by distributing HR news/information.
• Maintain/update HR policies, handbooks, and procedures.
• Support collective bargaining research and administrative tasks.

Skills

Communication

Confidentiality

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Public-sector HR

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Public Administration/Business

Tools

HRIS software

Microsoft Office

Job description

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Municipal HR Generalist serves as a shared human resources resource for both the Town of Smithfield and the Smithfield School Department. This position supports a wide range of HR functions including recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, compliance, training, and HR process coordination. The HR Generalist works collaboratively with municipal and school leadership to ensure consistent, efficient, and legally compliant HR practices across departments.

Key Responsibilities

Recruitment & Onboarding/Offboarding

• Coordinate full-cycle recruitment for municipal and school positions, including job postings, applicant screening, interviews, and reference checks.
• Facilitate onboarding/offboarding to ensure smooth integration into the organization.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date job descriptions for all roles.

Employee Relations & Support

• Serve as a point of contact for employees regarding HR policies, procedures, and general inquiries.
• Assist supervisors and principals with addressing employee concerns and performance-related matters.
• Support positive employee engagement initiatives across both town and school departments.

Benefits Administration

• Administer employee health insurance, retirement, and other benefit programs.
• Assist employees with benefits enrollment, changes, and troubleshooting.
• Coordinate with vendors and maintain compliance with state and federal requirements.

HR Compliance & Recordkeeping

• Ensure compliance with municipal, state, and federal employment laws and regulations.
• Maintain personnel files, HR systems, and confidential records for both the town and school department.
• Support reporting requirements, including EEO, ADA, and other regulatory submissions.

Training & Development

• Assist with planning and delivering employee training programs, including safety, harassment prevention, and professional development.
• Support leadership with identifying training needs and coordinating available resources.

Policy & Process Administration

• Keep employees informed by distributing appropriate employee news/information.
• Help maintain and update HR policies, handbooks, and procedures.
• Support collective bargaining activities by providing research, documentation, and administrative assistance.
• Promote consistent HR practices while respecting the unique needs of municipal and school operations.
• Other duties may be assigned by the HR Director.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 2-5 years of professional HR experience, preferably in municipal or public-sector settings.
• Knowledge of state and federal employment laws (FMLA, FLSA, ADA, Title VII).
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Proficiency with HRIS software and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience working in unionized environments is a plus.

Work Environment

This position supports both municipal and school department operations and may require travel between town offices and school facilities within Smithfield. Occasional evening or early-morning hours may be needed for meetings, interviews, or training sessions.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Town of Smithfield is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Town is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The Town of Smithfield encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process upon request.