Senior HR Consultant & Project Manager

Launch Industries LLC; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly pay

Health plan reimbursement

Telehealth & EAP

Paid time off

Paid holidays

401(k) matching

Bereavement leave

Donation match

Professional development

Job summary

Launch Industries LLC is seeking a Senior HR Consultant & Project Manager to partner with 8–50 employee clients, acting as their hands-on HR department, creating handbooks, standing up payroll, coaching leadership, and guiding complex compliance matters.

You will drive discovery calls, scope engagements, and lead community workshops, delivering practical HR solutions that directly impact small businesses and nonprofits in the Seattle region.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of HR generalist experience across multiple employers.
• Experience supporting multiple client accounts in consulting or agency settings.
• Strong knowledge of federal and Washington State employment laws.

Responsibilities

• Be the named HR department for a portfolio of client accounts with monthly check-ins.
• Draft and update employee handbooks and state-specific policies in clear English.
• Set up and configure payroll systems (Gusto) and coach clients on payroll and enrollments.
• Advise on employee relations, performance reviews, investigations, and multi-state compliance.
• Grow the practice by leading discovery calls, scoping engagements, and workshops.

Skills

HR generalist

Multi-account management

Compliance knowledge

Payroll experience

Communication skills

Tech-savvy

Seattle local

Tools

Gusto

Google Workspace

CRM tools

Job description

Location: Hybrid (Seattle, WA - On-site days at our West Seattle office and periodic client site visits; must currently reside in the greater Seattle area)

Pay Rate: $35.00 / hour (roughly $54,600 - $72,800 annual equivalent based on 30-40 hours/week)

Type: Full-Time (30-40 hours/week), W-2 Hourly Non-Exempt

About Launch Industries

Launch Industries operates at the intersection of the public sector, mission-driven nonprofits, and purpose-driven small businesses. We provide high-impact, hands-on support - everything from HR and compliance advisory to bookkeeping, branding, and licensing. A significant share of our work is funded through public technical assistance programs, allowing us to bring high-value consulting to small business owners who otherwise couldn't afford it. We are a close-kit, resourceful team of problem-solvers who bring an energetic "Founder Mindset" to work every day, and we care deeply about building workplaces that foster connection, equity, and joy.

The Role

Small businesses and nonprofits with 8 to 50 employees rarely have an in-house HR department, but they face real employment-law exposure, complex compliance questions, and team dynamics that need thoughtful attention.

As our Senior HR Consultant & Project Manager, you become their dedicated, named HR partner. You aren’t an advisor who sends an abstract memo and leaves. You are the hands-on practitioner who writes the handbook, stands up the payroll system, coaches an executive director through tough personnel decisions, and picks up the phone when the state sends a notice. You also help bring the next clients through the door by joining discovery calls, scoping engagements, and leading community workshops.

If you love variety, thrive on ownership, and want to do work that directly impacts real community businesses, this role is built for you.

Location Spotlight: Hybrid with a West Seattle Hub

This is a hybrid position requiring regular in-person collaboration at our office and travel to local client sites. Our home base is located in the heart of West Seattle - a vibrant, walkable neighborhood filled with fantastic local coffee shops, bakeries, lunch spots, and independent retail. It is an ideal setting for stepping out for a morning espresso, taking a walking meeting, or running a quick errand on your lunch break.

(Please note: Because in-person presence with local clients and the team is essential, candidates must currently live in the Seattle area. Out-of-state and remote-only applicants cannot be considered.)

What You'll Do

• Be the Named HR Department: Manage an assigned portfolio of client accounts. Run monthly client check-ins, build annual compliance calendars, stand up clean employee files, and keep every account moving forward smoothly.
• Craft Real, Usable Handbooks: Write and update employee handbooks from scratch or overhaul outdated policies into plain, clear English. Draft practical, custom policies for leave, reimbursements, and state-specific mandates.
• Implement Systems & Payroll: Set up and configure Gusto end-to-end for new clients (state tax registrations, deductions, and accounting syncs). Coach client teams on running their own payroll and coordinate open enrollment with insurance brokers.
• Navigate Employee Relations & Compliance: Coach business owners and nonprofit boards through performance reviews, corrective action, investigations, and accommodations. Lead compliant separation meetings and monitor multi-state employment regulations.
• Grow the Practice: Join discovery calls with prospective clients, diagnose organizational needs, and build quotes. Help teach our practical "Launch & Learn" workshops on topics like job descriptions, wage audits, and PTO policy.

What We're Looking For

• Experience: 5+ years of hands-on HR generalist experience, including supporting multiple employers at once (such as in consulting, fractional HR, an agency/PEO, or as a solo internal HR department).
• Multi-Account Ownership: Demonstrated ability to manage several client relationships simultaneously without details slipping through the cracks.
• Compliance & Multi-State Knowledge: Strong command of federal and Washington State employment laws, with the research habits to navigate rules in other states where clients hire.
• Real-World Payroll Savvy: Hands-on experience implementing or administering full-service payroll platforms (Gusto experience is strongly preferred).
• Practical Communication: Clear, warm, jargon-free written and verbal communication. You can comfortably advise a founder, executive director, or board of directors with confidence.
• Tech-Comfortable & Curious: Proficient with Google Workspace, CRM tools, and time tracking. Open to utilizing AI tools (like Claude) to research multi-state nuances, draft policies, and streamline deliverables.
• Local to Seattle: Currently based in the greater Seattle area and able to work hybrid on-site and visit local clients.

Preferred: HR certifications (SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR), nonprofit experience, or prior exposure to government-funded small business programs.

Why You’ll Love Working Here (Benefits & Perks)

We believe in supporting our team with authentic flexibility, comprehensive benefits, and a workplace that fosters joy.

• Competitive Hourly Pay: $35.00/hour (paid weekly/bi-weekly, with overtime eligibility for hours worked over 40).
• Health Plan Reimbursement (ICHRA): Up to $300/month pre-tax reimbursement toward individual health insurance premiums.
• Free 24/7 Telehealth & EAP: Immediate, 100% free access to no-copay virtual medicine, mental health counseling, work-life resources, and pet telehealth starting day one.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Accrual-based PTO (up to 120 hours carryover), plus protected Washington Paid Sick Leave.
• Paid Holidays & Birthday Off: 9 paid company holidays per year, plus a dedicated paid personal holiday for your birthday! Unused holiday hours can also convert to floating holidays.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with up to 4% company matching (100% match on the first 3%, 50% match on the next 2%).
• Compassionate Bereavement Leave: Up to 1 week (including 24 paid hours) for immediate family loss, plus up to 3 days (8 hours paid) for the loss of a companion animal.
• Charitable Giving Match: Dollar-for-dollar match on eligible nonprofit donations up to $1,000 annually.
• Professional Development Support: Financial sponsorship for role-related certifications, training courses, and continuing education.

At Launch Industries, diversity isn’t a checkbox—it’s who we are and how we serve our community. We are an equal opportunity employer that actively celebrates unique perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. We enthusiastically encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ individuals, BIPOC professionals, veterans, people with disabilities, and anyone with diverse lived experiences. Employment decisions are based solely on job-related qualifications, merit, and organizational needs, without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other protected class.