Senior Human Resources Generalist

Mackie Myers; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company contribution

Paid time off and holidays

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Mackie Myers is seeking a Senior HR Generalist to support the full employee lifecycle across office and manufacturing populations. This hands-on role emphasizes payroll and benefits administration with strong knowledge of California employment law.

The ideal candidate balances strategic HR initiatives with day-to-day operational responsibilities, advising managers and maintaining compliant HR practices in a growing manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressive HR generalist experience including payroll and benefits administration.
• Strong payroll/benefits knowledge and California employment law.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems (ADP/WFN, Paylocity, Paychex, UKG, Gusto).
• Ability to balance strategic HR initiatives with day-to-day operations.
• Excellent communication and discretion in handling confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Payroll & benefits administration for hourly and salaried staff; open enrollment and vendor liaison.
• Support onboarding, performance management, and offboarding; advise managers on HR matters.
• Ensure compliance with California and federal employment laws; manage leaves and records.
• Partner with manufacturing and office leaders on staffing, retention, and workforce planning.
• Generate HR metrics and support HR projects across the organization.

Skills

Payroll processing

Benefits administration

HRIS

California employment law

Employee relations

Payroll systems ADP/Paylocity/Paychex/

Gusto

Recruiting coordination

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Paylocity

Paychex

UKG

Gusto

Job description

Department: Human Resources

Reports To: Director of Human Resources

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Experience Required: 5-7 years of progressive HR generalist experience, including hands-on payroll and benefits administration

Compensation: $90,000-$100,000 annually, depending on experience

Company Overview

Our client is a growing food ingredient manufacturer serving customers across the food, beverage, wellness, and consumer products industries. With operations spanning office and production environments, the company is focused on quality, operational excellence, and continued growth.

Position Summary

The Senior HR Generalist is a hands-on HR professional responsible for supporting the full employee lifecycle across office and manufacturing populations. This role serves as a trusted resource to employees and managers while ensuring the organization maintains compliant, effective, and employee-focused HR practices.

The ideal candidate brings strong payroll and benefits administration experience, knowledge of California employment law, and the ability to balance strategic HR initiatives with day-to-day operational responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Process full-cycle payroll for hourly and salaried employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Administer health, dental, vision, life insurance, and retirement benefit programs.
• Manage benefit enrollments, eligibility changes, terminations, and employee inquiries.
• Coordinate annual open enrollment and serve as the primary point of contact for benefit vendors and escalations.
• Maintain accurate payroll and benefits records within HRIS and payroll systems.

Employee Relations & HR Operations

• Support the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, performance management, disciplinary actions, and offboarding.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to managers and employees on workplace concerns, policies, and employee relations matters.
• Investigate and resolve employee issues in a fair, timely, and confidential manner.
• Assist with recruiting coordination and workforce planning activities as needed.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with California and federal employment laws, including wage and hour regulations, leave administration, and employee recordkeeping requirements.
• Administer leaves of absence, including FMLA, CFRA, ADA accommodations, pregnancy disability leave, and related programs.
• Manage workers' compensation claims and coordinate with external vendors and insurance partners.
• Maintain HR policies, procedures, and employee handbook content to ensure legal compliance and operational effectiveness.

Manufacturing Workforce Support

• Partner with production and operations leaders on employee relations, staffing, retention, and workforce planning initiatives.
• Support safety programs, training initiatives, and compliance efforts within a manufacturing environment.
• Provide HR support to both office and production employees, helping foster a positive and high-performing workplace culture.

Reporting & Administration

• Maintain employee personnel files and HR records.
• Generate HR metrics and reports related to headcount, turnover, attendance, benefits, and workforce trends.
• Support HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5-7 years of progressive Human Resources experience in an HR Generalist or similar role.
• Demonstrated experience processing payroll and administering employee benefits programs.
• Strong understanding of California labor laws and federal employment regulations.
• Experience managing employee relations matters and advising managers.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS and payroll systems such as ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, Paychex, UKG, Gusto, or similar platforms.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications

• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, production, warehouse, or industrial environments.
• Experience within food, beverage, ingredient manufacturing, consumer products, or related industries.
• Familiarity with GMP, food safety, or other regulated manufacturing environments.

This position is based on-site on a hybrid basis and requires regular interaction with both office and production employees. The role involves occasional time spent on the production floor and adherence to applicable safety procedures and PPE requirements.

• Base salary: $90,000-$100,000, depending on experience
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Career growth opportunities within a growing manufacturing organization

About the Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys balancing strategic partnership with hands-on execution. The role offers broad exposure across payroll, benefits, employee relations, compliance, and manufacturing workforce support within a growing organization.