Strategic Municipal & School 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

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