Talent & Culture Associate (Contract)

George P. Johnson Company; Auburn Hills (MI); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Part time

Job summary

GPJ is seeking a contract Talent & Culture Associate to support our Detroit (Auburn Hills) office on a six-month assignment with potential to convert to full-time. The role centers on employee experience, onboarding, performance management, and system support (LMS, HRIS, ATS, payroll).

It is a hybrid position requiring on-site work at least 2 days per week. You will partner with the Talent Team and HR leadership to ensure consistent programs, accurate data, and compliant practices while

Qualifications

• Associate degree plus 1 year of HR experience or total equivalent work experience.
• Experience supporting onboarding, performance management, and employee lifecycle initiatives.
• Ability to travel up to 15%.
• Hybrid role requiring on-site Auburn Hills 2 days/week.

Responsibilities

• Oversee onboarding processes for new hires and support performance management.
• Serve as first point of contact for employee-facing talent systems (LMS, HRIS, ATS, payroll, Portal).
• Prepare training materials and guides for system use; update as needed.
• Analyze survey feedback and provide preliminary actions.
• Maintain accurate employee records and ensure payroll deadlines.
• Manage level 1 employee relations and assist Talent leadership with investigations.
• Identify risks and mitigate exposure; support change management projects.
• Collaborate with Talent Team to ensure consistency in talent programs.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Discretion with confidential info

Employment law knowledge

HR policies & procedures

Google Workspace

HRIS proficiency

Prioritization & multitasking

Curiosity & problem solving

Education

Associate’s degree in business or general education

Bachelor’s degree in related field (HR/Business Admin/OD/Comm)

Tools

LMS

HRIS

ATS

Payroll systems

Portal

Job description

Your Role

GPJ is hiring a contract Talent & Culture (T&C) Associate to support our Detroit (Auburn Hills) office. This role will be on a six month contract agreement with an opportunity to convert to full time. The Talent & Culture Associate role is central to overseeing the employee experience and providing project support to the Talent & Culture practice. You will be the first point of contact for employee-facing talent systems and will support core T&C processes with guidance. This role is hybrid, requiring you to report on-site to the Auburn Hills office location a minimum of 2 days/week.

Employee Lifecycle & Support

• Ensure an efficient and effective onboarding process for new hires.
• Support performance management processes, including goal setting and performance reviews.
• Act as a trusted talent resource for employees and offer proactive support for corporate initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Talent Team (Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, and DEIB Program Manager) to ensure consistency in talent programs and the employee experience.

Systems & Data

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee-facing talent systems (e.g., LMS, HRIS, ATS, payroll, Portal), handling Level 1 questions and escalating issues as needed.
• Manage administrative system requirements, including data updates, content management, reporting, and analytics.
• Prepare and update training materials and guides for employee system use.
• Review survey feedback and gather preliminary analysis and suggestions for action.
• Maintain and update employee records, ensuring accuracy and compliance with HR regulations.
• Adhere to internal HR procedures and payroll deadlines.
• Manage level 1 employee relations, perform investigations, and address concerns in partnership with Talent leadership.
• Identify and mitigate risks to minimize company exposure.

Culture & Operations

• Work with the office lead and culture crew on employee recognition events and philanthropy activities to enhance office culture.
• Support diversity and inclusion initiatives to create a welcoming and equitable workplace.
• Manage vendor invoices and the employee recognition budget for your location.
• Execute projects and tasks as assigned for change management projects.

Your Skills

• Polished interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Solid working knowledge of employment and labor laws.
• Working knowledge of HR policies and procedures.
• Basic competency with Google for Business (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and experience working within an HRIS system.
• Demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple responsibilities to meet established deadlines.
• Basic ability to start with curiosity, ask questions, and suggest solutions.

Communication: Actively listen, use the right channels internally and externally, and act as a change agent who provides momentum in the right direction.1

Critical Evaluation: Work comfortably in 'gray areas,' know when time is of the essence, and take action to understand problems, find solutions, and make recommendations.

Culture Advocate: Understand and act on opportunities to shape and enhance the office culture.

Relationship Management: Notice, interpret, and anticipate others’ concerns, and manage business relationships based on this awareness to cultivate trust and confidence.

Trusted Advisor to the Business: Understand the technical points of practicing HR, including the legal framework, to provide sound recommendations and counsel to both managers and employees.

Your Experience

2+ years of work experience.

Required: An Associate’s degree in business or general education PLUS 1 year of work experience in a professional HR capacity, OR total equivalent work experience.

Preferred: A Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as Human Resources, Business Administration, Organization Development, or Communications.

Ability to travel up to 15%.

Your Impact

In your role, you will have influence and responsibility over:

• Employee experience.
• Company risk management.
• Financial oversight of internal budgets.

Who We Are

GPJ is the world leader in experiential marketing. Our 29 global offices are filled with fearless people dreaming up ideas that are transforming industries and bringing the most respected brands to life in powerfully, exciting ways. We are a part of the Project Worldwide family. An independent, employee-owned global network of complementary, wholly owned agencies.

You read that "employee-owned" part, right? You heard us correctly. You work hard, she works hard, we all work hard... we all succeed and reap the rewards. We have an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - providing our employees with an ownership interest. We thought you would want to know that. In fact, there is a lot more you would want to know about us, like our FTO policy (no more "accruing" time off), our employer matching 401(k) plan (no vesting period), and our low contribution healthcare option. But we are getting ahead of ourselves here, let's talk about this exciting opportunity first and we can fill you in on our perks & benefits later.

GPJ is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected class. In addition to federal law requirements, GPJ complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. GPJ expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on any protected class.