Human Resources Generalist

Why This Role Matters The Human Resources Generalist plays a vital role in supporting Aurora University's faculty and staff across the full employee life cycle. As part of the Office of People and Culture (OPC), this role provides broad-based HR support while also serving as the primary HR contact for an assigned portfolio of academic and/or administrative departments. In this role, the HR Generalist builds strong working relationships with department leaders and employees, providing day-to-day guidance on HR matters and ensuring consistent, accurate, and people-centered HR practices across the university. The HR Generalist partners closely with OPC colleagues while maintaining ownership for supporting their assigned departments. This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys variety, problem-solving, and relationship-building, and who is comfortable managing responsibilities across multiple client areas within a higher education environment. What You'll Do As an HR Generalist, you'll support employees and managers throughout the employee life cycle while serving as the primary point of HR support for an assigned portfolio of departments and partnering closely with OPC colleagues to deliver high quality HR services.

Key responsibilities include:

Serve as the designated HR Generalist for an assigned portfolio of departments, building ongoing partnerships with department leaders and staff. Act as the first point of contact for employees and managers within assigned departments, providing guidance on HR policies, procedures, and processes. Provide general HR support across onboarding, development, engagement, retention, and offboarding for assigned departments. Support employee relations by responding to workplace concerns within assigned departments, documenting issues appropriately, and escalating complex matters when needed. Assist with classification and compensation activities, including job evaluations, market benchmarking, and salary administration processes for assigned client groups. Provide support across benefits, leave, and related employee programs in alignment with established processes. Assist with the coordination and administration of performance management activities and related employee processes for assigned departments. Support employee onboarding and separation activities to ensure consistent and positive employee experience. Maintain HR records and data in university systems, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with requirements. Support compliance with employment laws, institutional policies, and required training programs. Assist with HR reporting, data review, and audit activities related to workforce metrics and compliance needs. Collaborate with Office of People and Culture colleagues on HR initiatives, operational improvements, and special projects. What We're Looking For You will be part of a collaborative Office of People and Culture team that values service, partnership, and continuous improvement. This role requires strong communication, professionalism, and a people-first mindset, with the ability to work independently while managing a department portfolio and contributing to shared OPC goals. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. 2-4 years of experience in human resources (3-5 years preferred). Working knowledge of HR policies, employment laws, and HR operations. Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities. Ability to apply judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information appropriately. Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting employee relations or classification and compensation activities. Experience working with HRIS systems, benefits administration, or payroll-related processes. Higher education experience. The anticipated pay rate for this position is $68,000-$72,000 per year. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs.