Human Resources Generalist

National Council On Aging - Arlington, VA

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Arlington, VA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Human Resources Generalist at the National Council on Aging (NCOA) plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's mission to improve the lives of older adults. Reporting to the Senior Director of People Operations, the HR Generalist will be responsible for organizing, coordinating, and executing various HR projects and processes to ensure a seamless and positive employee experience. This position is vital in maintaining compliance and process flows across essential HR functions, including recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, records management, and data validation. The HR Generalist will serve as an HR ambassador, assisting employees and external parties with HR-related inquiries and ensuring that all HR operations run smoothly. In this dynamic role, the HR Generalist will perform timely and accurate data entry in the HR Management System (HRMS), manage employee records, and support recruitment activities. The position requires impeccable attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to multitask effectively. The HR Generalist will also collaborate closely with the HR Business Partner and HR Project Manager on key projects, respond to employee questions regarding benefits, and maintain electronic HR files according to established policies. This role is designed for individuals who are passionate about human resources and are eager to contribute to a team that prioritizes equity, excellence, and innovation in serving the aging population. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree and at least two years of experience in a human resources capacity. They should possess strong communication skills, both verbal and written, and demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving. The HR Generalist will be expected to work independently while also being an effective team player, contributing to a collaborative work environment. NCOA offers a flexible hybrid work schedule, allowing employees to balance their professional and personal lives while being part of a mission-driven organization.

Responsibilities

• Perform timely and accurate data entry in HRMS, including entering new hires, job/pay changes, terminations, and data batches.
• Review changes entered by project staff and third parties in ADP, Salesforce, employee self-service (ESS), or other systems used to complete HR tasks.
• Organize, coordinate, and help execute HR projects and processes for the organization, including recruitment coordination, new hire onboarding, performance management, benefits administration, records management, data validation, and document preparation and review.
• Support HR Business Partner and HR Project Manager administratively on key projects and deliverables.
• Respond to employee questions and correspond with vendors related to employee benefits (medical, dental, vision, life & ADD, disability, voluntary insurance plans, employee leave, etc.).
• Support recruitment activities, as assigned and under the direction of the Senior Director, People Operations.
• Prepare payment requests and expense reports and reconcile benefits statements, as requested.
• Maintain all electronic files and organize HR e-documents according to established policies and procedures.
• Draft HR documents for review (e.g., employment letters, leave letters, etc.) as requested.
• Monitor, maintain, and triage/respond to mail, and may be asked to respond to general questions and requests from employees.
• Post and update HR documents on the SharePoint intranet, as requested.
• Create regular and ad hoc reports and track the completion of required activities, as requested.
• Assist the HR team through frequent collaboration, communication, and follow through.
• Provide administrative support for organizational culture initiatives and staff events.
• Complete special projects and conduct regular audits of regulatory documentation, policy adherence or other HR areas as requested.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of two (2) years of working experience in a human resources function or capacity.
• Impeccable attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Basic knowledge of federal and state employment laws highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, with the ability to learn new systems and tools quickly.
• Strong organizational skills and multi-tasking abilities.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills—expressive and receptive—to share and provide information effectively.
• Professional maturity, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity and discretion to the confidential nature of HR information.
• Proactive problem-solving skills, and the ability to be flexible and adaptable to a growing, changing organizational environment.
• Sound decision-making and judgment, especially for determining appropriate action within the scope of organizational policies and practices and escalating requests to senior HR staff as needed.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and collaborative, team-oriented work style.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or other HRMS, Asana, LinkedIn, and other online tools is highly desired.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD insurances
• Paid vacation, sick, and other types of leave
• 403(b) Retirement plan
• Hybrid remote work options