HR Generalist – Employee Experience Champion

Description

Come join our team — we’d love to have you!

At the SLA, we take pride in fostering an open, inclusive, and collaborative culture where employees come first. Our commitment to creating an exceptional workplace has earned us recognition:

• Certified as a Great Place to Work® three years in a row
• Named one of Fortune’s Best Workplaces in the Bay Area for 2026

As an employee-first organization, we’re passionate about supporting our team inside and outside the workplace. We offer:

• Flexible work-life balance options so you can thrive both professionally and personally
• An expansive benefits package with a variety of choices for medical, dental, and vision coverage tailored to your needs
• Educational benefits
• A generous wellness stipend to help you invest in your health and well-being
• And because we love adding a little extra value: complimentary Costco memberships for you and your family

If you’re looking to grow your career in an environment where your voice is heard, your contributions are valued, and fun is part of the culture — come join us!

About Us:

At the Surplus Line Association of California (SLA), we don’t sell insurance—we protect access to it. As the only organization overseeing California’s $20+ billion surplus lines insurance marketplace, we help support coverage availability for businesses—from film studios to freight haulers—when risks are too complex, too large or too unique for the standard market.

Quick Clarifier:

We are not insurance agents or a government agency—and we won’t be quoting your car or life insurance. We oversee a multibillion-dollar market that primarily serves businesses with hard-to-place risks. It’s niche, essential and surprisingly interesting.

Requirements

Are you an experienced HR professional who can balance employee support, sound judgment, compliance, and operational follow-through?

We’re looking for an HR Generalist who can provide comprehensive human resources support across the employee lifecycle. This role supports employee relations, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee development, policy administration, compliance, benefits, leaves, and day-to-day HR operations.

This role requires the ability to help managers navigate difficult performance issues, support employees through workplace concerns and leaves of absence, coordinate hiring activities, and ensure related documentation and systems remain accurate.

This is a highly visible, hands-on individual contributor role. You’ll serve as a trusted resource to employees and managers while independently addressing a broad range of workplace matters. You’ll also help ensure HR practices are consistent, effective, and compliant across the organization.

Employee Relations & Manager Support

You’ll serve as a trusted HR resource to employees and managers, providing practical guidance on workplace matters while balancing consistency, discretion, and sound judgment.

You will:

· Advise managers on employee relations, performance, attendance, conduct, and workplace concerns.

· Address employee matters objectively and support appropriate investigation, documentation, resolution, and follow-up.

· Help employees and managers understand workplace policies, expectations, resources, and available options.

· Recognize sensitive or elevated-risk matters and involve HR leadership, legal counsel, or other partners when appropriate.

Talent & Employee Lifecycle

You’ll help deliver a consistent and professional employee experience from recruitment through separation.

You will:

· Coordinate recruiting and selection activities in partnership with hiring managers.

· Guide onboarding, offboarding, and employee change processes.

· Ensure employment documentation, internal communications, records, and system updates are completed accurately and on time.

· Partner with payroll, benefits, technology, and other teams to support smooth employee transitions.

Performance, Development & Engagement

You’ll support programs that help employees understand expectations, develop professionally, and remain connected to the organization.

You will:

· Coordinate performance review and goal-setting processes.

· Guide managers on performance documentation, coaching, development planning, and performance improvement.

· Support employee learning, recognition, engagement, and workforce initiatives.

· Help translate organizational priorities into clear employee programs, communications, and resources.

Benefits, Leaves & Compliance

You’ll support employees through important and sometimes sensitive employment processes while helping the organization maintain compliant and consistent practices.

You will:

· Coordinate benefits, leave, accommodation, and return-to-work processes.

· Respond to employee questions and work with providers and internal partners to resolve issues.

· Apply HR policies and employment requirements consistently across employee matters.

· Support audits, reporting, records reviews, and other HR compliance activities.

HR Operations & Continuous Improvement

You won’t simply administer HR processes—you’ll help make them clearer, stronger, and more effective.

You will:

· Maintain accurate and confidential HR records, systems, case documentation, and workforce information.

· Prepare and evaluate HR reports, metrics, and trends to identify areas requiring attention.

· Improve HR processes, tools, policies, documentation, and service delivery.

· Support cross-functional projects and broader HR initiatives that strengthen the employee experience and organizational effectiveness.