Human Resources Generalist

POSITION TITLE: Human Resources Generalist

DEPARTMENT: Human Resources

STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Human Resources Business Partner

LOCATION: Pennsylvania

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Applegreen is an Irish-owned and operated company with operations across the United States, including the Northeast, South Carolina, Florida, and the Midwest, with continued growth and acquisitions planned.

Applegreen also operates in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The company is a leading travel plaza operator and partners with global brands such as Burger King, Subway, Dunkin, KFC, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Shake Shack to name a few.

POSITION SUMMARY

The HR Generalist will play an integral role in providing front-line HR support and leadership for 17 Travel Plazas across the Pennsylvania Region. Reporting to the Regional HR Business Partner and building close partnerships at all levels, this position will lead employee relations investigations, coaching and counseling, staffing initiatives, compliance activities, and other culture-building efforts. The HR Generalist will help strengthen people standards through consistent practices, automation, tracking, and monthly district-level reporting. A primary focus will be timely employee relations support, including interactive processes, thorough documentation, fair and consistent practices, and productive and inclusive workplaces.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct employee relations, compliance, and people-practice assessments across assigned locations and partner with the Regional HR Business Partner to implement proactive, site-specific strategies and action plans.

• Conduct thorough workplace investigations and recommend appropriate actions based on findings, including matters involving employee complaints, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, policy violations, performance concerns, and employee misconduct; partner with the Regional HR Business Partner on complex or high-risk matters.

• Provide coaching and guidance to managers regarding performance management, corrective action, policy application, documentation, and employee concerns.

• Ensure timely follow-up, progress, documentation, and completion of corrective actions resulting from workplace investigations and other employee relations matters.

• Review corrective action documentation and recommend revisions, when needed, to support consistency and company standards.

• In partnership with the Regional HR Business Partner, oversee action plans stemming from site-specific people trends, compliance opportunities, and employee engagement survey results.

• Build and maintain weekly people tracking and monthly district-level reports; identify trends, risks, and recommended follow-up actions.

• Complete and track management exit interviews and monitor hourly exit-interview feedback, identifying trends and recommended actions.

• Support the full-cycle recruiting process for assigned positions, including posting openings, screening applicants, conducting interviews, coordinating hiring decisions, and supporting onboarding.

• Represent the Applegreen brand at regional hiring events and maintain current knowledge of staffing needs across assigned locations.

• Partner with HR Coordinators and hiring managers to support a consistent and effective onboarding experience for new hires.

• Assist with recruiting in difficult-to-hire markets and coordinate with local schools and community organizations to source candidates.

• Support employee engagement activities and proactively identify opportunities to improve the employee experience.

• Participate in and organize internal and external plaza events, U.S. HR meetings, training sessions, and projects that strengthen HR operations.

• Respond to employee inquiries regarding policies and procedures, benefits, pay, safety, and other HR matters; escalate issues as appropriate.

• Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and company practices; identify and escalate risks.

• Leverage resources and collaborate with senior HR partners to ensure appropriate policies, training, and risk-mitigation strategies support the company mission, values, and policies.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of HR systems and practices within the region and across the company.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• 3-5 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including employee relations, workplace investigations, recruiting, and onboarding. Experience in retail and/or the food and beverage industry is strongly preferred.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, or a related field preferred; equivalent directly related work experience may be considered.

• Working knowledge of employment laws, including ADA, FLSA, and FMLA.

• Ability to mediate tense situations, manage workplace disputes professionally, and maintain objectivity.

• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and listening skills, including the ability to communicate sensitive information clearly and adapt style and tone to the audience.

• Approachable and able to build effective, respectful relationships with employees and leaders at all levels.

• Ability to remain composed under pressure and operate effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment.

• Strong organizational, time-management, analytical, and follow-through skills, with consistent attention to detail.

• High level of personal integrity and sound judgment; ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.

• Experience creating employee reports by assembling, preparing, and analyzing data and identifying actionable trends.

• Proficiency with applicant tracking systems, HRIS platforms, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; ADP Workforce Now experience preferred.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout the assigned region; reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license required.

This position profile is not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform. The employee may be required to perform additional functions, and job responsibilities may change at any time as necessitated by business needs.

Applegreen is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by applicable law.