Junior HR Business Partner

Principle Automotive

Junior HR Business Partner

Position Summary

The Junior HR Business Partner supports assigned Principle Automotive dealerships by providing responsive Human Resources guidance, coordinating workforce initiatives, and assisting managers and associates with routine employment matters.

This is a developmental business-partner position for an HR professional who has foundational experience in employee relations, recruiting, HR administration, or general Human Resources and is ready to develop broader manager-consulting and business-partner capabilities.

The Junior HR Business Partner will work under the direction of the Director of People & Talent and in partnership with the HR Business Partner and HR Coordinator. The position will initially handle routine matters and support more complex situations while developing the knowledge, judgment, and experience required to become a fully independent HR Business Partner.

Essential Responsibilities

Dealership and Manager Support

• Serve as a primary People & Talent contact for assigned dealerships.

• Build productive relationships with General Managers, department leaders, and associates.

• Respond to routine manager and associate questions concerning policies, procedures, and employment practices.

• Provide guidance on attendance, performance, conduct, and routine corrective-action matters.

• Recognize sensitive or high-risk concerns and escalate them promptly.

• Participate in regularly scheduled dealership workforce reviews.

• Travel to assigned dealerships as business needs require.

Employee Relations

• Receive and document associate concerns objectively and confidentially.

• Manage routine employee-relations matters with appropriate guidance.

• Assist with workplace investigations, including interviews, documentation, timelines, and record collection.

• Prepare routine coaching and corrective-action documentation.

• Review documentation for accuracy, consistency, and policy alignment.

• Monitor open cases and communicate timely updates to appropriate leaders.

• Identify recurring employee-relations themes and recommend preventive action.

Recruiting and Workforce Planning

• Partner with managers and recruiting resources to understand staffing needs.

• Monitor vacancies, turnover, attendance, and other workforce trends.

• Support recruiting for critical sales, service, technical, and leadership positions.

• Assist managers with interview practices and candidate-selection processes.

• Monitor the quality and retention of new hires.

• Support workforce planning for existing dealerships and future acquisitions.

Talent Development and Succession Planning

• Participate in formal talent reviews for assigned dealerships.

• Work with managers to identify high-potential and promotable associates.

• Maintain accurate succession and talent-bench information.

• Assist in creating individual development plans.

• Follow up with managers and associates on development commitments.

• Coordinate mentoring, job shadowing, stretch assignments, and cross-store exposure.

• Track internal promotions, development-plan completion, and high-potential retention.

Engagement and Retention

• Review Associate NPS, turnover, exit-interview, and retention information.

• Help managers create and complete engagement and retention action plans.

• Conduct associate check-ins and stay interviews as assigned.

• Identify trends affecting the associate experience.

• Recommend practical improvements based on associate feedback and workforce data.

HR Operations and Compliance

• Support the consistent application of company policies and People & Talent practices.

• Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential case documentation.

• Assist with performance-management and annual-review processes.

• Support compliance audits and required training.

• Coordinate with the HR Coordinator on onboarding, records, and employee changes.

• Use the ATS, HRIS, and other systems to document activity and prepare reports.

• Complete other People & Talent responsibilities as assigned.

Key Experience

Required

• Two or more years of professional Human Resources experience.

• Experience in at least two of the following areas:

  • Employee relations

  • Recruiting or talent acquisition

  • Performance management

  • HR administration

  • Onboarding

  • HRIS administration

  • Training or employee development

• Experience communicating with managers and employees about workplace matters.

• Experience preparing or maintaining confidential HR documentation.

• Experience managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines.

• Willingness and ability to travel to assigned dealerships.

Preferred

• Three or more years of progressive HR experience.

• Experience supporting multiple locations or business units.

• Experience in automotive retail, hospitality, retail, service, or another high-volume operating environment.

• Experience assisting with workplace investigations.

• Experience preparing coaching or corrective-action documentation.

• Experience analyzing turnover, staffing, attendance, or engagement data.

• Experience with succession planning or employee-development programs.

• Experience using an ATS and HRIS.

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.

• Equivalent combinations of relevant education and professional HR experience may be considered.