Human Resources Generalist
Location: Remote (some in-person meetings)
Organization: Union for Reform Judaism
Employment Type: Full Time, Benefits Eligible, Exempt, MNGT
Department: People & Culture
Reporting to: Senior Director, People & Culture
Start Date: ASAP
Salary Range: $75,000 - $95,000 plus competitive benefits package
The Role
At the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), our people are at the heart of our work. The Human Resources Generalist helps attract talented people and create a workplace where employees feel welcomed, connected, supported, and able to do their best work in service of our mission. As a member of the People & Culture team, this role brings together talent acquisition, employee engagement, and HR operations to strengthen the employee experience from recruitment through every stage of employment. The HR Generalist plays a key role in full-cycle recruiting for year-round professional positions, partners on initiatives that foster connection and belonging, and provides thoughtful, reliable HR support to employees and managers. Working closely with colleagues across People & Culture and the URJ, this person helps ensure our people practices reflect the welcoming, inclusive culture we strive to build.
What You Will Do
Attract, Recruit & Welcome Talent
- Partner with the People & Culture team and hiring managers to manage assigned searches from sourcing and screening through interviews, selection, and offers, helping URJ attract talented year-round professionals who will advance its mission.
- Build candidate pipelines through proactive outreach and professional networks to reach a broad range of qualified candidates.
- Guide hiring managers in inclusive interview and selection processes that support thoughtful hiring decisions.
- Support recruitment and talent systems, ensuring accurate candidate records, efficient workflows, and reliable reporting.
- Partner on onboarding to help new employees feel welcomed, connected to URJ's mission, and prepared to succeed.
- Partner with the employee engagement team on recognition, staff gatherings, and other initiatives that foster connection and belonging across URJ's remote workforce.
- Collaborate across People & Culture team to identify emerging employee needs and ensure HR practices contribute to a positive, supportive workplace culture.
- Help translate employee feedback and engagement findings into meaningful improvements at key moments in the employee lifecycle, creating a more consistent and supportive employee experience.
- Serve as a trusted resource for employees and managers, providing clear, timely guidance on HR policies and workplace questions.
- Support employee relations, performance improvement, and workplace investigations in partnership with HR leadership, helping managers address concerns and ensure appropriate follow-through.
- Manage FMLA administration and coordinate other employee leaves, ensuring compliance, accurate documentation, and thoughtful communication throughout the process.
- Coordinate employee lifecycle processes, including employment changes, accommodations, performance management cycles, and separations.
- Support benefits administration and HR compliance, collaborating with internal partners to resolve issues and provide timely, accurate support.
- Manage employee data in the HRIS, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and reliable reporting throughout the employee lifecycle.
- Identify opportunities to simplify HR processes and improve communication, making it easier for employees and managers to access the support they need.
You are an experienced HR professional who enjoys connecting talented people with meaningful work and helping employees feel valued, supported, and engaged. You bring strong recruiting and employee relations experience, a genuine interest in workplace culture, and the HR knowledge and judgment needed to navigate employee needs with care. You build trusting relationships with candidates, employees, and managers, enjoy collaborating across teams, and take pride in creating positive experiences while ensuring important details are handled thoughtfully and accurately.
Keys to Success (the must-haves)
Talent-Focused & Relationship-Oriented: You enjoy connecting with candidates, building talent pipelines, and partnering with hiring managers to make thoughtful hiring decisions.
Employee Experience Mindset: You understand how recruiting, onboarding, engagement, and HR practices shape employees' sense of connection, belonging, and support.
Sound Judgment & Care: You approach sensitive situations with empathy, fairness, discretion, and an understanding of when to involve others.
Organized & Accountable: You manage competing priorities, pay attention to detail, and follow through on commitments.
Collaborative & Improvement-Minded: You build strong relationships across teams, anticipate needs, and find practical ways to improve the employee experience.
Systems Orientation: You value and seek the use of effective systems for improving efficiency, clarity, and alignment.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience, and at least 4 years of relevant human resources experience, including full-cycle recruiting for professional positions and generalist HR responsibilities.
Experience managing recruitment processes, sourcing candidates, and partnering with hiring managers to support effective selection decisions.
Experience administering FMLA and supporting other employee leave processes, with knowledge of applicable leave requirements.
Experience contributing to employee engagement, onboarding, or workplace culture initiatives.
Experience supporting employee relations, performance improvement, and sensitive workplace matters.
Working knowledge of benefits administration, employee lifecycle processes, federal and state employment laws, and HR compliance practices.
Experience maintaining employee data in HR information systems and using applicant tracking systems and digital collaboration tools.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and follow through on commitments.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience administering payroll systems.
Experience coordinating and implementing employee training and professional development programs.
Experience supporting a geographically dispersed workforce, including familiarity with multistate employment and leave requirements.
Experience working in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
Experience improving HR processes or using employee feedback and workforce data to inform improvements.
SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification.
Application Process
Please apply online and include a resume and a one-page cover letter describing your interest in the role and how your experience aligns with the qualifications listed. We look forward to hearing from you!
About The Union For Reform Judaism
Serving more than 800 congregations and reaching nearly 2 million people, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) is the engine of Reform Judaism in North America, strengthening the communities, leaders, programs, and experiences that help people find meaning, belonging, joy, justice, and purpose through Reform Jewish values and teachings.
Through congregational partnerships, 14 overnight camps, youth and teen programs, Jewish learning opportunities, Israel engagement, leadership development, work to build communities of belonging, and the justice efforts of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, we help people and communities connect to Jewish life at every stage of their journey.
We believe Jewish life is strongest when it is rooted in tradition, responsive to the world around us, connected to Israel and the Jewish people, committed to justice, and expansive enough to welcome many voices, identities, and pathways into community and belonging.
Together with our congregations, camps, leaders, and partners, the URJ is building a more connected, resilient, and joyful Reform Movement, helping shape a Jewish future grounded in peace, justice, belonging, and joy.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The URJ is committed to creating a workplace where people of diverse backgrounds, identities, experiences, and perspectives feel welcome, respected, and able to thrive. We believe inclusiveness strengthens our organization and our work. We make employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We encourage applications from people whose identities and experiences have been historically underrepresented in our workplaces and communities.