Human Resources Generalist - Senior

The City of South Bend is seeking a Senior Human Resources Generalist to support recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and HR system processes across City departments. This role acts as a service-focused resource for managers and helps guide applicants and employees through UKG Ready recruitment and onboarding activities, including weekly new-hire orientation.

Working onsite in South Bend, IN, the Senior Human Resources Generalist will coordinate end-to-end hiring support, maintain accurate records, and partner with team members to keep HR workflows moving efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with City managers to create, review, and post open positions using the UKG Ready Recruitment module.
• Review recruitment requests for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and compliance with City procedures.
• Train and guide managers through recruitment workflows, including requisition creation, applicant review, interview coordination, candidate selection, and required pre-employment steps.
• Monitor active job postings and recruitment workflows, following up on outstanding items to help prevent delays.
• Post positions to external recruitment platforms, including Indeed, LinkedIn, and industry-specific sites.
• Coordinate internal bid notices and recruitment requirements for Teamsters and other applicable bargaining-unit positions.
• Maintain accurate electronic recruitment, selection, and applicant records.
• Support assigned processes such as application and resume review, candidate screening, interview scheduling, and reference or background-check coordination.
• Coordinate new-employee onboarding, including required documents, pre-employment steps, UKG Ready tasks, and communication with hiring managers and candidates.
• Monitor onboarding workflows in UKG Ready and follow up on incomplete or missing items.
• Facilitate weekly new-hire orientation sessions and provide clear information about City policies, workplace expectations, available resources, and required activities.
• Support hiring managers to help ensure a smooth transition into City employment.
• Serve as a primary resource for managers using UKG Ready Recruitment and onboarding functions, troubleshooting routine questions and escalating technical issues when needed.
• Develop and update user instructions, checklists, process guides, and training resources.
• Answer and screen incoming HR calls and emails, asking follow-up questions to understand request type and urgency, and route appropriately.
• Maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment when handling applicant, employee, and organizational information.
• Assist with HR policy and program support, system transactions, special projects, and other assigned duties.

Required Qualifications

• Working knowledge of recruitment, selection, onboarding, applicant tracking, recordkeeping, and general HR practices.
• Ability to learn and confidently explain HR systems and processes to users with varying technical experience.
• Strong customer-service approach plus effective written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to provide patient, professional, and clear guidance to applicants, employees, managers, and members of the public.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to organize work, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and follow through on outstanding items.
• Ability to recognize when an issue should be escalated to another HR team member.
• Sound judgment, analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, tact, diplomacy, and discretion.
• Ability to build effective relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds and across multiple City departments.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative HR team.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and integrity of applicant, employee, and organizational information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams.
• Relevant experience performing HR functions with emphasis on recruitment, hiring, onboarding, employee support, HR systems, or a related area.
• Experience with an applicant tracking system, HRIS, or similar business technology.
• Experience providing guidance, training, and assistance to managers, employees, or system users.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Pre-employment drug screen.
• Thorough background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with UKG Ready, especially the UKG Ready Recruitment module.
• Strong experience creating job requisitions, posting positions, managing applicants, and supporting onboarding workflows.
• Experience facilitating new-hire orientation and delivering training to managers and employees.
• Human resources experience in a municipal, public-sector, unionized, and/or multi-department organization.
• SHRM certification preferred, but not required.

Compensation and Location

• Location: South Bend, IN (onsite)
• Salary: USD 68,000 - 72,000 per year
• Education: A college degree (preferred, but not required)

Tools and Technology

• UKG Ready Recruitment module
• UKG Ready
• Indeed
• LinkedIn
• Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams

Work Setup

• Laptop computer, telephone, voicemail, printer/copy/scanner machine, and other standard office equipment.

Physical Demands

• Frequently required to sit, communicate verbally, hear, and use a computer and telephone.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, reach, and use hands to handle office equipment or materials.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Vision abilities include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Primarily a professional office environment with laptop, telephone, email, and in-person interaction.
• Noise level typically quiet to moderate in a shared office space.
• Building is smoke-free.

Union affiliation: N/A