Human Resources Associate - Montreal - Groundswell, USA

Description

About the Position

This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career professional passionate about enacting meaningful, community-level change at the intersection of clean energy and social justice. The HR Associate will work closely with Groundswell's Organizational Excellence team members to support the organization's internal Human Resources Department. This role will join the team during accelerated organizational growth and support Groundswell's HR functions while maintaining a solid values-centered organizational culture.

This position resolves benefits-related problems and ensures effective use of plans and positive employee relations. The HR Associate will ensure that organizational procedures and policies are administered per federal and state regulations and that plan provisions are followed.

The HR Associate will report to the Human Resource Manager and manage various administrative HR functions, such as filing and maintaining HRIS systems, payroll administration, benefits administration, employee engagement activities, and health and welfare plans. The associate will also act as a liaison between employees and insurance providers.

Groundswell is a values-driven social enterprise committed to a culture of belonging. We invite you to review our strategic plan and values as you apply.

Key Responsibilities

Recruitment/ Onboarding

• Post open positions to internal and external career sites.
• Proactively generate candidates through headhunting, referrals, and networking.
• Screen resumes for highly qualified applicants.
• Schedule interviews and maintain communication with candidates throughout the recruitment process.
• Schedule and coordinate recruitment events for Groundswell.
• Maintain internal recruitment tracking database.
• Produce weekly recruitment reports to share with hiring managers.
• Conduct skill assessments and reference checks.
• Support with onboarding and hiring preparations for new employees.
• Assist in onboarding orientation as needed.

HR Administration

• Acts as a liaison between Groundswell and external benefits administrators and vendors, which may include health, disability, and retirement plan providers.
• Assist with Groundswell policy and procedure updates and staff training.
• Manage employee files while maintaining integrity and confidentiality.
• Support offboarding process for departing employees.
• Manage payroll functions, including processing, answering employee questions, fixing processing errors, and distributing checks.
• Support annual performance review process and SMART goal creation.
• Process HR department mail as needed.
• Provide administrative support to the SVP of Finance, Fund, and Organizational Development.

Employee Engagement

• Led Groundswell Fun Committee to facilitate agency-wide events on small and large scales.
• Ensure all Groundswell events align with our culture of belonging.
• Research ideas to maintain engagement pipeline for remote staff.
• Build new hire engagement surveys and other relevant surveys to assess and maintain a positive values centered organization Conduct employee engagement surveys throughout the year to maintain company culture and collect feedback.

Additional Responsibilities (if applicable)

As a member of the Groundswell team, the HR Associate is expected to participate in the overall execution of Groundswell programs:

May be asked to represent Groundswell in public forums, engage with operational or institutional partners, and prepare content for publication.

Seek opportunities to continuously improve Groundswell programs, processes, and procedures.

Other Duties

This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of required activities, duties, or responsibilities. Duties, obligations, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

Competencies or Specialized Knowledge

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with a real commitment to supporting the wellbeing and the effectiveness of others and serving their colleagues as their customers.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint – and Google Suite equivalents.
• Exceptional organization skills with attention to detail and process, a sense of urgency, and drive to get stuff done.
• Flexible and adaptable to ongoing and constant requests from colleagues.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Team-oriented & collaborative approach to their immediate and long- term work projects.
• Goal- and values-oriented, with a desire to demonstrate and live Groundswell's values through. accomplishing goals and success on projects.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Human Resources, or a related field.
• 2 years of relevant professional experience working in a fast-paced office environment.
• Working understanding of human resource principles, practices, and procedures.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail.

Supervision

The HR Associate will report to Groundswell's Human Resource Manager.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

This position is based in Washington, D.C., and is expected to work in‑office four days per month in alignment with Groundswell's hybrid/remote work plan.

Position Type and Expected Hours

This is a full‑time, 40‑hour-a-week position. The days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and core hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Travel

Occasional local, regional, or national travel may be required for this position but is anticipated to be minimal.

Compensation

Compensation for this position is in Groundswell's established pay band for the Associate level, and it includes a full‑time employee benefits package.

Benefits

• Groundswell pays 100% of the monthly premium for health, dental, vision, and long‑term disability for full‑time employees in accordance with Groundswell's policy. Groundswell also covers 50% of spouses and dependents covered under the Groundswell healthcare, vision, and dental plan.
• Matching 401(k) plan contribution by Groundswell up to 4% for employees who choose to contribute to Groundswell's 401(k) plan, with immediate vesting.
• Monthly Development Days to focus on professional development opportunities
• $45 per month to reimburse cellular phone use for business purposes.
• $75 per month to reimburse home internet access for business purposes.
• Fifteen (15) paid vacation days per year; eight (8) sick days; and two (2) personal days. Vacation and sick leave accrue at the start of your employment, restart each year on January 1, and increase with tenure. Personal days begin after six months of employment.
• Groundswell also takes nine (9) paid federal holidays and a holiday break from December 24th to January 1st (inclusive).
• Short‑term disability insurance, long‑term disability insurance, and voluntary life available.
• Pre‑tax benefits such as smart benefits, flexible spending accounts, and dependent care are also available.

For more information about the organization's benefits and other personnel policies, Groundswell will provide a new hire orientation within the first week of employment.