People & Organizational Culture Generalist

Come work with us!

If you enjoy working with people and systems that support them, then the People & Organizational Culture Generalist (P&OC Generalist) position may be right for you. Supporting the people who make Portland Japanese Garden a oasis of reflection in an everchanging world is the main function of the P&OC Generalist. Working on all aspects of the employee lifecycle from hiring to payroll, the P&OC Generalist reports to the Director of People & Organizational Culture. We work out of the remote office located at the Sylvan exit of Highway 26. 

Primary Duties 

• Responsible for the hiring process, including posting jobs, scheduling and participating in interviews, conducting reference checks, and communicating back to all applicants with the support of P&OC Assistant
• Administers the onboarding of all new hires, conducts onboardings for Full-Time Regular employees
• Submit employee benefit enrollments for health insurance, 401k, and Allegiance, both during the annual open enrollment period, and as necessary for new hires
• Maintains benefit programs by tracking benefits and 401 k eligibility dates and notifying employees in advance of their eligibility with support from the P&OC Assistant
• Addresses employee inquiries, assists Director of P&OC with employee relations matters, and helps resolve workplace issues
• Supports Director of P&OC with initiatives to foster employee engagement
• Process semi-monthly payroll via our payroll provider’s software (currently Paychex), ensuring accurate and timely submission
• Process employee payroll adjustments and benefits deductions
• Respond to questions about company policies and procedures
• Work with the Director of P&OC to ensure the Employee Handbook and internal forms are updated and consistent with current federal and state employment laws
• Create, maintain and organize personnel files in confidence
• Schedule and conduct exit interviews
• Assist with the scheduling and planning of staff events and parties
• Ensure timely completion of last paychecks, termination checklists, and offboarding
• Procure and post updated labor law posters every year
• Renew certificate for employment of minors every year

Qualifications

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the position, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and qualifications for this role.

• At least 2 years of experience working in any people-supporting office role is required
• Prior HR, benefits administration, and/or payroll experience is preferred
• Strong understanding of confidentiality is a must
• General knowledge of office environments
• Detail oriented with exceptional organization skills
• Ability to work well under pressure, meeting multiple demands and priorities
• A proven track record of working well with others, adapting to others’ work styles, and professional interactions with co-workers and vendors
• Strong listening skills, giving full attention to what other people are saying or asking, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions when appropriate.
• Service orientation, actively looking for ways to help others
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Benefits

• health, dental, and vision insurance (premium 100% covered for employees), with partial deductible reimbursement
• 401k plan (eligible for employee elective deferral after 6 months, with 4% employer match after 1 year)
• flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses
• paid vacation, sick, and holiday time
• free access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Applications

To apply, please visit our website to review the complete job description. 

We encourage all potential applicants to watch our video entitled “Come to Understand: Welcome to Portland Japanese Garden” (5:56 minutes).