Human Resources Generalist: Benefits and Compensation

San Francisco, CA
Full Time
Human Resources
Mid Level

SUMMARY

The Human Resources Generalist – Benefits and Compensation is responsible for the effective administration of the organization's employee benefits and compensation programs. This role ensures compliance with applicable regulations, maintains accurate employee data, and provides high-quality support and guidance to employees regarding their pay and benefit options. The position plays a key role in optimizing the employee experience and supporting the organization's overall HR strategy. This position reports to the Director of Human Resources.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Benefits Administration

  • Manage and administer employee benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance and Long-Term Care, Disability Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, IGOE, LegalShield and ScholarShare
  • Lead annual open enrollment processes and benefit fair, including vendor coordination, employee communication, and system updates.
  • Process benefit changes due to qualifying life events (e.g., marriage, birth, loss of coverage).
  • Maintain up-to-date and accurate benefits data within the HRIS system.
  • Conduct new hire benefit orientations and ongoing benefit education for staff.
  • Ensure compliance with benefits-related laws and regulations (ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, etc.).
  • Support audits and reporting related to benefits usage, compliance, and cost tracking.
  • Facilitate and respond to inquiries regarding Leaves of Absences (LOA) including disability, family and medical and personal leaves and Accommodations. 
  • Respond to employee questions related to compensation, benefits, LOA and accommodations with a high level of service and professionalism

Compensation Administration

  • Assist in administering the organization’s compensation programs, including job analysis, job evaluations, and salary assessments.
  • Partner with the HR Director and Chief People Officer to support the development and implementation of the organization’s compensation strategy.
  • Maintain compensation structures, including job classifications, pay grades, and salary ranges.
  • Conduct compensation benchmarking and market analysis to ensure competitive and equitable pay practices.
  • Ensure confidentiality and accuracy of all employee compensation records.

HR Operations and Team Support

  • Handle on-going administration of policies, procedures and employment practices. Ensuring compliance with all federal, state and local employment laws
  • Contribute to HR operations, assisting with staff engagement tracking, reporting, and organizational development initiatives.
  • Prepare regular and ad hoc reports and dashboards on benefit utilization, compensation trends, and cost analysis to support decision-making.
  • Support internal audits and recommend process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and employee satisfaction.
  • Participate in daily HR operations, assist with new hire orientations, benefits administration, open enrollment and employee relations as needed
  • Monitor and recommend updates to benefits and compensation policies and procedures to reflect best practices and organizational needs
  • Represent the HR team in internal and external meetings; collaborate with Payroll, IT, and other teams as needed.
  • Perform additional duties as assigned to enhance HR operations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • BA degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field desired, or equivalent work experience.
  • 3+ years of progressive HR generalist experience with a focus on benefits and compensation.
  • Experience with job classification, job analysis, and salary benchmarking.
  • Strong understanding of relevant laws and regulations (FMLA, COBRA, ERISA, ACA, FLSA, etc.).
  • Proficiency in HRIS systems (ADP preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word and Excel proficiency required).
  • Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate with tact and diplomacy.  Ability to communicate with staff at all levels.
  • Strong attention to detail, analytical and problem solving skills 
  • Demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment and maintain strict confidentiality.
  • Demonstrated ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and handle multiple priorities; highly organized.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Nonprofit experience and/or union experience
  • Ability to speak a language other than English
  • PHR or other Human Resources certification

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Ability to sit or stand at a desk, use a computer and attend meetings for extended periods, both remotely and on-site.
  • Must be able to communicate effectively in person, over video calls, by phone, and via email.
  • Ability to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally

APPLICATION DEADLINE

This position is open until filled

HOW TO APPLY

This is a regular, full-time (37.5 hours per week), exempt non-union position that includes benefits. The salary range for this role is $85,000 to $90,000 DOE. Please, no phone calls in regards to this job. To apply, please visit the Exploratorium job page.

The Exploratorium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity, inclusion and respect.  We welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Exploratorium

Piers 15/17, San Francisco, CA 94111

Website: https://www.exploratorium.edu/about/jobs. No phone calls, please

The Exploratorium is committed to an inclusive workforce.

Share

Apply for this position

Required*
Apply with Indeed
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

150
To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.

Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran
  • A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
    • a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
    • a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
  • A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
  • An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
  • An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Veteran status



Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Please check one of the boxes below:

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Human Check*