Human Resources Generalist

OPEN ROAD BRANDS | HUMAN RESOURCES

Position	HR Generalist	FLSA Status	Full-time, Exempt
Department	Human Resources	Reports to	Head of Human Resources
Location	Wichita, KS (on-site)	Entities	Open Road Brands / Allied
Direct reports	None	Effective	September 2026

ABOUT OPEN ROAD BRANDS

Open Road Brands creates products that connect, transforming art into scalable products, from Americana and nostalgia to licensed brands people love. We are a growing, licensed-brand manufacturer and wholesaler operating from multiple locations.

Our core values define how we work:

• Drive (Fuel): Wake up wanting it.
• Creative (Vision): Build what isn’t there yet.
• GSD (Execution): Finish it. Own it.
• Extra Mile (Scope): Better by default. Okay isn’t good enough.
• Do What’s Right (Integrity): The hard right over the easy wrong.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Human Resources Generalist owns the daily people operations of Open Road Brands and Allied. This role runs biweekly payroll, administers benefits end to end, carries full-cycle recruiting for exempt/non-exempt openings, resolves first-level employee relations matters, and delivers the recognition and events program,

The person in this seat is measured in completeness, cycle time, sound judgment, and follow-through. It suits someone who is organized, discreet, and unflappable when four urgent things land at once.

SCOPE & DECISION AUTHORITY

This role makes the following decisions independently:

• Decides and closes routine benefits matters directly with employees and carriers.
• Decides which candidates advance in hourly and non-exempt searches and delivers finalists to hiring managers.
• Determines whether first-level employee matters warrant coaching or documentation, and closes them independently.
• Directs the recognition and events program, what, when, and how within the approved annual budget.

Reserved to Head of Human Resources: benefit plan design, renewals, and cost decisions; compensation bands and FLSA classifications; salaried and executive searches; serious employee relations matters as defined under Key Responsibilities; and HR strategy and policy governance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll & HR Operations

• Process biweekly payroll in Paycom end to end, verify time records, PTO, and pay changes; resolve discrepancies; submit on schedule. The Head of HR serves as trained backup.
• Maintain employee data in Paycom, including new hires, status changes, terminations, and reporting relationships, etc.
• Maintain employee files to the ORB records taxonomy, including confidential, medical, and I-9 segregation requirements.
• Complete employment verifications, unemployment claim responses, and routine compliance reporting.

Benefits Administration

• Own benefits administration start to finish: process enrollments, changes, and qualifying life events; interpret plan rules for employees.
• Resolve employee benefits and claims issues directly with employees and carriers through closure.
• Run open enrollment execution end-to-end, communications, meetings, enrollment processing, and reconciliation.
• Escalate plan design, renewal, and cost-impact questions to Head of HR.

Employee Support & First-Level Employee Relations

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on pay, benefits, PTO, leave, and policy; resolve routine questions directly.
• Take the first conversation on routine employee relations matters, attendance, minor conflicts, policy issues, and exercise judgment on coaching versus documentation; assist in drafting write-ups and close matters independently.
• Escalate matters involving potential termination, legal exposure, harassment, or manager conduct to the Head of HR, with a recommendation attached.
• Deliver new hire onboarding and orientation, including paperwork, systems access, workstation readiness, and first-week check-ins.
• Coordinate offboarding, final pay, equipment, access removal, exit interview scheduling, and maintain the termination data log.
• Administer leave of absence documentation and tracking under the direction of HR leadership.

Talent Acquisition — Hourly Full Cycle

• Administer the requisition intake process against published HR service timelines, including receipt confirmation and delivery-date communication.
• Post approved openings, manage the applicant tracking pipeline, screen candidates, and decide which candidates advance for hourly and non-exempt openings.
• Run interview scheduling and process coordination with hiring managers and candidates; deliver finalists with screening notes.
• Administer Culture Index surveys and maintain job pattern documentation for open seats.
• Conduct background and reference checks; prepare offer letters and new hire packets for HR approval.
• Serve as the day-to-day contact for external recruiting partners on active searches.

Job description authorship, FLSA determination, compensation band setting, and salaried/executive searches remain with the Director of Human Resources.

Employee Events, Recognition & Engagement

• Own the recognition program and company event calendar for both entities, what we do, when, and how within the approved annual budget.
• Plan and execute company events end to end: calendar, budget tracking, vendor coordination, logistics, setup, and day-of execution.
• Administer service anniversary and employee recognition programs on schedule.
• Distribute engagement and pulse surveys, compile results, and prepare reporting for HR leadership.
• Support internal communications, including announcements, bulletin boards, and employee-facing materials.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on HR generalist experience, including real exposure to benefits administration and employee relations.
• Payroll processing experience, or demonstrated HRIS depth with the aptitude to own a payroll cycle quickly.
• Strong written communication and airtight follow-through.
• Demonstrated discretion handling pay data and confidential information.
• Sound, defensible judgment, able to distinguish a coaching moment from a documentation matter.

Preferred

• Experience with Paycom.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or comparable HR certification.
• Familiarity with behavioral assessment tools
• Familiarity with Culture Index, DISC, Gallup.
• Experience in an organization running EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).
• Experience supporting a multi-entity or multi-site workforce.

SUCCESS MEASURES

Performance in this seat is evaluated against the following measures:

• Payroll processed on schedule every cycle with no missed pay dates and no repeat data errors.
• Benefits enrollments and qualifying events processed accurately and on time; employee benefits issues worked to closure without unnecessary escalation.
• Requisitions acknowledged within three business days and coordination deliverables met within the published ten-business-day standard, 100% of the time.
• Onboarding complete before day one for 100% of new hires, paperwork, systems access, workstation, and orientation scheduled.
• Employee questions acknowledged within one business day; first-level employee relations matters closed with clean documentation; defined escalations raised the same day.
• Employee files pass quarterly audit against the ORB records taxonomy with no compliance findings.
• Company events delivered on the published calendar and within approved budget.

WHERE THIS ROLE GOES

This is a growing People function. The role is built to grow with it toward senior ownership of programs and processes as the function expands. The ceiling here is set by what the person in the seat takes and runs with.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position works on-site in an office environment with regular presence on the manufacturing and warehouse floor. The role requires extended periods of computer and desk work, along with frequent movement between office and production areas. Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds is required for event setup and materials handling. Required personal protective equipment must be worn in designated areas. The plant environment includes exposure to noise, dust, and variable temperatures. Occasional travel between the Wichita and Kansas City sites is required, and occasional work outside standard hours is required to support company events, hiring activity, and safety. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications, and duties may be added, removed, or changed at any time at the discretion of the company.

Open Road Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.