Associate Human Resource Business Partner Jobs in Rochester, NY

Description 

The HR Manager runs the day-to-day HR function for Fortitude - serving as the business partner to the operations team and building out the processes and programs behind it - as the Company scales and prepares to operate as a public company. Reporting to the CHRO, this person is the first point of contact for day-to-day employee support, with the largest share of that work supporting operations as HR business partner to site managers and the VP of Operations. It is a hands-on role responsible for partnering closely with the Company's PEO, keeping HRIS data accurate through regular audits, documenting HR processes and SOPs, and coordinating recruiting and onboarding across remote and site-based teams. The role also supports employee engagement and talent programs and serves as the CHRO's right hand on cross-functional projects - translating strategy into executable rollouts. This is an exciting time to join a growing team, with the opportunity to build, scale, and roll out the programs that support our employee base - and real room to leave a mark at an early-stage company.

Key Responsibilities 

HR Business Partnership & Employee Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for day-to-day employee support - answering questions, resolving routine and moderately complex employee relations matters, and escalating to the CHRO where appropriate.
• Act as the HR business partner to the operations department, where the largest share of this role's support sits - building trusted, credible relationships with site managers and the VP of Operations.
• Partner with site managers and the VP of Operations on staffing, scheduling, attendance, performance, safety culture, and employee relations matters, providing practical, on-the-ground HR support.
• Build a regular cadence of in-person time at the mining and repair operations site to stay connected to that workforce's specific needs and day-to-day realities.

HR Operations, Process & Controls

• Help document and maintain HR SOPs and process maps across payroll, onboarding/offboarding, leave, benefits, and data management.
• Support and help maintain HR controls and approval workflows for data changes, pay changes, and access provisioning, with clear segregation of duties and auditable trails.
• Identify process gaps and inefficiencies and help drive continuous improvement - standardizing, streamlining, and automating manual work as the Company
• Own HR policy administration and the employee handbook, keeping documentation current, consistent, and compliant across jurisdictions.
• Support the year-end performance management process, including the merit cycle - coordinating timelines, manager communications, and documentation.
• Maintain the HRIS as the single source of truth for headcount, org structure, compensation records, and employee data - keeping it accurate and up to date through regular audits.
• Run and maintain recurring reports and dashboards (headcount, turnover, time-to-fill).
• Work closely with the Company's PEO (TriNet) on HR operations matters spanning payroll, reporting, leaves, and compliance - understanding the applicable rules well enough to navigate them, preparing employee communications, and working leave and compliance matters through to resolution.
• Support workers' compensation administration and incident documentation for the mining site and repair operations, coordinating with site supervisors and the insurance broker.

Talent Acquisition

• Own the administrative side of recruiting in Greenhouse - job postings, interview scheduling, candidate communication, offer letters, and background checks.
• Partner with hiring managers and outside staffing agencies to move roles from intake through offer across both corporate/remote roles and site-based mining and repair operations roles.
• Interview candidates alongside hiring managers and make sure the right process, tools, and templates are in place to support the Company's talent acquisition goals.
• Run onboarding in Greenhouse for new hires, including site-specific requirements such as certifications and safety training.

Employee Engagement Programs

• Serve as the frontline point of contact for benefits questions and open enrollment administration.
• Support rollout of company-wide programs and policies.
• Help design and run employee engagement initiatives - engagement surveys, feedback loops, recognition programs, and follow-up action planning - and track engagement trends over time.
• Help execute our core talent programs as the function matures: the onboarding experience, a performance-review cadence, simple career frameworks, and manager enablement.

Special Projects

• Serve as the CHRO's operational right hand on cross-functional projects - translating decisions on compensation, equity, and governance into executable plans, timelines, and clean rollouts.
• Support company-wide policy rollouts, attestations, and compliance training logistics.
• Support with preparing data and executive-ready HR materials for board presentations and managing the logistics behind them.
• Support HR vendors and systems - TriNet (PEO), Greenhouse (ATS), HRIS, benefits brokers, background-check providers, and other HR vendors - including SLAs, renewals, and issue resolution.

Required Qualifications 

• 7+ years of progressive HR experience across HR operations, compliance, employment law, and HRIS/payroll work, ideally including multi-state and a mix of exempt and non-exempt populations.
• Experience as an HR business partner or supporting a business unit or department from a partnership perspective - building relationships with leaders and managers and advising them on people matters.
• Demonstrated experience building and documenting HR processes, SOPs, and controls.
• A track record designing or running employee engagement and talent initiatives (engagement surveys, onboarding experience, performance cadence, recognition programs).
• Experience with compensation design and administration practices - market analysis and benchmarking, preparing offer recommendations grounded in market data, and supporting the year-end performance management and merit cycle.
• Experience working across a range of HR systems and engagement platforms spanning payroll, recruiting, and engagement.
• AI savvy - demonstrated experience and success using AI tools (Claude preferred) to improve efficiency and streamline HR work.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field.
• Direct experience supporting non-exempt employees across multiple sites/locations.
• Experience working at a startup or high-growth environment and experience scaling up.
• HR certification such as SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR.
• Prior experience working at a public company in an HR department.

Work Environment 

Fortitude operates as a lean, fast-moving team, and this role is no exception. We're looking for a self-starter who's energized by a hands-on, high-velocity environment where priorities shift quickly and there's real ownership from day one. This is a great fit for someone who wants to roll up their sleeves and grow with the Company in one of the most exciting and fast-evolving industries today. Success in this role means taking charge without waiting to be asked - spotting what needs to happen, forming a point of view, and bringing recommendations. We're looking for someone who is genuinely helpful, takes feedback well, and learns fast with every cycle.

• This role can be based remotely from the Northeast U.S. or from a location in the Central time zone.
• Some travel should be expected as needed to support business needs, including visiting sites across our footprint.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• The chance to work in a fast-paced and fun start-up environment with experienced industry leaders
• A learning environment where you can dive deep into the latest technologies and make an impact
• Competitive base salary, bonus and incentive compensation
• Discretionary time off - work with your manager to take time off when you need it
• Professional development budget with flexibility for personal and professional growth
• Outstanding health insurance for employee, partner and dependents
• Life insurance, short-term & long-term disability coverage
• 401K plan with company contribution
• Flexible spending programs for medical and dependent care
• Paid parental leave