HR Generalist I

At Kia, we’re creating award-winning products and redefining what value means in the automotive industry. It takes a special group of individuals to do what we do, and we do it together. Our culture is fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative. Our people thrive on thinking differently and challenging the status quo. We are creating something special here, a culture of learning and opportunity, where you can help Kia achieve big things and most importantly, feel passionate and connected to your work every day.

Kia provides team members with competitive benefits including premium paid medical, dental and vision coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) plan matching of 100% up to 6% of the salary deferral, and paid time off. Kia also offers company lease and purchase programs, company-wide holiday shutdown, paid volunteer hours, and premium lifestyle amenities at our corporate campus in Irvine, California.

Status

Nonexempt 

General Summary

The HR Generalist I provides administrative and operational support to the Talent Management team across a variety of HR functions. This role focuses on supporting daily HR processes, including personnel file maintenance, responding to general employee inquiries, assisting with recruitment activities, and supporting onboarding for both employees and contingent workers. The position will also help process HR invoices and collaborate with internal partners to troubleshoot onboarding issues. Internal partners include but not limited to Autoever (HAEA), Digital Technology (DT), HR Operations, etc.

This role is designed for individuals early in their HR career, offering opportunities to gain exposure to a broad range of HR practices while providing critical support to the HR team. The position requires a high level of organization, attention to detail, and customer service orientation, with the ability to handle sensitive information confidentially.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Priority One – 30%
HR Administrative Support

• Assist with general administrative tasks to support the Talent Management team.
• Maintain personnel files and ensure proper documentation is collected and stored.
• Respond to general employee inquiries from the HR inbox, escalating as appropriate.
• Provide day-to-day support to Talent Management team and the wider HR department as needed.

Priority Two – 30%
Talent Acquisition Support

• Conduct initial candidate assessment, and help organize recruiting activities.
• Schedule interviews and coordinate logistics with candidates and hiring managers.
• Source and review resumes, routing qualified candidates to recruiters, HR Generalists / HR Business Partners, and/or hiring managers.

Priority Three – 25%
Onboarding and Team Member Support

• Review new hire documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Track onboarding status and follow up on outstanding items.
• Submit onboarding tickets for employees and contingent workers.
• Partner with HAEA and DT to troubleshoot onboarding-related issues.
• Process offboarding for contingent workers.

Priority Four – 15%
Invoice and File Management Support

• Assist with processing HR-related invoices to ensure timely submission.
• Support HR projects related to personnel file audits and other compliance initiatives.

 

This list of essential responsibilities and duties is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary by management.

Qualifications/Education

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• PHR or SHRM-CP preferred.

Job Requirement

Job Requirements (Related Experience & Requirements)

• 1-3 years of administrative experience required.
• 1 to 3 years of HR support experience required.
• Proven experience in supporting full-cycle recruiting.
• Experience in an automotive OEM environment is a plus.
• Experience using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and HRIS; SuccessFactors experience preferred.
• Corporate experience at a multi-state or international company preferred.

Other Requirements

• Physical Requirements: normal office duties.
• May have up to 10% of domestic and/or international travel.
• May need to work additional hours outside of normal business hours as required by the job, including weekends or holidays.
• Ability to follow established processes and procedures while exercising sound judgment to escalate issues when necessary. Direction and prioritization are provided by HR Generali