Human Resources Generalist at The ACLU of Washington in Seattle, WA

Human Resources Generalist Position Open Until Filled First Review of Applicants Scheduled for November 2, 2026

The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) advances liberty and justice in the courts, in the legislatures, in the streets, and at the ballot box. Our work is rooted in the belief of a future where everyone in Washington, particularly those who have been historically and systematically denied full enjoyment of their promised civil rights and liberties, are free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values requires exceptional staff. Learn more about the ACLU-WA.

The Human Resources Generalist (HRG) will provide responsive day-to-day support to staff throughout the entire employee lifecycle, including addressing routine incoming employee inquiries, and supporting recruitment, hiring, onboarding and offboarding activities. In partnership with the Human Resources & Equity Director (HRED) and Human Resources Manager (HRM), the HRG provides reliable coverage across human resource functions to maintain departmental continuity and consistent human resources support across the organization.

The HRG reports to the HRED in the Human Resources Department and is part of the People Services team. People Services works to support our staff with the understanding that advancing justice starts internally through the vendors we select, the policies we create, and the culture we build.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitor the human resources mailbox and respond to routine inquiries in a timely manner while providing a high level of service to staff.
• Respond and support standard employee relations matters, proactively escalating issues requiring additional consultation, guidance and support to the HRED and/or HRM as appropriate.
• Maintain knowledge of ACLU-WA human resource policies and practices to support staff and help maintain continuity of day-to-day HR operations.
• Provide HR generalist support activities, related to the entire employee lifecycle and human resource functions as assigned to ensure continuity of HR operations during peak workloads, planned and unplanned absences, or as critical needs arise.
• Coordinate and facilitate recruitment and hiring activities including job postings, candidate communication, interview coordination, documentation retrieval and storage.
• Conduct human resources new hire orientation and onboarding activities, ensuring staff feel welcome and set up for success.
• Facilitate offboarding activities including staff communication, updates to employee records and final day collection of equipment and technology.
• Maintain human resource documentation (employee records, job descriptions, forms, HRIS data) in a confidential and secure manner following established process and procedures.
• Support training and development programing including scheduling, communications, preparation of materials, attendance tracking, training acknowledgements and other related activities as assigned.
• Aid in the creation of presentations, learning resources, job aids, communication materials, toolkits and other human resource training materials.
• Co-create and maintain scalable tools and resources related to the implementation of human resource initiatives.
• Contribute to departmental continuous improvement by proactively identifying opportunities for improvements to established process and procedures.
• Administer the organization’s learning management system (LMS), training records and related learning systems and technology to support consistent and compliant learning program delivery and tracking.
• Assist with the distribution of employee surveys, human resource data collection and reporting.
• Apply a consistent and reliable approach in day-to-day human resources work to support an equitable workplace.
• Handle a wide range of sensitive issues and confidential documents with discretion and good judgment.
• Adhere to recordkeeping, documentation, retention, and storage practices in alignment with organizational policies and legal requirements.
• Participate in and support human resource projects and initiatives as assigned.
• Sustain a current knowledge base of employment law and human resources best and next practices.
• Maintain confidentiality and accuracy when handling sensitive information, records, communication, and employee data.
• Perform other human resource related duties as assigned that are within the scope of the position.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• A strong commitment to the mission, vision, values and goals of the ACLU-WA.
• Bachelor's Degree required with focus in Human Resources or business-related field a plus.
• A minimum of three (3) years of relevant and progressively responsible human resources experience in a generalist capacity.
• Experience supporting a wide range of stakeholders in a complex and dynamic work environment.
• Advanced project management, organization, and time management skills with the capacity to manage multiple priorities while maintaining appropriate levels of communication with an attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and engage with employees across the organization with a wide range of needs and workstyles.
• Effective relationship building acumen with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.
• Knowledgeable of federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Experience with Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), learning management systems (LMS), Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to learn new systems.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain required levels of confidentiality for human resource matters and appropriately escalate sensitive or complex matters to appropriate HR or leadership team members.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity driven human resources practices.
• Successful completion of HR certification, i.e., PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP is a plus.

FUTURE WA ACLU'ers WILL

• Be committed to advancing the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU-WA.
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives.
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.

LOCATION: Seattle, Washington

CLASSIFICATION: This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. The ACLU-WA reserves the right to change the content of this posting at any time without advance notice. This position is “non exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act and approved at (1) fulltime equivalent (FTE).

MENTAL DEMAND: Decision-making, high emotional intelligence, giving and receiving feedback and building trusting relationships. The nature of this work can be emotionally demanding and requires thoughtful and clear communication and resilience.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS: The ACLU-WA observes a hybrid workstyle, with some staff working primarily remotely while others work in the office several days a week. The position requires maintaining some physical file records and word processing and is expected to observe an in-person hybrid workstyle. This position is required to work in the office a minimum of two (2) days per week.

Our office is generally open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is located in downtown Seattle. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required and encountered by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Input information into a computer for long periods of time.
• Access information communicated through a computer.
• Work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Periodically work long and extended hours.
• Travel locally and regionally as needed.

TOTAL COMPENSATION: The ACLU-WA seeks to provide equitable and competitive compensation for attracting and retaining staff with the skill, judgment, and perseverance to confront challenges to civil rights and civil liberties. The hourly wage for this position is $48.35 to $59.34. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.

Starting pay is determined using our established salary scale, which places candidates within the range based on their years of direct and indirect relevant professional experience. During the hiring process, we review your resume to calculate qualifying experience using the same methodology for every candidate.

BENEFITS: Generous benefits include three weeks of vacation, twenty-three sick days given in 2026, twelve paid holidays and two weeks of paid office closure. Employer-paid professional development, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, a retirement plan with employer contributions, student loan reimbursement, family care and adoption assistance, life insurance, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.

ACLU-WA provides laptops, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support. You will need an effective Wi-Fi connection and a way to communicate by phone. This position is eligible for a $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: To apply, please submit a résumé and three references on our online job portal.

REFERENCES: Please submit with your application three professional references who can provide feedback about and have direct knowledge of your work experience. Note that there may be outreach to other references that fall outside of your designated list. We will extend a conditional offer of employment before conducting reference checks.

HIRING TIMELINE: This position is open until filled with the first review of candidates scheduled for November 2, 2026. We will schedule interviews with qualified candidates after the first review of candidates.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) are core values of the ACLU-WA and are foundational to our work to advance liberty, equality and justice for all. When we secure liberty, freedom and justice for those most marginalized, we ensure everyone experiences dignity and equity, enjoying freedoms unimpeded by racial, economic injustice and other forms of oppression. This work requires our collective commitment.

With this in mind, we value a diverse workforce and an inclusive work culture. The ACLU-WA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, record of arrest or conviction and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACLU-WA is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected] to receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the application process. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding accommodations during the interview process.