Sr. HR Generalist

About Lincoln Avenue Communities

Welcome to Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC)—a leading, mission-driven real estate private equity firm dedicated to strengthening communities through the development and preservation of affordable housing.

As a vertically integrated developer, investor, and long-term operator, we deliver sustainable, high-quality homes to lower- and moderate-income individuals, seniors, and families across 30 states. Our growing portfolio—with more than 180 properties home to 80,000+ residents—reflects our commitment to long-term impact, operational excellence, and resident well-being.

LAC is proud to be recognized as an industry leader, recently ranked No. 1 on Affordable Housing Finance’s 2025 AHF 50 list of top developers. Our approach combines strategic investment, thoughtful design, and community partnerships to deliver housing solutions that foster stability, opportunity, and resilience.

About This Role

We’re looking for a seasoned Sr. HR Generalist to join our dynamic People Team and take ownership of critical HR operations, compliance, and engagement initiatives. This role is for a proactive problem-solver who can spot opportunities, design practical solutions, and execute with precision to support our growing organization. You’ll balance hands-on HR operations with strategic contributions, ensuring our people programs are scalable, compliant, and aligned with our culture and business goals.

Partnering closely with the VP, Human Resources, People and cross-functional teams, you’ll drive processes that enhance the employee experience, streamline operations, and deliver measurable impact. If you thrive on variety, excel at turning insights into action, and want to shape a high-performing HR function, this is the role for you.

This position reports to the VP, Human Resources and is based in downtown Santa Monica with a hybrid in-office schedule.

What You'll Do

Compliance & HR Operations

• Manage end-to-end HR compliance processes, including leaves of absence, policy enforcement, records management, and regulatory reporting, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and local laws.
• Stay ahead of legal and compliance changes, recommending practical policy updates to keep the organization protected and agile.
• Conduct internal audits to maintain process integrity across the employee lifecycle, addressing gaps with clear, actionable fixes.
• Lead offboarding processes, ensuring consistency, compliance, and a respectful employee experience.
• Act as a trusted resource for employees and managers on HR policies and sensitive issues, handling inquiries with discretion and empathy.
• Keep employee handbooks, SOPs, and HRIS systems up-to-date, ensuring they reflect current practices and support operational efficiency.

Employee Engagement & Culture Programs

• Design and deliver high-impact engagement programs, such as company-wide culture events, recognition initiatives, and milestone celebrations, for morale and retention.
• Manage program logistics, budgets, and vendors, using feedback and retrospectives to refine and improve outcomes.
• Build scalable templates, toolkits, and resources that enable teams to run consistent, high-quality programs independently.
• Gather employee feedback through surveys and conversations, using insights to propose and implement initiatives that strengthen culture and connection.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Enhance HR workflows like onboarding, internal mobility, and performance feedback to support scalability and a seamless employee experience.
• Utilize AI tools to design, test, and optimize HR processes, such as automating onboarding workflows, analyzing engagement survey data, or generating insights for policy improvements, ensuring efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
• Partner with the VP, Human Resources on cross-functional projects, contributing insights to improve performance, engagement, or compliance strategies.
• Leverage HR analytics and employee feedback to identify trends, diagnose issues, and propose data-driven solutions that drive business value.
• Collaborate across the People Team to ensure cohesive program delivery and alignment with organizational priorities.

What You'll Bring

• Solid understanding of employment laws and HR best practices, with the ability to apply them practically to solve real-world challenges.
• Experience handling sensitive employee issues with empathy, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Proven ability to manage projects end-to-end, from planning and execution to measuring outcomes, with strong organizational skills.
• Clear, concise communication skills—written and verbal—for engaging employees, managers, and stakeholders.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity, balancing day-to-day tasks with longer-term strategic thinking.

Your Education and Experience

• 5-7 years of HR experience in fast-paced, high-growth settings, with a strong foundation in compliance, operations, events and employee engagement.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Familiarity with HR tools like 15Five, Notion, and HRIS platforms; experience with AI-driven HR tools/workflows or analytics a plus.

What We Offer

The expected base salary for the role is $110,000 – $135,000. This represents the current range and is subject to change. To determine starting pay we carefully consider a variety of factors, including primary work location and an evaluation of a candidate’s skills, experience, market demands, and internal parity. Our comprehensive total rewards package offers more than just a salary. Benefits include:

• Performance-based bonuses
• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) plan with employer matching and immediate vesting
• Life and disability insurance
• Generous PTO, holidays, and sick time
• Paid parental leave
• Employee referral incentives
• Fun company and team-building events
• Continuous learning and development opportunities

Equal Employment Opportunity

LAC is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. At LAC, we conform to the spirit and the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.