HR Manager

About MadTree Brewing
Founded in 2013, MadTree is an award-winning brewery that's rooted in Cincinnati and planted in purpose. Driven to craft great beer - but more importantly - build a business dedicated to doing good, MadTree protects and celebrates nature while reducing impact on the environment. MadTree is a
*B Corp certified
company and proud member of
1% for the Planet*
with a commitment to donate 1% of sales to local, sustainable nonprofits. MadTree strives to create warm and welcoming experiences, exceed expectations, and most importantly, plant a better community. They put purpose in every pour, and raise a glass to doing things differently.

*We are MadTree. Rooted in Cincy. Planted in Purpose.
MadTree is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that inspires madness while being rooted in purpose. We offer a competitive compensation package plus great benefits like subsidized health insurance, a retirement plan with a match, free mental health therapy visits, paid time off, and many other great perks.*
HR Manager (People Strategy Manager)

*TEAM:*
People Strategy Team

*LOCATION:*
Cincinnati, OH (Oakley Office primary)

*JOB TYPE:*
Full-Time

*REPORTS TO:*
People Strategy Director

*SALARY RANGE:*
$70,000 — $80,000 — $90,000

*WHY JOIN MADTREE AS THE HR MANAGER?
At MadTree, HR isn't back-office – it's culture-building, problem-solving, and helping 320 humans thrive across our hospitality + manufacturing workforce. We're seeking a hands-on
*HR Manager
to be the operational engine of our team - someone cares deeply and wants to make a real impact.**

• Build, don't just maintain – Design systems, frameworks, & tools that will serve MadTree for years
• Real complexity, real impact – Navigate the unique challenges of hospitality & manufacturing across a 320-person workforce
• Leadership opportunity – Supervise and develop while amplifying your impact
• Shape the function & grow – Partner directly with the People Strategy Director to define how HR operates here, setting us up for continued growth and more opportunities
• Purpose you can feel – Work for a B-Corp certified, 1% for the Planet company where doing good is built into the business

Total Rewards & Benefits
✓
*Transparent*
salary range: $70K-$90K

✓
*401(k) with 3% company match company-wide*
+ optional life FSA, short/long-term insurance

✓
*Comprehensive health benefits*
(medical, dental, vision)

✓
*Paid Time Off
✓
16 hours paid volunteer time*
annually + company-wide Community Impact Day

✓
*Enjoy what we create*
with regular gift cards for MadTree food, beverages, and merch

✓
*Continued growth*
& learning opportunities

✓
*Nature-inspired workspaces*
designed to connect people to nature and each other

✓
*Face-to-face humanity*
—Real human connection, not screen isolation

✓
*A team that gives a f*ck*
– People who are passionate and genuinely care

Position Summary

• Lead core HR operations including benefits, leave administration, compliance, HR data integrity, employee relations support, and vendor/broker management.
• Operates initially as 65% practitioner / 35% systems builder, shifting toward a 50/50 model as infrastructure scales.
• Manage a part-time HR Coordinator and serve as the organization's primary resource for HR compliance, benefits questions, and leave case management across hospitality, manufacturing, and corporate teams across multiple sites/locations.
• Be an avid MadTree ambassador living the behaviors – Connect, Grow, and Give a F*ck.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities
*Benefits, Compensation & Vendor Management*

• Owns end-to-end benefits administration including enrollment, changes, terminations, and annual open enrollment.
• Manages broker, carrier, and TPA relationships; holds vendors accountable for service levels while maximizing value. Serves as day-to-day contact ensuring partners deliver and proactively bring solutions.
• Partners with PS Director on renewals, claim reviews, plan design, and benefits strategy.
• Monitors self-funded health plan performance (claims trends, utilization, cost drivers); coordinates on escalations and stop-loss notifications; ensures accurate eligibility and flags anomalies for review.
• Coordinates FSA, HSA, & voluntary benefit vendors for seamless employee experience.
• Supports compensation processes: job descriptions, pay changes, market data, pay equity monitoring, and wage/hour compliance (tip credit, OT) in partnership with payroll.

*Leave & Compliance Management*

• Administers all leave and case management programs (FMLA, ADA, workers' comp, company policies) including complex scenarios like intermittent leave, overlapping leave types, and return-to-work across multiple locations.
• Partners with Operations on workplace safety, OSHA reporting, incident investigations, and workers' comp claims.
• Maintains compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws including wage/hour, tip pool regulations, and posting requirements.
• Leads / supports audits related to employment practices, benefits, & regulatory compliance.
• Maintains Team Member Handbook and location policies; coordinates annual reviews with PS Director; communicates updates across all locations.

*Employee Relations, Performance & Manager Development*

• Serves as primary contact for routine employee relations (coaching support, attendance, performance concerns, ER conflicts employee, non-critical investigations; partners with managers for timely resolution.
• Supports managers with coaching conversations, corrective action, and PIPs; escalates potential terminations, harassment/discrimination concerns, AGM+ leaders, and significant legal exposure to the PS Director.
• Coordinates w/ Director on semi-annual performance review cycles, including timeline, training, calibration, and Rippling administration.
• Develops and delivers manager training & development programs on compliance, HR systems (Coaching App), HRIS (Rippling), benefits, and people practices; aligns curriculum & content with PS Director. Maintain, track and ensure effectiveness of all systems.
• Escalates to PS Director: potential terminations, harassment/discrimination, AGM+ leaders, and significant legal exposure.
• Executes compliance training (harassment prevention, safety, onboarding); ensures completion tracking and audit readiness.
• Partners with the PS Director on strategic initiatives including the Manager Toolkit, manager capability gap analysis, and targeted learning solutions.
• Supervises the part-time HR Coordinator; provides coaching, feedback, and development while managing workload distribution (Impact + HR).
• Serves as an escalation point for managers on benefits, leave, and compliance questions.

*HR Systems, Process Improvement & Change Management*

• Designs workflows that reduce manual work and improve employee/manager experience.
• Creates process documentation for consistent execution, delegation, and sustainable ops.
• Identifies automation opportunities; leverages HR tech to improve self-service capabilities.
• Maintains HRIS and dashboards with weekly/monthly metrics; manages HR analytics and reporting (headcount, turnover, staffing).
• Leads required compliance reporting (ACA, EEO-1, OSHA) with accuracy and timeliness.
• Fosters a warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment aligned with MadTree values.
• Partners with the PS Director on engagement, recognition, and retention initiatives.
• Completes 16 hours of paid volunteering annually for MadTree Impact initiatives.

*Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning*

• Partners with hiring managers & PS Director on full-cycle recruiting support efficient, compliant recruiting processes.
• Maintains and optimizes ATS, candidate pipeline management, job postings, tracking.
• Coordinates screening, scheduling, offer letters, and pre-employment processes.
• Ensures consistent onboarding experience from orientation through first 30 days.
• Tracks recruiting metrics, lifecycle survey data, turnover to inform planning.

Qualification Requirements

• BA in Human Resources, Business Administration, or equivalent experience
• 3–6 years progressive HR experience, with demonstrated strength in benefits administration, leave management, and HR compliance (HR generalist or HR operations background preferred
• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ERISA, and federal/state employment laws
• Experience managing HR vendors (brokers, carriers, TPAs) and supporting a self-funded or complex benefits environment
• Proficiency with HRIS systems (Rippling preferred), benefits platforms, and Microsoft Office/Google Workspace; comfortable with HR reporting and workflow improvement
• Strong judgment, discretion, and the ability to support sensitive employee-relations issues
• Ability to travel between locations and occasionally work outside standard hours; must be 21+

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (Helpful But Not Required)

• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP).
• Supervisory or team lead experience.
• Experience in hospitality or manufacturing environments, especially multi-unit restaurant/bar operations.
• Exposure to self-funded health plans (stop-loss, TPA management, claims analysis).
• Familiarity with tip pooling and wage/hour compliance.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly sit, stand, and walk.
• Ability to frequently talk and hear.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms. Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

*WORK ENVIRONMENT:*
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The work environment is usually that of an office, bar, restaurant, and brewery.
• The employee occasionally works near hazardous materials.
• The employee occasionally works on wet floors.

*If you want your HR work to matter — to people, to community, and to purpose — we'd love to meet you***