Sr. HR Specialist at Eternal Optimist – Louisville, Kentucky

This role supports a locally owned independent restaurant group across four concepts

spanning full-service and fast casual formats. The Senior HR Specialist manages HR

operations across all locations, supporting recruitment, onboarding, employee

documentation, benefits, compliance, and day-to-day administrative functions.

This is a combination administrative and HR generalist role that advises managers while

also handling the operational and administrative side of HR and the business. The

position reports to the VP of Restaurant Operations and works closely with the VP of

Culinary Operations and operating partners.

This role requires a high degree of autonomy and the ability to prioritize across

competing demands with minimal direction. It is a hands-on, onsite position and is not

remote. Flexibility for evening and weekend hours, to meet the needs of the team, is

expected on an as needed basis.

Typical Responsibilities

• Coordinate hiring across all restaurants, including: posting jobs, screening

applicants, interviewing, and managing offer letters. Includes creation and

management of postings and processes within the HRIS and maintaining

applicant files for compliance.

• Lead new employee onboarding including all required documentation, review and

management of handbooks and policies, benefit options overview, and

completion of required information in the HRIS.

• Maintain employee files within the HRIS and conduct regular audits to ensure

accuracy in records and compliance.

• Serve as an accessible, trusted first point of contact for employee questions and

concerns across all locations, escalating to the VP of Restaurant Operations and

ownership as appropriate.

• Support grievance management at two fast casual locations with unionized

hourly workforces and ensure CBA compliance at those locations.

• Manage the day-to-day relationship with ADP, ensuring all documentation is

provided and questions are answered for timely and accurate payroll processing.

• Administer benefits enrollment, communications, and changes.

• Administer unemployment claims and workers’ compensation claim filings.

Support communication between the groups and employees.

• Track employee certifications, training, disciplines, and required documentation

within the HRIS with notifications for expiration.

• Assist with employee relations documentation and investigations; coach

managers as needed. Assist with attendance tracking management.

• Support and lead all employee compliance efforts. Ensure compliance with

federal, state, and local employment laws.

• Help administer training programs for managers and staff.

• Track labor compliance. Work with VP of Restaurant Operations to determine

key HR performance indicators and track metrics.

• Support leadership with organizational culture and retention initiatives.

• Manage business licenses and permit renewals across all locations, oversee

incoming mail and correspondence, and handle light office management tasks

that keep day-to-day operations running smoothly.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of HR experience

• Hospitality or high-volume hourly workforce experience preferred

• Knowledge of FLSA, wage and hour laws, and tip credit compliance

• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems; ADP experience preferred

• Familiarity with collective bargaining agreements and basic union relations

• HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR) preferred, not required

• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, independent restaurant group

undergoing organizational growth

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust across a diverse hourly

and salaried workforce