HR Generalist
About Cara Credit Union
Cara Credit Union, now Ireland’s 5th largest community credit union, is proud to serve its members throughout County Kerry and be immersed in the hearts of our local communities. We believe our people are key to our success and are committed to developing our people for the continued success and growth of our business.
We are delighted to announce that we are recruiting for a HR Generalist to join our team and champion our people agenda. Reporting to the COO, this is a permanent, full-time (37 hours per week) position, located in Tralee and open to hybrid working arrangements. Travel throughout the branch network will be required.
Purpose of the Role
At Cara Credit Union, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to nurturing a workplace culture that values collaboration, trust, continuous learning, and personal growth. The HR Generalist will play a central role in shaping, sustaining, and evolving this culture—supporting and coaching our management team to lead with empathy and purpose. The core aim of the role is to ensure there is a motivated competent workforce in place for the smooth running of the organisation, keeping the aims, strategies and goals of the credit union to the forefront.
Working in close partnership with key stakeholders, the HR Generalist will act as a subject matter expert on all people-related matters, providing guidance rooted in best practice, compliance, and a deep commitment to engagement and the employee experience. This role will be responsible for overseeing and guiding our people leaders through the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management and development, and compliance with employment legislation. The role will foster shared learning and professional growth through 1:1 coaching, team trainings, and collaborative focus groups, with the aim of empowering our managers to lead confidently and consistently, enabling their teams to thrive in a positive, high-performing environment aligned with our credit union values.
The role will support the development and implementation of HR policies and processes, ensuring they are consistently applied across the organisation and oversee the optimum utilisation of the credit union’s time management system.
Key Responsibilities
Employee Lifecycle & People Management
- Manage and act as a trusted advisor, partnering with the management team, in all people related matters such as recruitment, onboarding, performance management, probation reviews, and offboarding.
- Manage the recruitment process end to end within the credit union, in conjunction with the relevant hiring manager.
- Establish HR KPIs and leverage these to provide strategic insights to the Senior Management Team to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
- Oversee the organisation’s absence management process, ensuring that absence reporting procedures are followed consistently, and managers are supported in conducting timely and meaningful return-to-work meetings, promoting a culture of care and accountability. Ensure all matters to do with HR including contracts, salaries, salary changes, benefits, EVP, EAP, probation reviews, performance reviews, etc. are managed, coordinated, approved and signed off by the COO, CEO and Senior Management Team.
- Provide HR reports, updates, and analytics to the COO, CEO and Senior Management Team.
- Act as the escalation for employee HR queries or concerns, ensuring all are resolved in a timely and accurate manner.
- Ensure all HR files, database and documentation are accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with GDPR guidelines.
Training & Development
- Keep up to date with employment law regulations and implement any relevant changes and act within the policies as laid down by the Board, the governance and rules of the Credit Union, the Credit Union Act 1997 (as amended), and any other regulations, guidelines and laws in force.
- Partner with the Training & Quality Manager to identify skill gaps and design relevant development programs across teams.
- Facilitate organisation-wide learning sessions and tailored leadership development initiatives to support team growth and cohesion.
- Promote a learning culture that encourages diverse perspectives, fosters inclusion, and integrates DEI principles into training initiatives, ensuring a collaborative and respectful environment for all employees.
- Promote a learning culture where feedback, reflection, and coaching are integral to how we grow together.
Policy & Procedure Management
- Support the COO in reviewing, updating, preparing and rolling out HR policies, procedures, handbooks, and tools to standardise HR processes across the Credit Union, enabling line managers to take ownership of HR and deliver effective and standardised people management and development with their teams.
- Ensure all HR documentation is compliant with employment legislation and is securely stored.
- Undertake HR compliance reviews and address any identified gaps in policies or procedures.
- The HR department plays a crucial role in overseeing Minimum Competency (MCC) compliance and Fitness and Probity standards for employees. This includes ensuring that individuals meet regulatory requirements, process the necessary qualifications, and uphold ethical standards in their roles. HR facilitates training, monitors adherence, and supports employees in maintaining professional integrity, safeguarding both the organisation and its stakeholders.
Time Management System
- Oversee and manage the Softworks time management system, ensuring proper use by line managers for attendance and time tracking.
- Liaise with Finance to resolve any potential payroll or leave related queries and communicate with employees in a timely manner.
Culture & Employee Relations
- Work with the Senior Management Team to drive a proactive culture and manage change initiatives, ensuring alignment with the credit union’s strategic goals.
- Coach and support people leaders in building strong, healthy teams by applying best practice in engagement, communication, and performance management.
- Collaborate with people leaders to build their capability in applying HR best practice and leading through change with empathy and confidence.
- Lead by example in how we manage and resolve employee concerns—ensuring a fair, timely, and solutions-focused approach to all HR queries and ER issues.
- Manage and oversee the disciplinary, grievance, and other HR-related procedures.
Performance Management
- Guide managers through the performance management cycle with a focus on development and continuous feedback.
- Ensure performance processes are meaningful, timely, and support individual and team success.
- Conduct regular audits of performance management processes for quality and consistency.
Role Requirements
- Third level qualification in Business or HR; CIPD membership desirable.
- A minimum of five years previous HR experience along with strong recruitment experience.
- HR Expertise & Acumen: In-depth understanding of HR processes, Irish employment law, and best practices.
- Interpersonal Communication & Relationship Building: Ability to influence, communicate effectively, and build strong relationships across all levels.
- Culture Leadership & Engagement: Passion for people, culture, and workplace wellbeing.
- Change & Resilience: Comfortable leading people through transformation and ambiguity.
- Problem-Solving & Decision Making: Ability to identify issues and implement solutions in a timely manner.
- Teamwork & Collaboration: Works openly and supportively with others to achieve collective goals.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and diverse perspectives are welcomed.
- Organisational Planning & Prioritisation: Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks efficiently.
- Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy in all HR-related tasks and documentation.
- Presentation & Training Skills: Strong presentation skills, capable of delivering training sessions to the organisation.
- Focus on Results & KPIs: Demonstrates accountability in meeting HR objectives and driving performance improvements.
- Technology: Ideally possesses experience in implementing/utilising HR systems that assist in the management of key HR processes, as well as minimising administrative tasks.
Cara Credit Union is proud to support a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Cara Credit Union is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Applications, with an up-to-date CV and cover letter, by close of business on 8th May 2025.
Shortlisting may apply, and an assessment will be completed based on the information provided in the application.