What We Do

At Applegreen, we Refresh Travelers on their Journey…. ApplegreenUSA operates over 80 travel plazas across the Northeast and Midwest that provide convenience, comfort, retail, and an extensive range of delicious food options such as Auntie Anne’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Cinnabon, Dunkin Donuts, Panda Express, Panera, Popeyes, Pret, Shake Shack, Starbucks, and many more.

Our Core Values

Our Core Values are what we stand for. They guide and motivate our attitudes and behaviors to our customers, our suppliers, our business partners, and each other.

• Our customers and communities are at the heart of everything we do.
• We value and develop our people.
• We are driven by pace, passion, and performance.
• We seek opportunities and embrace change.

What You’ll Do

The HR Specialist will play an integral role in all facets of “front-line” HR support and leadership for 21 Travel Plazas across the NJ Region. Reporting to the Regional HR Business Partner, and building close partnerships at all levels, this position has responsibilities which include ER investigations, coaching and counselling, staffing initiatives, and other culture building activities both internally and externally. As the NJ business continues to scale, the HR Specialist will streamline our people standards through automation, consistent tracking, and monthly people reporting by district. A primary focus will be placed on timely Associate Relations activities, including—ensuring interactive processes, thorough documentation practices, and enabling productive, inclusive, and fair workplaces.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Represent the Applegreen brand at on-site regional hiring events such as job fairs; Maintain knowledge of hiring needs within the region.
• Assist with recruiting in difficult to hire markets; coordinate with local schools and community organizations to source candidates.
• Partner with HR Coordinators and hiring managers to ensure a smooth onboarding experience for new hires.
• Compile information on exit interview trends and report data to HRBP.
• Respond to basic employee inquiries regarding policies and procedures, benefits, pay, safety, etc.
• Compile reports related to various company and employment compliance requirements such as minor violations, I-9 completion, training certifications, etc.
• Conducts initial interviews and gathers information for employee relations matters such as time & attendance issues, employee complaints, work performance issues or other concerns; refers complex matters to HR Generalist or HR Business Partner.
• Review corrective action documentation and, if needed, suggest changes to meet company standards.
• Ensure timely follow-up, progress, and completion of corrective actions flowing from internal investigations (development/management of tracking tool)
• With Regional HRBP, oversee implementation of action plans stemming from site-specific people trends, compliance opportunities, and employee engagement survey results.
• Leverage resources and proactively collaborate with senior HR team partners to ensure the applicable policies, trainings and risk mitigation strategies are in place to support company mission, values, and policies.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of HR systems and practices in the region and the company.
• Support employee engagement activities and proactively identify and elevate additional opportunities to improve the employee experience.
• Take part in and organize internal and external plaza events; participate in US HR meetings/trainings.
• Participate in HR projects which helps to develop and strengthen HR operations.
• Be a role model of high people standards and clear performance development communications.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state and local employment laws; identify and escalate risks.

Requirements

• 2 years of Human Resources experience including recruiting and onboarding. Experience in retail and/or the food and beverage industry is a definite advantage.
• Ability to travel to various sites within the region for both planned and unplanned site visits.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred.
• Strong communication skills; written, verbal and listening.
• Bilingual or multilingual preferred.
• Experience establishing and maintaining relationships within a team and with internal partners.
• Experience creating employee data reports by assembling, preparing, and analyzing data.
• Expert at multi-tasking with continued attention to detail.
• Expert in time management such as prioritizing/organizing and tracking details and meeting deadlines of multiple projects with varying completion dates in a very fast paced environment.
• Ability to properly handle confidential and/or sensitive information with discretion.
• Basic knowledge of state and federal employment laws including ADA, FLSA, FMLA.
• Proficient in technology; applicant tracking systems, HRIS, Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Experience using ADP Workforce Now is a plus.
• SHRM or PHR certification preferred.

Benefits

• Flexible Schedules
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 401 (k) with Company Match
• Earned Wage Access – Pay on Demand
• Education Assistance
• Meal Discount
• Pet Insurance

This is not an exhaustive list of all functions that may be required to perform, and the employee may be required to perform additional functions. Additionally, the job responsibilities may change at any time as necessitated by business demands. Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran (M/F/D/V), and Drug Free Workplace (DFW).