Launch Industries LLC Senior HR Consultant & Project Manager Seattle, WA · Full time Company website

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Launch Industries is a Washington State ​social enterprise providing direct consulting, ​technical assistance, and contract business ​services to small and medium-sized ​businesses, government agencies, non-​profits, and membership-based ​organizations. We are DBE-certified, WBE-​certified, and micro-certified, and are passionate about partnering with organizations who share our commitment to social responsibility and positive impact.

Launch Industries operates at the nexus of the bureaucratic public sector, the mission-driven nonprofit sector, and the purpose-driven for-profit small business sector. As an unfunded, purpose-driven consulting firm ourselves, we are committed to creating workplaces that work for everyone by supporting purpose-driven leaders and businesses in building tech-enabled, inclusive, and sustainable organizations.

Our DEI Commitment - We operate with the notion that we are better together. This principle drives our ​commitment to working with historically oppressed groups and unites us in building a ​diverse workforce that empowers black, brown, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized ​communities.  We aim to create positive, lasting change and challenge the unconscious ​practices of white supremacy that exist in everyday business.  At Launch, everyone’s ​humanity is valued, everyone is cared for, and all identities are safe.

Our team is composed of business owners, builders, and problem solvers who share a "Founder Mindset." We hire individuals who understand the value of every hour billed and who bring an entrepreneurial spirit to their work. There’s little middle management here—just a team of resourceful, empathetic professionals who thrive in a fast-paced, impact-driven environment.

Location: Hybrid (Seattle, WA – On-site days at our West Seattle office and periodic client site visits; must currently reside in the greater Seattle area)

Pay Rate: $35.00 / hour (roughly $54,600 – $72,800 annual equivalent based on 30–40 hours/week)

Type: Full-Time (30–40 hours/week), W-2 Hourly Non-Exempt

About Launch Industries

Launch Industries operates at the intersection of the public sector, mission-driven nonprofits, and purpose-driven small businesses. We provide high-impact, hands-on support—everything from HR and compliance advisory to bookkeeping, branding, and licensing. A significant share of our work is funded through public technical assistance programs, allowing us to bring high-value consulting to small business owners who otherwise couldn't afford it. We are a close-knit, resourceful team of problem-solvers who bring an energetic "Founder Mindset" to work every day, and we care deeply about building workplaces that foster connection, equity, and joy.

The Role

Small businesses and nonprofits with 8 to 50 employees rarely have an in-house HR department, but they face real employment-law exposure, complex compliance questions, and team dynamics that need thoughtful attention.

As our Senior HR Consultant & Project Manager, you become their dedicated, named HR partner. You aren’t an advisor who sends an abstract memo and leaves. You are the hands-on practitioner who writes the handbook, stands up the payroll system, coaches an executive director through tough personnel decisions, and picks up the phone when the state sends a notice. You also help bring the next clients through the door by joining discovery calls, scoping engagements, and leading community workshops.

If you love variety, thrive on ownership, and want to do work that directly impacts real community businesses, this role is built for you.

Location Spotlight: Hybrid with a West Seattle Hub 

This is a hybrid position requiring regular in-person collaboration at our office and travel to local client sites. Our home base is located in the heart of West Seattle—a vibrant, walkable neighborhood filled with fantastic local coffee shops, bakeries, lunch spots, and independent retail. It’s an ideal setting for stepping out for a morning espresso, taking a walking meeting, or running a quick errand on your lunch break.

(Please note: Because in-person presence with local clients and the team is essential, candidates must currently live in the Seattle area. Out-of-state and remote-only applicants cannot be considered.)

What You'll Do

• Be the Named HR Department: Manage an assigned portfolio of client accounts. Run monthly client check-ins, build annual compliance calendars, stand up clean employee files, and keep every account moving forward smoothly.
• Craft Real, Usable Handbooks: Write and update employee handbooks from scratch or overhaul outdated policies into plain, clear English. Draft practical, custom policies for leave, reimbursements, and state-specific mandates.
• Implement Systems & Payroll: Set up and configure Gusto end-to-end for new clients (state tax registrations, deductions, and accounting syncs). Coach client teams on running their own payroll and coordinate open enrollment with insurance brokers.
• Navigate Employee Relations & Compliance: Coach business owners and nonprofit boards through performance reviews, corrective action, investigations, and accommodations. Lead compliant separation meetings and monitor multi-state employment regulations.
• Grow the Practice: Join discovery calls with prospective clients, diagnose organizational needs, and build quotes. Help teach our practical "Launch & Learn" workshops on topics like job descriptions, wage audits, and PTO policy.

What We're Looking For

• Experience: 5+ years of hands-on HR generalist experience, including supporting multiple employers at once (such as in consulting, fractional HR, an agency/PEO, or as a solo internal HR department).
• Multi-Account Ownership: Demonstrated ability to manage several client relationships simultaneously without details slipping through the cracks.
• Compliance & Multi-State Knowledge: Strong command of federal and Washington State employment laws, with the research habits to navigate rules in other states where clients hire.
• Real-World Payroll Savvy: Hands-on experience implementing or administering full-service payroll platforms (Gusto experience is strongly preferred).
• Practical Communication: Clear, warm, jargon-free written and verbal communication. You can comfortably advise a founder, executive director, or board of directors with confidence.
• Tech-Comfortable & Curious: Proficient with Google Workspace, CRM tools, and time tracking. Open to utilizing AI tools (like Claude) to research multi-state nuances, draft policies, and streamline deliverables.
• Local to Seattle: Currently based in the greater Seattle area and able to work hybrid on-site and visit local clients.

Preferred: HR certifications (SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR), nonprofit experience, or prior exposure to government-funded small business programs.

Why You’ll Love Working Here (Benefits & Perks)

We believe in supporting our team with authentic flexibility, comprehensive benefits, and a workplace that fosters joy.

• Competitive Hourly Pay: $35.00/hour (paid weekly/bi-weekly, with overtime eligibility for hours worked over 40).
• Health Plan Reimbursement (ICHRA): Up to $300/month pre-tax reimbursement toward individual health insurance premiums.
• Free 24/7 Telehealth & EAP: Immediate, 100% free access to no-copay virtual medicine, mental health counseling, work-life resources, and pet telehealth starting day one.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Accrual-based PTO (up to 120 hours carryover), plus protected Washington Paid Sick Leave.
• Paid Holidays & Birthday Off: 9 paid company holidays per year, plus a dedicated paid personal holiday for your birthday! Unused holiday hours can also convert to floating holidays.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with up to 4% company matching (100% match on the first 3%, 50% match on the next 2%).
• Compassionate Bereavement Leave: Up to 1 week (including 24 paid hours) for immediate family loss, plus up to 3 days (8 hours paid) for the loss of a companion animal.
• Charitable Giving Match: Dollar-for-dollar match on eligible nonprofit donations up to $1,000 annually.
• Professional Development Support: Financial sponsorship for role-related certifications, training courses, and continuing education.

At Launch Industries, diversity isn’t a checkbox—it’s who we are and how we serve our community. We are an equal opportunity employer that actively celebrates unique perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. We enthusiastically encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ individuals, BIPOC professionals, veterans, people with disabilities, and anyone with diverse lived experiences. Employment decisions are based solely on job-related qualifications, merit, and organizational needs, without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other protected class.