Human Resources Specialist

Class Characteristics

Under general supervision, to perform human resources administration assignments of a routine and supportive professional nature; and to do other work as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Department of Human Resources provides human resources services to all County departments, including recruitment and selection, HR policy administration, employee and labor relations, classification, compensation and pay equity, organizational development, employee engagement and development, employee wellness and benefits administration, risk management, workers' compensation, liability and casualty claims management, and human resources information systems.

The Human Resources Specialist performs technical and routine professional assignments within a specialized Human Resources (HR) functional area under the guidance of higher level HR staff. Work involves applying foundational professional knowledge to perform data reporting, recommend workflows, and maintain quality control within multiple software applications. Incumbents provide assistance, under defined guidelines, to HR department professionals, County departments, employees, applicants, and the public.

The Human Resources Specialist differs from the Human Resources Analyst 1 and 2 which perform professional level human resources assignments within an assigned HR functional area that require specialized knowledge and proficiency, analysis and interpretation, and independent judgement and discretion. It also differs from the Human Resources Assistant which provides paraprofessional and administrative support to professional HR staff.

Typical Tasks

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Supports County departments and assigned HR functional area with work processes, process flow of information, data reporting, and communications; conducts research and analysis for defined assignments with varying levels of complexity, interpretation, and decision making authority; prepares and reviews specialized documents for compliance with established procedures and County policies; tracks, processes and reconciles human resources administration data; researches, queries, compiles, and summarizes information, data and statistics; verifies facts; resolves discrepancies and ensures accuracies; summarizes initial findings; makes initial recommendations; drafts and updates human resources procedures and work flows of information; with approval, implements defined changes to established business processes.
• Operates human resources software/database systems to support assigned HR functional area; participates in the maintenance of relevant data systems; troubleshoots user issues in accessing information/data; provides data collection and query support; advises and assists on human resources policies and procedures for the efficient execution of internal processes; ensures timely processing and disposition of relevant employee information.
• Provides technical assistance and clarification on human resource administration, employment related issues, commonly asked questions, and procedural functions; provides technical assistance to HR staff, County departments and applicants with day-to-day procedural and administrative functions within a specialized HR functional area; communicates applicable human resources laws, policies and procedures to departments, employees, applicants and the public; participates in reviewing and updating procedures within the assigned HR functional area.
• Supports professional staff in confidential employee, labor relations, or other HR related meetings; documents and summarizes discussions, recommendations, decisions, and actions; prepares and gathers requested documents for use in meetings; schedules meetings with relevant parties.

Duties also include, within HR functional area - Recruitment and Selection:

• Under the direction of higher-level R&S staff, revises, develops and validates routine recruitment and selection strategies and materials; reviews and revises screening guidelines and r applications; prepares and revises questions, pre-interview exercises, rating criteria and scoring guidelines; conducts panel interviews and written tests; evaluates test results and recommends passing standards and modifications to test materials; compiles statistics on adverse impact and Equal Employment Opportunity underutilization; offers positions to candidates; fields, resolves or escalates candidate questions and complaints.

Duties also include, within HR functional area - Classification and Compensation:

• Under the direction of higher level C&C staff, conducts job analyses of individual positions with limited or no expected concerns, prepares salary placement assessments and supporting information, and gathers initial market data or updates existing market data; reviews position questionnaires and conducts interviews as assigned; recommends allocation of positions; drafts and with approval implements revisions to classification/job descriptions; gathers and compiles salary information and responds to salary surveys; researches and reports on compensation and classification data; utilizes HRIS and query tools to gather employment information for classification and compensation projects; assists in preparing staff reports including fiscal impacts associated with implementation.

Duties also include, within HR functional area – Employee Engagement and Development:

• Acts as primary administrator/liaison for the learning management system (LMS) for course registration and attendance, troubleshooting and assisting customers, setting up and running reports; develops communications and marketing materials for learning and development activities; maintains training calendar and e-learning library; provides first point of contact for customers in troubleshooting issues with employee engagement survey platform or reports.
• Moderates and facilitates pre-packaged/developed trainings including the new employee orientation/workshop; provides support to trainers for smooth delivery of training events.

Duties also include, within HR functional area – HRIS:

• Performs data maintenance and retrieval in the County's HRIS system for personnel action processing and reporting; accurately processes personnel actions in compliance with applicable procedures and regulations; audits data for data integrity and compliance with direct impact on employee pay, benefits, and employment matters; designs and deliver effective training tools for end users such as how-to videos and quick guides, hands on workshops, and verifies training outcomes and that participants consistently demonstrate mastery of the material and apply it correctly in their HRIS transactions; maintains employee personnel records; reviews payroll, benefits and human resources documents for compliance with established procedures and County policies; uses HRIS in conjunction with other computer tools to compile employee statistics and prepare reports and documents.
• Duties also include, within HR functional area – Risk and Safety Management:
  
  Assists in the administration of risk management programs including unemployment claim processing, driving program record administration, and insurance renewal data gathering and processing; receives and reviews unemployment claims, and prepares claim form and documentation for third-party administrator; provides guidance to management regarding the claims process and potential associated financial impacts; identifies a claim as fraudulent and communicates with the employee regarding the identify theft.
• Maintains financial, insurance renewal, schedule of values, and claims data including payments, reimbursements, and billings; collects and compiles data from multiple sources to complete insurance renewal applications; prepares detailed spreadsheets/invoices outlining reimbursement amounts related to agency portion of property insurance premium .

Required Knowledge and Skills

Working knowledge of: Fundamental principles and practices of human resources administration pertaining to assigned specialized HR functional area; applicable Federal, State and local human resources laws, rules, regulations, codes and ordinances; human resource information systems; methods and techniques of research and analysis; basic math.

Some knowledge of: Principles and practices of public administration; methods and techniques of statistical research and analysis; County government organization and operations.

Skill to: Collect, compile and analyze information and data; enter variety of information into data bases; prepare clear and concise reports; perform accurate math calculations; conduct effective personal and panel interviews; present ideas and recommendations effectively; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees, job applicants, union officials and the public; interpret employment information, collective bargaining agreements, and policy language; understand, apply and explain relevant employment and/or human resources laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to County employees and the public; operate computer keyboard; develop spreadsheets and reports.

Working Conditions

Within Human Resources Department, Employee Engagement and Development Division: Duties require occasional to frequent walking, standing, squatting, kneeling, bending, twisting, reaching overhead, grasping, and fine motor control. The ability to lift and lower 30 pounds, carry objects up to 20 pounds, and push/pull 90 pounds. Duties also involve exposure to slippery surfaces when walking from one building to another.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum qualifications are used as a guide for establishing the minimum experience, education, licensure, and/or certifications required for employment in the classification. The following minimum qualifications are established for this classification. Additional minimum qualifications and special conditions may apply to a specific position within this classification and will be stated on the job announcement.

Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of related experience that would provide the required knowledge and skills to perform the responsibilities of this position with one (1) year required of specialized human resources experience.

Licenses/Certifications: None required.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Driving may be necessary for County business. For position(s) with occasional/incidental driving, incumbents must possess a valid driver's license. Accommodation requests for an acceptable alternative method of transportation will be reviewed on an individual basis in compliance with State and Federal legislation. For position(s) with regular driving, incumbent(s) must also possess and maintain an acceptable driving record throughout the course of employment.

Within HR's Employee Engagement and Development Division, employment is contingent upon passing a post-offer physical assessment. Accommodation requests will be reviewed on an individual basis in compliance with State and Federal legislation.

Edited: 2/25

Classification No. 087
Established: 1/78
Revised: 6/79, 1/93, 12/07, 11/24, 12/25
FLSA: Exempt
EEO: 2