Human Resources Associate

Job Summary:
Under supervision, performs advanced administrative/clerical/office activities to assist HR Director and HR team in administering department specific programs and services. The HR Associate interacts with employees and the general public by providing information and assistance as it relates to the department's activities/services. The HR Associate interacts frequently with executive staff members and handles confidential and sensitive information.

Scope of Responsibility:
The Human Resources Associate works under general supervision and is responsible for appropriately handling significant amounts of confidential information in a timely fashion.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provides Human Resource support in areas such as on-boarding, worker’s comp, staffing, compensation and benefits.
   1. Instructs job applicants on the application process and responds to questions;
   2. Assists with benefits administration activities including enrollment, qualifying events, insurance claims and questions etc., and coordinates retirement distribution processing with third party administrator;
   3. Reconciles monthly billing for benefits and deductions;
   4. Responds to employment verifications;
   5. Creates and maintains employee personnel records, and maintain other HR files including I-9s;
   6. Provides customer service to employees by answering questions regarding policies and procedures;
   7. Participates in special projects such as completing benefit and salary surveys;
   8. Works with the Safety Coordinator to compile worker’s compensation injury and claim information and distribute to department heads and city administrator;
   9. Responsible for compiling and reporting personnel information as requested
      
      
2. Coordinates and provides general and advanced administrative office support for the department.  Develops and implements workflow procedures and sets priorities.
   1. Prepares complex forms, listings, informational and statistical reports, documents, etc. by determining required data, gathering, receiving and compiling data from several sources; comparing information to verify accuracy and formatting data appropriately;
   2. Prepares purchase orders;
   3. Conducts AP processing, including credit card processing for travel, expense items, etc.,  and balancing  at the end of each month.;
   4. Tracks and monitors office supply inventory and arranges for replenishment of items as necessary;
   5. Composes and/or types letters, forms, memoranda, and reports from abbreviated notes, tapes, and records; copies materials; 
   6. Establishes and maintains filing and record-keeping systems, etc.;
   7. Sorts and distributes mail;
   8. Completes a monthly review of department budget expenses.
      
      
3. Communicates and maintains working relationships with others in carrying out job functions.
   1. Greets visitors to the office and answers telephones; redirects calls intended for other departments or functions;
   2. Frequently interacts with the public, vendors, others in the work unit, and across departments to exchange basic fact information as well as detailed and/or technical information where the ability to explain concepts is exercised;
   3. Receives and responds to complaints of both a routine and confidential nature requiring knowledge of departmental policies, procedures, activities, and rules regarding data privacy; handles escalated calls from less experienced staff;
   4. Using thorough knowledge of department operations and procedures as well as experience, resolves most public informational requests without referring them to a supervisor or other staff; serves as a resource for less experienced staff;
   5. Refers issues and concerns to the appropriate party for resolution as necessary;
   6. Exercises courtesy in communicating with other members of the work unit to provide information relating to the work assignment and progress of work or to convey information about conditions or work related needs.
      
      
4. Assists with Civil Service System.
   1. Assists with monthly Civil Service meetings serving as recording secretary as assigned.
      
      
5. Performs all job duties in compliance with safety guidelines and with an ongoing awareness of safety practices.
   1. Knows and follows department and city rules as well as sound work and safety practices in order to accomplish the job objectives and avoid injury or loss;
   2. Wears proper protective equipment when policy requires or conditions indicate a need exists and utilizes proper body mechanics and ergonomics while performing work;
   3. When potentially unsafe conditions are observed makes efforts to avoid or correct them if they are controllable and draws them to the attention of the responsible supervisor or safety representative in a timely manner.
      
      
6. Performs other duties and activities as assigned.

Associate's degree in business or secretarial science and four or more years of progressively responsible administrative support experience including budget preparation, information dissemination, record-keeping and extensive interaction with the general public or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.  

Knowledge, skills and abilities include:

• Knowledge of general clerical/office practices and procedures including basic office work-flow procedures;
• Knowledge of the various City departments;
• Knowledge of data processing methods, information storage and retrieval techniques;
• Knowledge of common practices and procedures of processing and disseminating information and supporting documentation;
• Knowledge of basic record-keeping practices;
• Knowledge of FLSA, HIPAA, benefits plans in general, pension administration;
• Strong public relations and customer service skills,  and the ability to diffuse situations with irate/emotionally charged persons;
• Skill in organization and work scheduling;
• Skill in clerical/office functions such as typing/data entry, filing, answering telephones;
• Skill in the operation of basic office equipment and machines, computer terminal, typewriter, copy machines, adding machines, etc.;
• Skill in data-gathering, compilation, formatting and presentation;
• Skill in effectively communicating in both verbal and written forms, and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction;
• Ability to make non-routine choices within established precedent, considering objectives, under limited supervision; 
• Ability to perform intermediate troubleshooting or analysis; resolve problems requiring interpretation of data using generally prescribed procedures;
• Ability to supervise personnel in a manner conducive to efficient performance and high morale;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others, including cooperative interaction with individual customers and/or vendors;
• Ability to appropriately handle significant confidential information.