Human Resources Specialist - Internal Only

HR Specialist

Town of Oxford - Human Resources Specialist - Date last revised – June 18, 2026

Classification Grade 16 - Exempt - Salary Range $67,246 - $92,851 - budgeted 40 hours per week

The Town of Oxford is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and, as part of this commitment, will provide reasonable accommodation to perform essential job functions as required by law.

Definition

This position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the human resources strategy and administration.

Essential Functions

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Directs recruitment and hiring activities, including posting of vacancies, preparation of advertisements, screening of applications, administering written examinations and other tests, assisting department heads in selecting and interviewing candidates, arranging for pre-employment physicals, and conducting new employee orientation sessions.
• Maintains integrity of employment process according to Town policy and State and Federal laws.
• Advises department heads on personnel procedures and issues as they arise.
• Administers, maintains and implements collective bargaining agreements, personnel policies and procedures.
• Assists with the development, implementation, maintenance, and modification of internal controls to ensure that accruals, step raises, COLAs, and benefits are administered in an accurate, timely and equitable manner.
• Guides and directs the town's efforts to recruit, hire and retain a culturally diverse workforce.
• Responsible for full-cycle recruitment from onboarding to offboarding: performs and coordinates the drafting and posting of job openings, advertising, scheduling interviews, screening applications, interfacing with department heads for scheduling and interviewing candidates, conducting reference checks, and coordinating pre-employment physicals and drug screens, conducting new hire orientation for new employees. Coordinates all new hire, termination, and personnel change communications with IT
• Maintains relevant pages on Municipal website, keeping information relevant and updated
• Oversees the implementation and distribution of benefits to all town employees.
• Coordinates training and development annually as determined by local, state and federal laws as well as the needs of the town.
• Coordinates scheduling of medical exams, performs background and CORI /SAFIS checks for all Town of Oxford new hires excluding law enforcement personnel
• Creates, maintains and updates Municipal Personnel Policies and procedures and creates comprehensive Employee Handbook. Interprets and implements personnel policies and procedures; recommends changes for adoption subject to approval.
• Functions as the Town's designated agent in such matters as workers' compensation and unemployment, ensuring compliance with Federal and State employment law as well as Town policies and collective bargaining agreements.
• Manages a central computerized personnel system; handles the maintenance of its records, data, and information, maintains official personnel records, ensuring individual employee files are current and complete.
• Counsels employees, advises managers, conducts investigations, resolves conflicts and personnel problems, and implements disciplinary measures.
• Represents the Town of Oxford at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
• Oversees the approval and tracking of all leave plans, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and reasonable accommodation requests (ADA)
• Performs other related job duties as required.

Supervision Received

The employee works from policies and objectives, establishes short-range plans and objectives and departmental performance standards, and assumes direct accountability for department results; consults with the supervisor only where clarification, interpretation, or exception to policy is required or requested; exercises control in the development of departmental policies, goals, objectives, and budgets; and is expected to resolve conflicts that arise and coordinate with others as necessary.

Supervision Exercised

The employee is accountable for the direction and success of programs accomplished through others; analyzes program objectives, determines the various departmental work operations needed to achieve them, estimates the financial and staff resources required, allocates available funds and staff, reports periodically on the achievement and status of objectives, and recommends new goals; formulates or recommends program goals and develops plans for achieving short and long-range objectives; and determines organizational structure, operating guidelines, and work operations.

Judgment and Complexity

The work requires examining, analyzing, and evaluating facts and circumstances surrounding individual problems, situations, or transactions and determining actions to be taken within the limits of standard or accepted practices.

Nature and Purpose of Contacts

Contacts are with co-workers, the public, representatives of organizations, and groups and involve interactions with those who have conflicting opinions or objectives, diverse points of view, or differences where achieving compromise is required to secure support, concurrence, or compliance.

Confidentiality

The employee has broad or extensive access to inter-departmental confidential information requiring a high level of discretion in interactions, attention to detail in handling records, and responsibility for establishing and maintaining secure systems.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management or related field, plus 5 years of related experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, certification, and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of public employment law, MGL, collective bargaining principles and practices, and employee and retiree benefit management.

Effective communication, organizational, supervisory, training, problem solving skills.

Ability to respect confidentiality, work independently, supervise others, make decisions, communicate effectively, and work proficiently with technology.

Physical and Environmental Working Conditions

The physical and environmental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Performs administrative work in an office environment; field work may involve exposure to conditions such as uneven terrain, confined spaces, heights, hot or cold temperature extremes, dirt, grease, fumes, intense odors, unkept residences, and loud noises.

Sits or stands, with intermittent periods of stooping and walking. May be required to move objects such as files, boxes of paper, office supplies, and office equipment weighing up to 30 lbs.

Applies motor skills to move objects, file and sort documents, and use office equipment such as telephones and computers.

Routinely reads documents for general understanding and analytical purposes, including handwriting, spreadsheets, and forms; inspects surroundings and fine details to assess conditions of materials and equipment; and reviews detailed information displayed on a computer screen.