Human Resources Specialist

Department: Costello College of Business


Classification: Admin Office Specialist 3


Job Category: Classified Staff


Job Type: Full-Time


Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)


Location: Fairfax, VA


Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship


Pay Band: 03


Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes


About the Department:


The Donald G. Costello College of Business at George Mason University is one of the largest business schools in Virginia, and is located near Washington, D.C., in Arlington and Fairfax, and at George Mason's global campus in Incheon, South Korea. The college's AACSB-accredited business and accounting curricula prepare undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and across the globe for career success in business and government. Its research-based faculty and focus on multi-disciplinary academic programs, inclusive entrepreneurship, modular education, experiential learning, and corporate partner engagement are transforming the landscape of business education and workforce development. Learn more at business.gmu.edu.


About the Position:


The HR Specialist supports the Costello College of Business Human Resources team by coordinating key HR operational processes that ensure accurate, timely, and consistent support for the college. This position is responsible for managing graduate assistant, non-student wage, student wage, and Federal Work Study hiring and processing; supporting employee onboarding activities; HR projects; process improvements; Microsoft Forms and dynamic form development; recruitment and position description backup support; schedule backup support; employee recognition initiatives; professional development tracking; and general HR administrative support. The position maintains tracking tools and records, supports employment processing, coordinates welcoming onboarding activities for new employees and supervisors, supports nomination and award processes, helps streamline HR workflows, and provides backup support to promote continuity of service, compliance, and operational efficiency across the college.


Responsibilities:

Graduate Assistant Process

• Manage the college's Graduate Assistant hiring process from initiation through completion, including GA posting, applicant and hiring documentation, offer letters, onboarding coordination, eligibility tracking, ePAF submission, tuition waiver submission to the Financial Aid Office, and maintenance of accurate electronic records;
• Monitor GA appointments to ensure hiring remains within allocated hours and approved budget parameters; complete quarterly wage budget reports and applicable monthly spending reports; track related budget and labor information; and identify discrepancies or concerns for HR leadership review; and
• Serve as the primary process resource for GA hiring by auditing documentation, monitoring completion of required steps, resolving routine process issues, and providing timely updates to HR leadership and faculty.

NSW, SW, and Work Study Hires

• Coordinate non-student wage, student wage, and Federal Work Study hiring processes, including collecting required information, preparing hiring documentation, assisting with onboarding steps, entering or supporting ePAF actions, maintaining hiring logs, and communicating with hiring managers, supervisors, and employees;
• Maintain wage budget labor logs for NSW and SW hires, complete quarterly wage budget reports and applicable monthly spending reports, track related budget and labor information, and identify discrepancies or concerns for HR leadership review; and
• Ensure documentation is complete, accurate, and retained according to HR procedures.

Employee Onboarding, Recognition and Professional Development

• Coordinate employee onboarding activities that support a welcoming and organized transition, including ensuring new employees receive Costello swag, providing supervisors with first-week onboarding guidance, and sharing information with new employees about what to expect during their first few weeks of employment;
• Administer Costello Awards by managing nomination, review, and award processes for internal recognition programs;
• Support George Mason University recognition efforts by engaging with central HR's Faculty and Engagement team to raise awareness, encourage and support nominations for university-wide informal and formal recognition programs, and coordinate the degree bonus program by reviewing eligibility and processing payments for employees who attain qualifying academic credentials;
• Support external awards submissions by tracking external professional or academic awards and maintaining related documentation and deadlines; and
• Track and promote professional development opportunities for faculty and staff by maintaining related information, sharing relevant opportunities, monitoring deadlines, and supporting awareness of available learning and development resources.

HR Projects and Process Improvements

• Support HR projects that improve operational efficiency, accuracy, documentation, and customer service;
• Review current processes, document workflows, identify gaps or duplication, recommend improvements, update tracking tools and templates, and assist with implementation of process changes, automations, Microsoft Forms, dynamic forms, and reporting tools;
• Create and maintain forms that support consistent information collection, routing, tracking, and follow-up for HR processes; and
• Support HR team initiatives that strengthen consistency and reduce manual effort.

Recruitment, Position Description, and Schedule Backup Support

• Provide backup support for recruitment-related activities, including posting assistance, applicant disposition updates, recruitment close-out, collection and organization of recruitment documentation, onboarding coordination, and communication with hiring managers and candidates as needed;
• Provide backup support for position description processes, including assisting with PD updates, formatting, routing, documentation collection, and tracking to support timely review and submission;
• Provide backup support for schedule-related processes, including assisting with schedule updates, tracking, documentation, and coordination to support timely and accurate information; and
• Assist with maintaining recruitment, position description, and schedule tracking tools and ensuring actions are completed in accordance with established HR procedures.

General HR Administrative Support and Special Projects

• Provide general administrative support to the HR team, including maintaining electronic files, updating tracking logs, preparing routine correspondence, assisting with document collection, responding to routine inquiries, supporting special projects, and completing other related duties as assigned; and
• Serve as a backup to other HR team members, providing support as necessary.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated experience providing HR, administrative, payroll, hiring, onboarding, employee transition, or records support in a professional office setting;
• Experience maintaining confidential records, tracking hiring actions or personnel transactions, using spreadsheets or databases, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, and coordinating multiple tasks with accuracy and attention to deadlines;
• Demonstrated experience supporting HR projects, reviewing or documenting workflows, identifying process improvements, and creating Microsoft Forms, dynamic forms, branching forms, or similar workflow tools to improve HR intake, approvals, tracking, reporting, and process documentation;
• Knowledge of general human resources practices, hiring processes, onboarding documentation, personnel records, employee transition support, or confidentiality requirements;
• Knowledge of project support, process documentation, workflow review, and process improvement practices, including the ability to identify gaps, duplication, and opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, and consistency;
• Skill in using Microsoft Office applications, spreadsheets, tracking tools, shared files, and HR systems to organize data, monitor deadlines, and maintain accurate records;
• Skill in creating Microsoft Forms, dynamic forms, templates, and data collection tools that support accurate information gathering, workflow efficiency, routing, and tracking;
• Ability to manage multiple hiring actions and projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and maintaining attention to detail;
• Ability to communicate professionally and clearly with faculty, staff, students, hiring managers, candidates, and central HR partners;
• Ability to coordinate onboarding communications and resources for new employees and supervisors, including first-week guidance, employee expectations, and related welcome materials; and
• Ability to interpret and follow established policies, procedures, and guidelines while knowing when to escalate questions or concerns.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a university or higher education HR environment;
• Experience supporting Graduate Assistant hiring, student wage, non-student wage, Federal Work Study hiring, ePAF processing, recruitment close-out, onboarding communications, HR audits, HR projects, reporting, and process improvement initiatives;
• Experience with George Mason University systems, including Banner, MicroStrategy, Salesforce, PageUp, Handshake, or similar HR and recruitment systems;
• Knowledge of George Mason University HR, payroll, student employment, and hiring systems and procedures;
• Skill in preparing ePAFs, maintaining hiring logs, conducting document audits, and supporting Graduate Assistant, non-student wage, student wage, and Federal Work Study hiring;
• Skill in building Microsoft Forms with branching logic or similar dynamic functionality to streamline HR requests, approvals, documentation, and reporting; and
• Ability to identify opportunities for process improvement and develop tools, templates, or workflows that improve accuracy, efficiency, and service delivery.

Instructions to Applicants:


For full consideration, applicants must apply for Human Resources Specialist at Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.


Posting Open Date: October 12, 2026


For Full Consideration, Apply by: October 23, 2026


Open Until Filled: Yes

Mason Ad Statement


George Mason University is a nationally ranked R1 research university committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world. With 40,000 enrolled students, George Mason is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, offering degree programs at the master's, doctoral, and professional level, along with certificates and credentials.


George Mason fosters an All Together Different environment for students, faculty, and staff, driven by our core beliefs. We believe in inclusivity over exclusivity; we believe in advancing our mission by being willing to take risks, not avoiding them; and we believe our best work is possible when we apply our diversity of origin, identity, circumstance, and thought.

Equity Statement


George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

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