Human Resources Assistant

Human Resources Assistant

The Human Resources Assistant plays an essential role in the Human Resources Department by providing advanced technical and administrative services within the department and to all City staff. Responsibilities include recruitment, civil service recruitment, onboarding, HRIS management, employee benefit coordination, wellness program management, invoice management, report generation, and varying special projects. This position exercises considerable judgment in interpreting policies, practices, regulations, and procedures and must be able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Job responsibilities include:

• Performs general recruitment, including managing job postings and advertisements, coordinating interview schedules, preparing interview materials, and facilitating applicant communication. Conduct reference and criminal background checks.
• Performs new hire orientation and regular onboarding of new employees. Updates materials as changes occur.
• Performs the exit interview process and assists employees with retirement procedures, ensuring all required documentation is completed and submitted accurately.
• Supports Civil Service hiring by scheduling interviews, communicating with candidates, maintaining eligibility list, taking meeting minutes and scheduling and maintaining the reoccurring civil service meeting.
• Administers employee FMLA, PFML, and other leave programs, including processing required documentation, tracking leave status and usage, communicating with employees and departments, coordinating with payroll, and maintaining accurate and confidential leave records in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures.
• Provides administrative support for employee benefit programs, including open enrollment, processing employee benefit changes, maintaining accurate benefit records, and responding to routine employee benefit inquiries.
• Leads wellness committee and coordinates activities to meet City's Wellness Program goals. Create and distribute wellness newsletter. Prepare WellCity Award application.
• Provides administrative support for CDL drug and alcohol testing processes in coordination with the Designated Employer Representative (DER).
• Responds to general inquiries and provide accurate information and guidance regarding personnel policies, established collective bargaining agreements, programs, regulations, procedures, and processes.
• Maintains and ensure accuracy of confidential employee data in the HRIS and other recordkeeping systems; generate various personnel related reports. Maintain, archive and purge both employee digital and paper personnel files and other Human Resources records in an accurate and timely manner in accordance with City policy, legal requirements, and confidentiality requirements.
• Provides clerical, organizational, and administrative support, including processing department mail, taking meeting minutes, and other general administrative support.
• Conducts research and compile data for various projects as assigned. Respond to surveys and requests for information.
• Responds to public records requests as directed; research, compile and summarize data for special projects and records request. Respond to and complete employment verifications.
• Supports LEOFF-1 disability claim documentation and recordkeeping in accordance with Skagit County Disability Board requirements.
• Manages Student Recreational Assistant application process.
• Manages the volunteer application processes for all departments. Approve volunteer applications for departments.
• Manages the training portal, including coordinating available training, working with outside agencies, and assigning and tracking all new-hire training.
• Reviews and processes invoices and receipts; submit invoices for department purchases; track and purchase annual department membership subscriptions; use and maintain the department's credit cards in accordance with City purchasing policies, including reconciliation of monthly billing.
• Maintains the Human Resources Department inventory of supplies; schedule maintenance for machines and equipment; coordinate phone and computer installations.
• Maintains and updates the internal and external Human Resources web pages and other communication pieces.
• Generates, reviews, and submits federally required reporting such as the biennial EEO-4 report. Collaborate with finance to generate and review the ACA report for their submittal. Coordinate mandatory postings at multiple city locations.
• Establishes and maintains effective and cooperative working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, City officials, other City departments and the public using good judgement, tact, and courtesy.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications include:

AA degree in office management or a related field, plus three (3) years of successful related administrative experience, or an equivalent combination of related education and experience. A bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration or a related field is preferred. Human resources experience is preferred. Requires exceptional ability to establish and maintain organizational systems, set priorities, organize workload, handle multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines. Attention to detail and accuracy required. A combination of experience and training that provides the applicant with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform this job will be considered.

Must possess a valid Washington State driver's license. Certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or (SPHR) either through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) or the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) preferred.

Knowledge of record keeping methods and procedures. Thorough knowledge of English, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. Skills in gathering, interpreting, and presenting data clearly and concisely in reports. Skills in the use of all office equipment including personal computers and related software applications. Flexible and efficient time management and workload organization and prioritization skills. Skills in conducting research via the internet and other resources. Excellent interpersonal skills for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees, other departments and city staff, city officials and the public.

Quickly gain knowledge of federal and state employment and benefits law. Quickly gain knowledge of human resource disciplines as well as current trends and practices of public human resources administration. Learn general personnel policies and procedures applicable to the City. Communicate effectively demonstrating excellent written and verbal communications skills using tact, courtesy, and good judgment. Work independently with minimal supervision. Multi-task and work with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail in an environment of frequent interruptions. Maintain confidentiality of sensitive materials and information. Conduct research and organize and summarize findings.

Performs routine duties independently, setting priorities and scheduling work in accordance with established and general policies and procedures requiring regular interpretation. Is responsible for sound judgment, thoroughness, and competence, where failure to perform effectively and efficiently could have serious impact on public relations, employee effectiveness, and the efficient use of resources. Work is performed in a fast-paced office setting with frequent interruptions. Requires ability to communicate well in difficult situations. Occasional need to drive a City vehicle to other work locations. Position requires hearing, seeing, talking and repetitive motions of hands and wrists. Frequent sitting or standing. Occasional ability to push, pull, or lift ten pounds and carry up to twenty pounds. Ability to sit or stand at a workstation for extended period. Ability to stand, work, and drive throughout the day.