Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialist

The City of Renton's Human Resources and Risk Management Department is seeking a motivated Human Resources Specialist to join our Benefits team. If you're eager to grow your career alongside an enthusiastic and collaborative HR group, this may be the perfect opportunity for you.

In this role, you'll help support a positive employee experience by partnering with colleagues across the organization and delivering exceptional customer service. Your strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and willingness to learn will make you a highly valued member of our team.

If you're excited about making a meaningful impact and contributing to a supportive, employee-focused workplace, we invite you to consider applying for the Human Resources Specialist position on our Benefits team. We'd love to work with you!

Working for the City of Renton comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Deferred compensation with the city contributing 4% of the employee's salary.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance at affordable rates
• Paid leave for vacation, sick, eleven holidays and two personal holidays a year
• State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) plan enrollment

Essential duties include:

• Staffing the front desk reception area to include greeting and directing visitors and assisting employees.
• Accurately input and maintain data into complex electronic databases.
• Maintaining electronic databases, as scheduled and on an ad-hoc basis.
• Maintaining current information on the City's external website for HR&RM content. Creating fillable PDF forms, uploading, and organizing documents on Sharepoint website.
• Conducting research as needed.
• Maintaining confidentiality of personnel records and other sensitive information.
• Responding to a variety of internal and external inquiries about HR&RM matters in person and over the phone, referring inquiries to HR&RM staff or other City departments as needed.
• Assisting department personnel with various clerical and routine administrative support duties; preparing emails; maintaining files according to records retention schedule; scheduling meetings and conferences; and arranging for meeting logistics.
• Collecting and providing responsive records in response to Public Records Requests.
• Filing documents in LaserFiche and maintaining electronic employee personnel files.
• Ensuring compliance with City policies and procedures, a variety of state and federal laws, and labor contracts.
• Contributing to an environment of teamwork and respect.
• Fostering a culture of equity and inclusion by recognizing the diverse needs and perspectives of groups and individuals.
• Remaining current with relevant technological advancements as it relates to field.
• Participating in and helping provide cross-training in processes as directed by management to ensure a well-rounded team for coverage purposes.
• Maintaining regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• Performing other duties as assigned.
• May be assigned to support City priorities during emergencies.

Benefits section includes:

• Accurately processing high volume of various payroll-related and other hiring paperwork for all City employees; coordinating with Finance department and Benefit Analysts as needed.
• Processing onboarding and offboarding documents for all employees to include, but not limited to, benefits enrollment forms, payroll forms, and personnel forms.
• Processing various benefits enrollment forms to include, but not limited to, insurance election changes made at open enrollment or due to qualifying life events (e.g. marriage/divorce, birth/adoption,) and assisting employees with questions regarding benefits paperwork.
• Leading Wellness program to include recruitment of current employees to serve on committee, organizing committee meetings and wellness activities, monitoring program budget, staff City sponsored events.
• Coordinating annual health fair to include designing communications, scheduling facilities, coordinating vendors, scheduling flu shots, etc.
• Assisting with open enrollment communications to include, but not limited to, coordination of vendor materials, internal and external messaging/mailings, and managing dedicated SharePoint site.
• Monitoring, tracking, and auditing reports and spreadsheets for new hires, separations, ACA annual reporting, PERS eligibility, and various benefit data audits.
• Processing various check requests, assessments, and invoices to include, but not limited to, LEOFF 1 long term care approvals, WAPAL program, supplemental leave buyback.

Employee relations section includes:

• Assisting with the coordination of the recruitment and selection process for regular positions, working in partnership with departmental hiring managers and Employee Relations Analysts. Assisting with job fair and recruitment efforts, serving as a representative of the HR&RM Department at these events.
• Managing the year-round hiring and onboarding process for supplemental employees, to include high volume of seasonal hiring; process includes conducting new hire orientations, ensuring background, and driving record checks are ordered and completed, distributing appropriate hire notifications, monitoring hours worked, and processing payroll and personnel paperwork.
• Preparing and gathering interview materials and assisting Analysts with interview preparation.
• Ordering volunteer background checks and communicating results to appropriate staff.
• Performing employment verifications over the phone and in writing.
• Assisting with monthly Entry Level Police Officer interview scheduling.
• Researching NEOGOV file feed errors daily and escalating to the appropriate person for resolution when needed.
• Assisting with annual updates in NEOGOV Insight and Onboard – uploading new salary data, updating forms in Onboard, etc.
• Maintaining organizational charts. Processing reporting structure changes in various software systems and updating class specifications in internal storage and NEOGOV.

Education, experience, and license requirements include:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or closely related field;
• Or 4 years of relevant education and experience.
• Successful passing of a required background check.

Physical demands include:

• Move throughout City facilities and buildings.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment.
• Communicate with City employees and residents.
• Lift or move items weighing up to 25 pounds occasionally.

Work environment includes:

• Work is performed in an office environment.
• Noise level in the office is moderately quiet.
• Work evening and/or weekend hours as needed.
• Night meetings may be required.

Approved reasonable accommodation requests will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.