Faculty and Human Resources Generalist

Columbia University in the City of New York; Independence (KS); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH) seeks a Faculty and Human Resources Generalist to support faculty and staff, manage HR transactions, and enhance employee engagement.

Reporting to the Senior HR Director, this role partners with Education units to streamline onboarding, administer TA processes, and maintain HR toolkits. Excellent communication and confidentiality are essential in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience plus three (3) years of related experience.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to support all levels of faculty and staff.
• Must possess strong computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex administrative processes.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and high level of independent judgement and sensitivity.
• Meticulous attention to detail, superb organizational skills, and strong computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality in handling sensitive employee records and payroll information.
• Ability to interact effectively with individuals at different levels, and to work in a fast-paced environment with confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Review/approve HR transactions for MSPH units including new hires, terminations, and salary/status changes.
• Coordinate with Central processing units to ensure timely processing of transactions.
• Manage end-to-end TA onboarding process and ensure timely payment.
• Coordinate with Office of Education and stakeholders to monitor onboarding progress and resolve issues.
• Act as primary HR contact for assigned departments and liaise with HR teams as needed.
• Assist in creating and maintaining the MSPH F/HR Toolkit and monthly communications.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Confidential handling

Independent judgement

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills with faculty

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Microsoft Teams

SharePoint

Relational databases

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule: 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday
• Building:
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior HR Director, Faculty and HR, the Faculty and Human Resources Generalist will be an integral member of our Faculty & Human Resources team. The incumbent will support all employees at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH), providing exceptional customer service to faculty, staff and University stakeholders. The incumbent will participate in special projects aimed at identifying opportunities to streamline and automate routine processes and increase employee engagement.

Responsibilities

Transaction Processing

• The generalist will act as reviewer/approval of all HR transactions for MSPH units. The generalist will serve as a resource for the MSPH F/HR community to efficiently manage all HR transactions. Transactions under review include new hire appointments, terminations, and salary/status adjustments for staff officers, officers of research (including postdoctoral fellows/scientists), officers of instruction and student officers.
• The generalist will audit, advise, and manage transactions as necessary, and provide MSPH level signatory approval for OOI/OOR and Student transactions when necessary. The generalist will also liaise with Central processing units (CUIMC Faculty Affairs and Payroll) to ensure that transactions are processed in a timely manner.
• The generalist will manage and oversee the end-to-end Teaching Assistant (TA) onboarding process and partner closely with the Office of Education, ensuring all required steps, documentation, appointments, and system access are completed accurately and within established timelines so that TAs are paid in a timely manner
• Serve as the primary point of coordination between the Office of Education, academic/administrative units, and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate timely TA onboarding. Monitor onboarding progress, identify and troubleshoot issues, provide training and guidance, and regularly communicate status updates, outstanding items, and potential delays to stakeholders.

Department Liaison

• The Generalist will act as the primary HR point of contact for assigned departments/centers, addressing and coordinating all HR-related matters and providing timely guidance and support.
• Coordinate with appropriate HR teams and institutional resources as needed to ensure timely and effective resolution of complex matters.

Toolkit Development/Maintenance

• The generalist will assist in the creation and maintenance of the MSPH F/HR Toolkit. Responsibilities include updating and organizing information/workflows throughout the site as needed. Monitor toolkit access and update as needed, based on staff changes. Responsibilities include drafting, maintaining and sending monthly Yammer Announcements updates.
• The generalist will also monitor Toolkit usage and provide suggestions for increasing traffic to the website. As a member of the F/HR team, the generalist will participate in the development and execution of toolkit training courses.

Ad Hoc Projects

• Assist and provide administrative as well as strategic support on Ad Hoc special projects such as employee engagement activities. The generalist will also assist in the development of F/HR training sessions on such topics as Teaching Assistants Onboarding and HR Toolkit Refresher.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience plus three (3) years of related experience.
• The Faculty and Human Resources Generalist will have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to support all levels of faculty and staff.
• Must possess strong computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex administrative processes.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and high level of independent judgement and sensitivity.
• The successful incumbent will have a meticulous attention to detail, superb organizational skills, and strong computers skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel.
• The incumbent must be able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality in handling sensitive employee records and payroll information.
• Ability to interact effectively with individuals at different levels, as well as the ability to work in a highly visible fast-paced environment all under the aegis of confidentiality.
• Must be able to identify and respond to organizational needs, analyze problems, and identify solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience and/or interest in working on a Human Resources team is strongly desired for this role.
• Working knowledge of Peoplesoft or similar HRIS enterprise, Microsoft Office 365 suite including but not limited to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and relational databases.
• Strong multi-tasking, prioritization, organization skills, and ability to establish priorities with minimal supervision.
• Strong attention to detail, research, critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Self-starter and fast learner who can work independently under limited supervision.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.