HR and Special Projects Support Specialist

Native-American-Youth-and-Family-Center-; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 39,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with 6% employer match

16 paid holidays

Sick and vacation accrual

Job summary

NAYA Family Center is seeking an HR and Special Projects Specialist to support our Human Resources team and cross-functional initiatives in a culturally specific, community-centered setting.

You will assist with recruiting, onboarding, employee records, HRIS administration, benefits, and special projects with the COO and senior leadership. This role also provides front office support and may engage with the Data and Evaluation team as needed.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher and/or HR or business coursework/certification.
• 1–3 years of administrative, recruiting, or HR support experience.
• Solid understanding of core HR functions including recruiting, onboarding, employee records, benefits, confidentiality, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Support core HR operations: recruiting logistics, onboarding, employee records, HRIS data entry, benefits communication, and routine inquiries.
• Maintain confidential employee information and support HR compliance, reporting, audits, and digital file management.
• Contribute to strategic HR initiatives: compensation reviews, engagement, performance, and organizational improvements.
• Partner with COO and senior leadership on special projects, organizational assessments, and culture-building initiatives.
• Coordinate project timelines, track milestones, prepare deliverables, and facilitate stakeholder communication.

Skills

HR operations

Recruiting

Onboarding

HRIS

Benefits administration

Confidentiality

Communication

Canva

Microsoft Office

Education

Associate degree or higher

HR coursework or certification

Tools

Paylocity

Microsoft Office

Canva

Job description

Description

NAYA Family Center is looking for a detail-oriented, collaborative HR and Special Projects Specialist to support our Human Resources team and broader organizational initiatives. You’ll support recruiting, onboarding, employee records, HRIS administration, benefits, and other core HR functions while partnering with the COO and senior leadership on special projects, organizational assessments, culture-building efforts, and cross-departmental initiatives. This role also provides cross-trained support for community reception and front office operations and may occasionally assist NAYA’s Data and Evaluation team. It’s an ideal opportunity for an organized, adaptable professional who enjoys variety, manages competing priorities well, and wants to contribute to a culturally specific, community-centered organization.

NAYA offers medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; flexible spending accounts; a 401(k) retirement plan with up to a 6% employer match; 16 paid holidays; and sick and vacation accrual, with vacation accrual increasing with tenure. General working hours are 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., with a flexible schedule available upon approval and occasional evenings and weekends as assigned. This position is primarily office-based and is expected to work on site five days per week, with limited exceptions. The compensation is $28.00–$30.00 per hour.

Who You Are

• You have an Associate’s degree or higher and/or HR or Business coursework or certification, along with 1–3 years of administrative, recruiting, or HR support experience.
• You have a solid understanding of core HR functions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee records, benefits, confidentiality, and compliance, with familiarity with FMLA, OFLA, and ADA.
• You have experience coordinating special projects or cross-functional initiatives and can manage competing priorities, timelines, and deadlines with strong attention to detail.
• You are organized, discreet, and professional, with strong judgment and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• You are comfortable working with HRIS and digital systems; Paylocity experience is preferred, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office, email, scheduling platforms, digital file management, and Canva.
• You communicate clearly and professionally with a variety of audiences and can adapt your approach to different situations.
• You understand the importance of culturally specific and trauma-informed workplace practices; experience working with diverse or culturally specific communities is preferred.
• You hold, or can obtain upon hire, CPR, First Aid, and AED certification.

What You’ll Do

• Support core HR operations including recruiting logistics, interview coordination, onboarding, employee records, HRIS data entry, benefits communication, and routine employee inquiries.
• Maintain accurate and confidential employee information while supporting HR compliance, reporting, audits, and digital file management.
• Contribute to strategic HR initiatives such as compensation reviews, employee engagement, performance reviews, and other organizational improvement efforts.
• Partner with the COO and senior leadership on special projects, including organizational assessments, culture-building initiatives, cross-departmental projects, proposals, reports, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate project timelines, track milestones, prepare deliverables, and facilitate communication among stakeholders to keep projects moving forward.
• Support community-facing events, cross-departmental initiatives, and organizational priorities, including occasional projects with NAYA’s Data and Evaluation team.
• Provide cross-trained support for community reception and front office operations as needed.
• Maintain confidentiality and contribute to a safe, respectful, culturally responsive, and collaborative workplace through participation in trainings, meetings, and team projects.

NAYA is committed to building a work environment that respects and inspires every community member. Our mission is to serve Urban Native youth and families, so we strongly encourage members of the Native community to apply. We encourage applications from members of other historically marginalized groups as well, including women, people of color, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those who have served in the military.