HR Operations & Timekeeping Specialist HR Specialist

State of Maryland; Maryland; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits subsidy

Dental option

Life insurance option

Job summary

The State of Maryland is seeking a contractual Employee Services/Personnel HR Specialist to provide HR administration, timekeeping, payroll and benefits support for the agency. Reporting to the HR Director, you will handle confidential applications, timekeeping audits, and assist with contractual hire processes for OMBE/DBE and DoSEM programs.

Responsibilities include maintaining electronic files, auditing timesheets, coordinating interviews, and supporting payroll and benefits.

Qualifications

• Five years of HR experience including recruitment and employment services.
• Proficiency with SPMS Workday or similar HR systems and payroll processing.
• Knowledge of HIPAA and state/federal retention standards for personnel records.
• Experience with timekeeping, payroll and benefits processing for public-sector staff.

Responsibilities

• Administer SPMS Workday timekeeping and leave for contractual staff.
• Maintain electronic personnel and medical files per retention standards.
• Schedule candidate interviews and conduct reference checks.
• Assist with benefits inquiries during onboarding and Open Enrollment.
• Support payroll processing and Leave Maintenance for HR and DoSEM programs.

Skills

HR generalist

Recruitment & selection

Salary administration

Timekeeping & payroll

Employee relations

HR policy formulation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate credits in HR

Military HR service (as officer)

Tools

SPMS Workday

Job description

Introduction

This is a contractual position, and serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.

Agency Mission

To advance social and economic mobility for all Marylanders by removing barriers, investing in inclusive opportunities, and aligning state resources to support historically underserved communities and businesses.

Grade

STD0014

Location of Position

100 Community Place

Crownsville, MD 21032

Main Purpose of Job

This position will function as an Employee Services/Personnel HR Specialist providing primary administrative HR, agency timekeeping assistance, payroll, and benefits support for the agency. Reporting directly to the HR Director, this position performs routine administrative tasks to ensure agency compliance and operational efficiency and special assistance for the contractual hire processes of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE). Key responsibilities include maintaining electronic personnel and medical files in accordance with federal, state, and agency retention standards; managing SPMS Workday timekeeping and leave for OMBE/DBE contractual, DoSEM contractual and merit staff; running routine and ad-hoc timekeeping and HR reports; auditing timesheets and contacting managers/employees regarding missing or incomplete time; making time and/or leave corrections; assisting with candidate interview scheduling and reference verifications; and providing general assistance with payroll processing, Leave Maintenance, and Employee Benefits. This position requires that the incumbent maintain confidentiality regarding the status of all applications, eligible list placement, testing materials and all personal employee and applicant information with which the incumbent comes into contact on a daily basis.

Position Duties

• Payroll & Workday Timekeeping Administration: Serve as the primary user for SPMS Workday timekeeping; execute weekly audit reports, monitor time and leave submissions, process leave corrections, and collaborate with HR leadership on bi-weekly payroll processing and retroactive adjustments.
• Personnel Records & Electronic File Management: Maintain electronic personnel and medical files in accordance with HIPAA, state, and federal record retention guidelines; perform regular audits to ensure all required compliance documents (I-9s, tax forms, offer letters) are complete and securely stored.
• Recruitment & Selection Coordination: Assist HR leadership with recruitment workflows by scheduling candidate interviews, communicating logistics, drafting formal offer letters, and conducting standardized reference checks.
• Employee Benefits Support: Serve as a secondary contact for employee benefits inquiries, assisting staff with plan options (medical, dental, vision, FSA, life insurance) during initial onboarding and annual Open Enrollment periods.
• HR Administrative Support: Provide ongoing administrative assistance to the HR Director and HR Officer, supporting special projects, reporting requests, and internal or state audit preparations.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Five years of experience, one year of professional HR experience involving recruitment and employment services, classification and compensation, employee relations, test development and validation, job analysis, job evaluation, salary administration, HR program evaluation, or HR policy formulation and an additional four years of professional HR management work experience in the areas of recruitment and selection, classification, salary administration, employee relations, test development and validation or as a generalist.

Notes

• Candidates may substitute paraprofessional personnel work experience on a year-for-year basis for up to four years of the required experience. Paraprofessional personnel work is defined as work involving the application of public sector personnel procedures, policies, rules and regulations to specific employment actions. Appropriate paraprofessional personnel experience includes responsibility for activities such as: preparing and maintaining employment records, calculating salaries, applying personnel-related rules and policies, preparing personnel related reports, conducting employee orientation and counseling employees regarding benefits and obligations and responding to inquiries concerning employment procedures.
• Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of professional HR experience involving recruitment and employment services, classification and compensation, employee relations, test development and validation, job analysis, job evaluation, salary administration, HR program evaluation, or HR policy formulation for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute the possession of thirty graduate credit hours from an accredited college or university in the fields of HR/personnel administration, business administration, public administration, statistics, tests and measurements, psychology or a related field for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in human resources management classification or human resources management specialty codes in the human resources management field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Desired or Preferred Qualifications

• At least two (2) years of experience using SPMS Workday (or a similar enterprise public-sector HR system) to audit bi-weekly employee timesheets, clear payroll errors prior to system lockouts, and process leave corrections.
• At least one (1) year of experience managing electronic personnel/medical files in accordance with state/federal retention standards, conducting formal reference checks, and coordinating candidate interview panel schedules.

Licenses, Registrations and Certifications

• Employees in this classification are required to obtain certification in State Personnel Management System policies and procedures and in the functionality of the Statewide Personnel System from the Office of Personnel Services and Benefits, Department of Budget and Management within six months from the time of appointment to the position. Employees are also required to obtain recertification every six months thereafter.
• Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Examination Process

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position. It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all experience and education that is related to this position.

Benefits

Contractual employees who work for an agency covered under the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, have a current employment contract and work 30 or more hours a week (or on average 130 hours per month) may be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents. As a contractual employee, you will be responsible for paying 25% of the premiums for your medical and prescription coverage, including any eligible dependents you have enrolled. The State of Maryland will subsidize the remaining 75% of the cost for these benefits. You can also elect to enroll in dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, but will be responsible to pay the full premium for these benefits. Leave may be granted to a contractual employee at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.

Sponsorship Notice

The Maryland Department of Social and Economic Mobility (DoSEM) does not provide H-1B Visa sponsorship at this time. In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, all applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Selected candidates will be required to provide documentation of identity and eligibility to work in the U.S. upon hire.

Equal Opportunity Statement

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting employees who are reflective of the State's diversity. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply for all recruitments. TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay DoSEM values the experience gained by Veterans while serving our country and welcomes them to apply.

Recruitment Contact

If you have questions or concerns regarding this recruitment, please email [e-mail] at the Department of Social and Economic Mobility (DoSEM), Human Resources Office. Incomplete applications and/or resumes in lieu of an application will not be accepted. If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about this online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Recruitment and Examination Division at 410-767-4850 or [e-mail]