HR Programs & Communication Specialist

Hidden Level; City of Syracuse (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid parental leave

401(k) with employer contributions

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Stock options

Job summary

Hidden Level is hiring an HR Programs & Communications Specialist to support HR operations, employee communications, and engagement initiatives in Syracuse, NY. The role focuses on onboarding, leaves, payroll questions, benefits, and policy communications, ensuring timely, clear information for staff.

The ideal candidate will have strong writing, organizational, and project-management skills, with experience in HRIS and employee communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Communications, Marketing, Business, or related field.
• Two+ years of experience in HR, People Operations, internal communications, or related role.
• Experience supporting HR operations such as benefits, leave, onboarding, offboarding, HRIS, or employee records.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Experience developing and distributing employee communications.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HR technology systems.
• Strong organizational, project-management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a resource for employee benefits and payroll questions, coordinating with vendors and Finance.
• Coordinate benefits enrollment meetings, employee communications, and related processes.
• Facilitate onboarding and new-hire orientation, and offboarding including exit interviews and records.
• Administer leaves of absence, tracking and returning-to-work communications.
• Maintain HRIS data and personnel files with confidentiality and accuracy.
• Develop and distribute HR reports and metrics for leadership and planning.
• Support HR compliance activities, audits, and reporting.
• Coordinate training programs, scheduling, communications, and tracking.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes and employee experience.
• Provide backup support to Administrative Support Specialist and travel coordination.
• Support special HR projects and initiatives as assigned.
• Translate policies and updates into accessible employee communications.
• Update internal HR platforms and resources and promote events and campaigns.
• Partner with stakeholders to ensure consistent messaging across the organization.

Skills

Writing

Communication

Organization

Project management

Customer service

Discretion

Collaboration

HR operations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

HRIS

SharePoint

Slack/Teams

Microsoft Teams

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

HR Programs & Communication Specialist

Full Time Syracuse, NY, US

At Hidden Level, we're building the future of airspace awareness through cutting-edge RF sensing technology. Our mission is to make the world safer—whether it's protecting troops, securing infrastructure, or enabling smarter cities. We design, manufacture, and deploy advanced sensor systems that deliver real-time insights for defense and commercial applications.

Position Overview:

We are seeking an HR Programs & Communications Specialist to support HR operations, employee communications, and engagement initiatives. This role will help manage key employee lifecycle processes while ensuring employees receive clear, timely, and consistent information about People programs, policies, benefits, and company initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines a strong foundation in HR operations with excellent writing, organizational, and project-management skills. This individual will work closely with members of the People team and stakeholders across the organization to support an efficient, engaging, and positive employee experience.

Location:

On-site in Syracuse, NY, with local travel between Hidden Level offices required.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a resource for employee benefits and payroll questions, coordinating with vendors and Finance as needed.
• Coordinate benefits enrollment meetings, employee communications, and related processes.
• Facilitate onboarding and new-hire orientation, as well as offboarding processes for voluntary and involuntary separations, including coordinating communications, documentation, company property returns, system access changes, and exit interviews, as applicable.
• Administer employee leaves of absence, including tracking, employee communications, documentation, and return-to-work processes.
• Maintain employee records, personnel files, and HRIS data while ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with record-retention requirements.
• Develop and distribute HR reports and metrics that support HR leadership, compliance activities, and workforce planning.
• Support HR compliance activities, audits, and required reporting.
• Coordinate company training programs, including scheduling, employee communications, and completion tracking.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve HR processes, workflows, communications, and the overall employee experience.
• Provide backup support to the Administrative Support Specialist, including booking travel and coordinating internal meetings, as needed.
• Support special HR projects and initiatives as assigned.

HR Communications and Engagement

• Develop and execute communications supporting HR programs, including onboarding, benefits, performance management, policy updates, training, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Draft, edit, and distribute clear, concise, and employee-focused communications through email, the company intranet, and other internal collaboration platforms.
• Translate policies, processes, benefits information, and organizational updates into accessible and engaging employee communications.
• Maintain and update internal HR communication platforms, resources, and materials.
• Assist with communications and promotion for company events, employee recognition programs, internal campaigns, philanthropy, volunteerism, and community-engagement efforts.
• Support employer-brand and recruitment-marketing content in partnership with Talent Acquisition and Marketing, including content for the careers page and LinkedIn.
• Support the execution of and attend HR-sponsored events, including organization-wide meetings, employee celebrations, and recognition activities.
• Track participation and engagement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of HR communications and programs.
• Partner with stakeholders across the organization to promote consistent, accurate, and aligned messaging.

What We're Looking For

• An excellent writer and communicator who can translate complex or sensitive information into clear, approachable, and employee-focused messaging.
• A highly organized and detail-oriented professional who can manage multiple responsibilities, projects, and deadlines.
• A strong customer-service orientation, sound judgment, and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build effective working relationships with employees and leaders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use feedback and data to improve processes and communications.
• A proactive and adaptable individual who can balance independent ownership with team support in a fast-paced environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Communications, Marketing, Business, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience in Human Resources, People Operations, internal communications, or a related role.
• Experience supporting HR operations such as benefits administration, leave management, onboarding, offboarding, HRIS administration, or employee record management.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Experience developing and distributing employee or organizational communications.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience working with HR technology systems.
• Strong organizational, project-management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an HR Specialist, People Operations, HR Coordinator, internal communications, or employee-engagement role.
• Experience supporting HR compliance activities, audits, reporting, and record-retention requirements.
• Familiarity with internal communication platforms such as SharePoint, Slack, or Microsoft Teams.
• Experience supporting employer-branding or recruitment-marketing initiatives.
• Experience tracking and analyzing communication, participation, or employee-engagement metrics.
• Experience working in a manufacturing, technology, aerospace, or defense environment.

Compensation and Benefits: Hidden Level offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, paid parental leave, flexible time off, 401(k) with employer contributions, life insurance, disability insurance, and potential stock options.

Salary Range: The salary range for this position is estimated at $70,000 to $85,000 annually. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Hidden Level considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Hidden Level is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.