HR Specialist

State of Nebraska; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave (24 days/year)

State retirement plan (156% match)

Tuition reimbursement

Employee assistance program

Health, dental, vision insurance

Job summary

State of Nebraska is seeking a Recruitment Specialist to support recruitment activities for multiple state agencies via an HR Shared Services model from our Lincoln office. The role emphasizes sourcing talent, building partnerships with leadership, onboarding and offboarding processes, and improving recruitment initiatives.

You will work with a team of HR specialists, collaborate with Nebraska educational institutions, and contribute to a fast-paced, service-oriented public-sector environment.

Qualifications

• Two years of coursework or training in personnel management, business administration, public administration or office/administrative tasks OR three years of related experience.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment: manage the full recruitment cycle from posting to offers and background checks.
• Onboarding: coordinate Workday processes, access, training, and records.
• Orientation: conduct New Hire Orientation weekly from Lincoln office.
• OffBoarding: manage exit processes and related access deactivations.
• Support leadership and partners to build a strong talent pipeline and develop recruitment initiatives.

Skills

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Collaboration

Communication

Adaptability

Independence

Change tolerance

Process improvement

Job description

The work we do matters! Hiring Agency: Administrative Services - Agency 65 Location: Lincoln, NE Hiring Rate: $22.011 Job Posting: JR2026-00029689 HR Specialist (Open) Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): 10-14-2026 Are you innovative, outgoing, creative and driven? We want you to join our dynamic team as a Recruitment Specialist! Check out what we have to offer, and how you can make a significant impact in the lives of others by bringing your talent to state government.

In this role, you’re responsible for supporting recruitment activities for a variety State agencies through an HR Shared Services model. You won't get this experience anywhere else at the State! We work fast but smart, so this role is going to give you the opportunity to fast forward your experience in the recruiting and human resources field. Actively sourcing talented individuals to join our teams, building brand awareness and partnerships, working closely with leadership on successful onboarding and offboarding is going to be your sweet spot.

Job Duties

• Recruitment: Manage the entire recruitment process from advertising, communicating with candidates, coordinating interviews, participating on interview panels (digitally or in-person as requested), making employment offers, and conducting background and reference checks.
• Onboarding: Manage the new employee set-up process, including the utilization of Workday hiring processes, computer access set up, training assignments, personnel information filing, and more.
• Orientation: Prepare for, and conduct, in-person HR New Hire Orientation sessions at least once per week from the Lincoln office. Coordinate with agency hiring managers to ensure the new employee's first day runs efficiently and successfully. Complete New Hire Paperwork (Form I-9, W4, W4N, and other agency documents) in accordance with the USCIS and IRS requirements. Provide New Hire Orientation information in the form of a presentation.
• OffBoarding: Manage the entire exit process with departing employees, including the utilization of Workday termination processes, archiving and deletion of computer accesses, personnel filing information, and act as a point of contact for the departing teammate.
• Other responsibilities: Provide support to our leadership teams for various day-to-day HR functions. Collaborate with organizational partners to effectively build trust and successful working relationships. Work with a team of Human Resources Specialists, modeling confidence, ethical behavior, great customer service, exceptional communication, and a commitment to innovation, integrity, and accountability. Develop relationships and build partnerships with Nebraska and/or surrounding state educational institutions to increase brand awareness resulting in the development of a reliable talent pipeline program. Research, develop, and propose strategic active recruitment program initiatives to HR leadership aimed at increasing brand awareness resulting in increased application conversion rates.

Other duties as assigned within the scope of the classification.

Requirements / Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Two years of coursework or training in personnel management, business administration, public administration or office/administrative or three years of related experience.
• Other: Regular and Reliable attendance is required.
• Ability to: Independently problem-solve
• Critically think about situations and navigate ambiguity
• Collaborate positively with customers and colleagues
• Work with little to no direct supervision once fully trained
• Remain flexible and welcoming of change
• Skill in: Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication
• Process improvement

Benefits

• 13 paid holidays (including Arbor Day!)
• Vacation and sick leave equating to 24 days your first year, accruing immediately
• Military leave
• 156% (that’s not a typo!) state-matched retirement
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee assistance program
• 79% employer paid health, dental, vision insurance plans
• Employer-paid $20,000 life insurance policy
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PLSF) through the Federal government
• Wide variety and availability of career advancement as the largest and most diverse employer in the State
• Opportunity to be part of meaningful work and make a difference through public service
• Training and Development based on your career aspirations
• Fun, inviting teammates
• A safe and secure environment

We offer a comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement and professional development opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and life. Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation. Check out all that the State of Nebraska has to offer! Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency and employment status. For more information on benefits, please visit: https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/index.html#benefits

The State of Nebraska values our teammates as well as a supportive environment that strives to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex. age, national origin, disability, marital status or genetics. We are seeking talented individuals to join our team in careers that make a difference in the lives of Nebraskans. Once you've had the opportunity to explore our current open positions, apply for those of interest to you.

Thank you for your interest in joining our team! State Government is one of the largest and most diverse employers in Nebraska. Whether it's helping a vulnerable child, advancing public health, making highways safer, or preserving our natural resources, the work we do matters!