Human Resources Front Desk Operations Coordinator - (Administrative Aide) - Human Resources

Howard County Government; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 51,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Great benefits

Job summary

Howard County Government seeks a detail-oriented Administrative and Office Support professional for the Office of Human Resources. The role supports HR files, payroll, benefits, and applicant processing in a fast-paced public sector environment.

You will handle receptionist duties, maintain confidential HR records, and coordinate meetings and events, contributing to workforce excellence and excellent customer service for departments, employees, and applicants.

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with good attention to detail.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Responsibilities

• Performs receptionist duties; responds to inquiries and routes calls/emails appropriately.
• Maintains HR files, records, and documentation with confidentiality.
• Enters, stores, and retrieves data from HR systems (e.g., ADP payroll, benefits platforms).
• Maintains logs and prepares basic operational reports; files and retrieves materials.
• Assists with payroll and timekeeping, processes timesheets, and handles leave reconciliations.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Microsoft Office

Education

Associates degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2026, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 113 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 165 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.


• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!


• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.


• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position functions in the corporate Human Resources Office for Howard County Government. The Human Resources Office is dedicated to workforce excellence and great customer service to all departments, employees and applicants. This is a fast-paced position which requires a skilled individual to handle a variety of technical duties supporting Human Resources functions.

This position performs on-site work and serves in a confidential capacity within the definition of Howard County labor relations law and is ineligible for membership in a collective bargaining unit.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:

$24.70 - $32.34

$51,382 - $67,273

*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs advanced technical level administrative support work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work typically involves administrative support, technical tasks and secretarial work assisting legal staff or an executive level government official. Applies bookkeeping, accounting and data processing principles to accounting and financial record keeping and reporting systems at the advanced technical level. Work at this level may also include independent responsibility for a significant administrative or clerical process.

This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months

Veuillez noter que cette position sert dans un rôle confidentiel dans la définition de la loi sur les relations de travail de Howard County et n'est pas éligible à l'adhésion à un syndicat de négociation collective.

Administrative and Office Support:

• Performs receptionist duties; responds to internal and external inquiries and routes calls/emails appropriately.


• Opens and distributes mail, including confidential/sensitive materials.


• Prepares letters for mailing and departmental distribution.


• Responsible for ordering office supplies, processing supply requisitions, receiving and distributing materials, and reconciling office credit card transactions and invoices.


• Schedules and arranges physical, hybrid, and virtual meetings; may act as host/facilitator; uses space management tools to reserve meeting rooms.


• Performs other related responsibilities as assigned.

Human Resources Records and Data Management:

• Provides administrative support for the Office of Human Resources; maintains accurate and up-to-date HR files, records, and documentation.


• Maintains integrity and confidentiality of HR files and records.


• Enters, stores, and retrieves data from HR systems including ADP payroll, benefits administration platforms, Iron Mountain records storage, and applicant tracking systems.


• Maintains logs, records, complex files; prepares basic operational reports; files and retrieves materials.

Employee and Applicant Support:

• Answers frequently asked questions from applicants and employees regarding policies, benefits, hiring processes, etc.


• Provides staff support during employment testing, training programs, benefits enrollment, new employee orientation (NEO), and related operations.


• Creates employee identification badges.

Payroll and Timekeeping:

• Maintains office payroll and leave records.


• Records and processes biweekly timesheets for office personnel.


• Processes hours and leave adjustments, compensatory time, and annual leave reconciliations.

Financial and Expense Administration:

• Serves as primary office contact for expense-related matters within Human Resources.


• Processes monthly settlements; maintains documentation to validate purchases and payments.


• Performs budget reconciliation, reviewing income and expense data for accuracy.


• Processes employee expense reimbursements in SAP for payment by the finance department.

Events and Special Programs Support:

• Assists with planning and execution of special events, including benefits enrollment, organization-wide meetings, employee recognition events, holiday parties, and retirement celebrations.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no supervisory duties.

Associates degree a nd two (2) years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Associates degree in related field.


• Proficient with or the ability to quickly learn payroll management, applicant tracking systems, budget management applications, human resource information systems (HRIS), and similar computer applications.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and the work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.


• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.


• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.


• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Demonstrated experience of working in a fast-paced environment and successfully navigating multiple priorities.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.


• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.


• Excellent organizational and time management skills with good attention to detail.


• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.


• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.


• Ability to write simple correspondence.


• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.


• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.


• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.


• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.