Human Resources Specialist

Colerain Township; Dunlap (OH); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Colerain Township seeks an HR Specialist to organize and administer benefits programs, open enrollment, onboarding, and payroll-related changes. This role supports compliance with Ohio Revised Code and works under the Finance Manager.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in government benefits, strong Excel skills, and the ability to manage multiple HR processes with precision and confidentiality. Excellent communication and stakeholder collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in HR, business or public administration preferred but not required.
• 3–5 years in benefit administration within governmental systems.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and HRIS systems.

Responsibilities

• Administers open enrollment and benefits programs; retirement and leave processing.
• Assists auditors in township records audits.
• Manages open enrollment communications and informs employees about benefits.
• Maintains employee master files and manages vendor relations.
• Supports recruitment, posting, interviewing and onboarding of new hires.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Project management

Self-starter

Presentation skills

Government HR knowledge

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in hr/business/public administration

3–5 years govern. benefits experience

Advanced Excel skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Advanced Excel

Job description

PURPOSE:

Under the direction of the Finance Manager, the Human Resources Specialist will plan, organize, process and manage all facets of the township human resources and benefits programs, consistent with township policy, collective bargaining agreements, and the Ohio Revised Code.

SCOPE:

The Human Resource Specialist will perform a variety of routine clerical, secretarial and administrative work in the administration of various components of the personnel system of the organization, including job analysis, compensation analysis, applicant screening, examination, selection process, benefits, and training. This position requires a thorough knowledge of employee benefit programs, human resource practices and an extensive background in computerized financial systems and will work closely with the Finance Manager.

ESSENTIAL ROLES amp; RESPONSIBLILITIES:

• Administers the township employee open enrollment and benefit programs, including retirement plan, health insurance, cobra administration and vacation, sick and other leaves.
• Assists independent auditors in the audit of township records.
• Manages open enrollment processes, prepares and distributes written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits programs such as insurance plans, pension plans, paid time off, bonus pay, and special employer sponsored activities.
• Reconciles monthly benefit bills and maintains employee benefit tracking spreadsheet.
• Maintains employee master files and manages vendor relations.
• Assists Department Directors with the development of, posts, and advertises position vacancies as assigned; assists in the coordination of recruitment, interviewing and selection processes. Keeps records of applicants not selected for employment. Corresponds with job applicants to notify them of employment consideration.
• Conducts onboarding for all new hires and promoted full-time staff to foster positive attitude toward organization goals.
• Ensures compliance for all new hires and termination processes, inputs new hires and processes staff changes in financial management system.
• Responsible for Workers’ Compensation Program including claims administration and reporting.
• Manages retirement reporting of wages and employee status changes with Pension Boards.
• Assists with the development and management of township policy and procedures, ensuring that compliance is maintained by tracking staff evaluations, annual motor vehicle reports, and random DOT testing.
• Assists in conducting wage surveys within the labor market to determine competitive wage rate.
• Evaluates the township job descriptions; standardizing them township wide.
• Assist with the development and administration of township-wide wellness programs or initiatives.
• Prepares responses to public records request for HR items.
• Administrator for the Township’s Human Resources Information System.
• Other duties as assigned.

CRITICAL SKILLS / EXPERTISE:

• Requires strength in inter-personal skills as well as the ability to work independently.
• Must possess leadership skills and knowledge of current strategies related to government human resource management.
• Ability to develop and maintain working relationships with associates, superiors and general public.
• Must have strong communication skills, both written and oral.
• Must have sophisticated and professional presentation skills, with the ability to assimilate extensive information into meaningful business cases and effective presentations.
• Ability to structure, prioritize, and manage multiple complex projects.
• Must be a self-starter, demonstrating strong initiative, and exhibiting a high energy level in order to quickly generate results.
• Highly imaginative, able to create structure from concept, taking ideas and crystallizing conclusions with little, if any, supervision. Able to make connections between previously unrelated notions.
• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with department heads, subordinates, and elected officials.
• Thorough knowledge of human resources and benefit procedural best practices, and standard office systems and software.

EDUCATION, LICENSING amp; CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate of accredited four-year college or university with a degree in human resource management, business or public administration, or a closely related field is preferred, but not required.
• At least 3-5 years of experience in benefit administration with deep understanding of governmental systems. Consistently been a top performer in their peer group.
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office applications, with advanced Excel skills.

PHYSICAL amp; MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, and hear, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and to reach with hands and arms.
• The employee must be able to lift and/or move varying amounts of weight, depending upon the task at hand. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Must be able to kneel, bend at the waist, and work in a standing position for long periods.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essentials of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.