Human Resources Specialist - Entry or Senior

State of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Sick time rollover

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Well Wisconsin program

Job summary

The State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is seeking a Human Resources Specialist (Entry or Senior) to provide comprehensive HR services to DOJ business areas. The role emphasizes partnering with internal and external stakeholders and delivering high‑quality recruitment, classification, compensation, and HRIS support.

Remote work is eligible with hybrid arrangements; candidates must report to the Madison office as needed. Probationary period may apply.

Qualifications

• Professional recruitment or staffing experience, public sector preferred.
• Experience delivering HR services to internal and external customers.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Provide recruitment, staffing and HR services to DOJ business areas.
• Consult on classification, compensation, HRIS data maintenance, and employee relations.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliant HR practices.

Skills

HR policy & recruitment experience

Client-facing / customer service

MS Office proficiency (Word, Excel,Out

Education

PHR or SPHR certification or Bachelor’s degree in HR

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Introduction

Are you a human resource professional that enjoys helping people? Are you interested in matching talented people with very important positions? If yes, then for an opportunity to use your skills with an organization that makes a difference.

It is the mission of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect the public and ensure that justice is done.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Human Resources (BHR) provides comprehensive personnel services to the entire organization. We're looking for talented people who are active learners that build strong collaborative relationships and recognize the value different perspectives and experiences bring.

Position Summary

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently looking for a Human Resources Specialist (Entry or Senior) to join our Human Resources team. The ideal candidate will be able to effectively partner with internal and external stakeholders to provide comprehensive personnel services to the business areas of the department. The HR Specialist serves as primary point of contact for human resources services and is expected to demonstrate exceptional customer service by establishing and maintaining professional relationships.

This position will be headquartered at the Risser Justice Center located at 17 West Main Street, located in the award-winning city of Madison. Learn more about the area here: City of Madison.

The Human Resources (HR) Specialist provides a wide range of professional recruitment and HR services to management and staff at the Department of Justice. The individual in this position will ensure the fair and consistent application of human resources policies and practices by providing consultation and assistance in the areas of staffing, classification and compensation, human resource information system (HRIS) data maintenance, and employee relations consultation.

For more information, review the HR Specialist-Entry position description.

Human Resources Specialist – Senior

The Human Resources (HR) Specialist-Senior independently provides expert guidance in recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, policy interpretation, and employment relations. The person in this position will ensure the fair and consistent application of human resources policies and practices, human resource information systems (HRIS) data management, policy and procedure development and interpretation, and training and consultation at the Department of Justice.

For more information, review the HR Specialist-Senior position description.

Salary Information

The Human Resources Specialist-Entry is in pay schedule 81 and pay range 04. The starting base wage will be between $31.00 - $35.00/hour ($64,480 - $72,800 annually). The Human Resources Specialist-Senior is in pay schedule 81 and pay range 03. The starting base wage will be between $35.00 - $39.00/hour ($72,800 - $81,120 annually). The starting pay will be determined depending upon experience and qualifications.

Pay for current or former state employees will follow the provisions found in the State of Wisconsin Compensation Plan effective at the time of hire. A 12-month probationary period may be required.

The State Of Wisconsin Offers Amazing Benefits, Such As

• Generous paid time off, including at least 3 1/2 weeks of vacation/personal time, and nine paid holidays.
• Sick time that rolls over each year with no cap and may be used to pay for healthcare premiums in retirement.
• Affordable health insurance, dental, vision, life, and more.
• A top-notch retirement program and optional tax-advantaged 457 retirement plan.
• A Well Wisconsin program, offering wellness tools and rewards to employees and spouses.

To learn more aboutDOJ’stotal compensationpackage, please visitourTotal Rewards Calculator!

Job Details

This position is eligible for remote work. DOJ offers hybrid remote/office work. If interested in remote work, this can be discussed in more detail during the interview process. The selected employee(s) must report to DOJ’s office on the first day of employment. In addition, the employee may need to report to DOJ on short notice as operational needs require. High speed internet access will be required to meet needs of remote work.

The Department of Justice does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

Prior to any appointments for position(s) filled from this announcement, candidates may be subject to a comprehensive criminal background check to determine whether the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the duties required of the position.

Qualifications

• Professional experience (e.g., as an HR Assistant, Recruiter, Staffing Specialist, Generalist, Business Partner or similar role) performing recruitment related duties such as evaluating job descriptions, writing/updating job descriptions, developing applicant assessments and interview questions and/or selection related duties such as posting jobs, coordinating interviews, performing reference checks, etc.
• Experience providing human resource related services to internal and external customers (e.g. answering basic questions about HR procedures and/or policies).
• Experience with Microsoft Office Applications: Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams or equivalent.

• Current professional certification such as HRCI’s PHR or SPHR or SHRM’s SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP; or a bachelor’s degree or higher in human resource management, behavioral sciences or organizational development, business or public administration or related field.
• Recruitment/Staffing experience in the public sector (i.e., municipal, county, state, federal or higher education).
• Experience, training and/or certification in process improvement or project management.

The WI Department of Justice is committed to providing opportunities to all applicants from all backgrounds. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply for this job announcement is October 2, 2026, at 11:59pm.